Call things by their names
It is going to get bad.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace and House Speaker Mike Johnson feel empowered to deploy dehumanizing language to attract attention and fundraising dollars, as they threaten to disallow an incoming Congressional colleague from using restrooms in the U.S. Capitol building.
This is the language of bigotry. These are the actions of miscreants. This is gross. Mace is seeking to deflect accountability from her cruelty with claims she is protecting “women” from assault—all while she continues to support TFP (a court-adjudicated rapist) and his cadre of abusers (Gaetz, Hegseth, Kennedy).
But the cruelty is so often the point.
When the incoming administration begins its work to forcibly remove (or frighten) people from their homes, the cruelty will be both real and intended. But the rhetoric is different than the reality, and we will not be powerless to stand against it.
Millions of people will wake up on Jan. 21 not knowing exactly what comes next for them — and the more accurate the press and the public can be about the scope and scale of deportation efforts, the better able immigrants and their communities will be to prepare for what might be coming and try to find ways to throw sand in the gears.
We need not comply in advance. We can call things by their names.
One @#$%ing thing
“Forget perfect. Be awesome. Do good.”
Yes, there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. There is also Good.Store, an online store for socks, soap, coffee, and tea that has donated more than $8 million to Partners in Health in the service of saving lives.
Vlogbrothers Hank and John Green were inspired by Newman’s Own (which also donates its profits to charity) when they built Good Store. John broke down some of the math in a video this week. From the store’s About page:
There is a whole lot of injustice in this world and looking it in the face is overwhelming. This is why Good Store is trying to make it a little easier to do good with small acts that add up. By purchasing products that you need every day from the Good Store, you make it possible for us to channel that money into the causes that need it most.
Tonight I bought soap (which I need every day).
All the @#$%ing things
Night 14: Refined an icon and wordmark
Night 13: Contributed to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Night 12: Contributed to The Guardian
Night 11: Read, reflected, and rested
Night 10: Sent money to support vaccinations in Nigeria
Night 9: Sent money to a friend in need
Night 8: Gave gifts and spoke words of appreciation aloud
Night 7: Contributed to a California-focused nonprofit newsroom
Night 6: Made homemade donuts for my team
Night 5: Opted into a paid Buttondown tier
Night 4: Reviewed my local election results
Night 3: Deactivated my X account
Night 2: Contributed to my local nonprofit newsroom
Night 1: Started by starting
Words, sorts, thinks, and actions by Chris Ereneta, from Oakland, California. Thanks for reading! Thoughtful feedback and questions are welcomed at that.often@gmail.com