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AS DONALD TRUMP BEGINS HIS SECOND TERM we face the very real possibility that we may soon be saying goodbye democracy, goodbye equality, goodbye abortion access, goodbye saving the planet. There’s also a very good chance that we - and maybe our children - will spend much of the rest of our time on this Earth fighting against a fascist takeover of our government and our lives: like Germany in the 1930s and 40s; Chile and Argentina in the 70s and 80s; or like Putin’s Russia these last 25 years.
If, on the other hand, we don’t panic and we find creative and effective ways to block and embarrass Trump’s henchmen - then we stand a pretty good chance of being able to beat these shameless, predatory, incompetent goons before they can destroy our Constitution, our democracy and our civil society. Then we and our children can return to the task of enjoying and further perfecting this American experiment in egalitarian, multicultural democracy.
Also, we get to save the planet.
And yeah, this really sucks, but in some ways we’re lucky to live in such crazy and dangerous times.
It’s nice to be comfortable, but even the most comfortable life can feel lonely and small if it lacks meaning or purpose or connection to something greater than ourselves. If part of the purpose of a life is to be of use - to protect and inspire and look out for one another - then those of us alive in this moment are actually very lucky, because simply by standing up for decency and truth - by opposing pointless cruelty and absurd greed and sloppy lies - we have the ability to do great and transformative good: we can help our neighbors and millions of other people we’ll never meet, we can help save democracy, and - once again, because it’s important - by helping to save democracy we make it possible to save the planet.
WHETHER STUCK IN THE MUCK OR RISING ABOVE, in this space we’ll try to support and inspire one another as we navigate the dangers and opportunities of the months ahead: Politics, Music, Creativity and Community for Crazy Times. Also, something to make us laugh because a fierce and defiant joy is the ultimate power and rebellion - like that smile Denzel flashes just before he kicks the bad guy’s ass.
Joy also because fascists have no sense of humor, and the more we laugh the smaller they get.
Welcome.
With all that in mind, there’ll be a good bit of political writing here. In the spirit of Thomas Paine the intent is to make the political essays entertaining, clarifying and aggressive. The intent is also to avoid getting caught up in the trap of simply responding to and arguing against the latest ridiculous/hateful/appalling thing to come out of the Donald’s ridiculous/hateful/appalling mouth. That could lead us in circles forever, and - too often over the past ten years - it has. The goal will generally be to re-frame the conversation and to reconnect us with reality.
Reality is Donald Trump’s kryptonite.
Also, to paraphrase the humane and extremely fabulous photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, reality is beautiful and amazing, but facts by themselves are very boring: you’ve got to make people FEEL the truth. Amen…
There will also be stuff here that’s not explicitly political, because life goes on - even when fighting depraved fascist nutjobs - and life is composed of lots of strange and wonderful things that need to be noticed and celebrated, now maybe even more than usual because of all The Crazy that’s going on. So there’ll be music and culture and photos and psychology and current events and who knows what else because that’s life, and because in the words of Margaret Atwood, “It’s got to be fun. If it isn’t fun no one’s going to care.”
ABOUT ME: I’m a writer and musician. Mostly I sing and play guitar. I play fiddle not particularly well but it makes me happy. I’ve worked as a professional tricyclist, as a political speechwriter, and as a trainer for Apple, Inc. The best job I ever had was working at a summer camp up in Vermont that grew out of the civil rights movement, filled with kids and staff from every possible background, all happily sharing the same green and ramshackle space. It’d literally never occurred to me that being a kid - or an adult - could feel that playful and that safe. I’ve secretly tried to make every day since feel as much like camp as possible.
I accidentally lived in Ireland for two years. Having grown up in the Northeast, finding a whole island full of people who acted like it was Perfectly Normal to chat with strangers and have a laugh about nothing in particular was a revelation, and relieved me of a vague sense that there might be something wrong with me.
My first screenplay was inspired by finally hearing the Dandy Warhols’ song “Bohemian Like You” through properly enormous speakers.
In March, 2020 I was finishing a screenplay (set during the American Revolution, intended to annoy and undermine the Donald and his minions) when I got COVID. The COVID messed up my heart, and my messed up heart gave me a stroke, and Long COVID scrambled what was left. After writing for hours every day, I couldn’t write even one creative sentence for more than three and a half years. Late in 2023 I got COVID again and the antivirals turned my brain back on and I’ve been writing - and rehabbing, and trying to catch back up with my life - pretty much ever since, with a whole new appreciation for the wonder and blessing of words. I’m very grateful to be back, and to be able to do my bit to oppose and make fun of Trump and his Bond villain, Nouveau-Nazi, Robber Bros during these most insane and important of times.
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