"Socialism" Is A Scare Word

“Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years.
Socialism is what they called public power.
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called farm price supports.
Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.
Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.

When the Republican candidate inscribes the slogan 'Down With Socialism' on the banner of his 'great crusade,' that is really not what he means at all.”

--Harry S. Truman during a whistle-stop campaign speech in Syracuse, New York, on October 10, 1952.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia 2026: "At the heart of democracy"

The theme for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) 2026 is “At the heart of democracy,” the global IDAHOBIT Advisory Committee announced today.

Developed through extensive consultations with regional and global LGBTQIA+ networks worldwide, the 2026 IDAHOBIT theme serves as a powerful reminder that the soil of truly democratic societies must be rich in meaningful equity and justice for all, fostering the flourishing of the entire community.

Observed annually on 17 May, IDAHOBIT commemorates the 1990 decision by the World Health Organization to remove homosexuality from its International Classification of Diseases.

First celebrated in 2005, the Day has grown into a truly global community moment. Every year, individuals, organisations, and governments celebrate the day with initiatives, events, and campaigns in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ people, demanding action to ensure they can exercise their rights.

No matter where we live, who we are, or the faiths that drive us, most people want to nurture neighbourhoods and communities where every life can flourish. But today, reactionary governments worldwide are poisoning our gardens with the invasive weeds of their authoritarian policies and exclusionary legislations.

Time and again, LGBTQIA+ people have resisted these pests, rolled up their sleeves together with all the good people caring about their communities, and sowed the seeds of change. On IDAHOBIT 2026, and every day, you are invited to join in — at the heart of democracy: together, we can prepare the ground for a better future for everyone.

IDAHOBIT is a shared moment for communities and allies to cultivate change in ways that reflect local soils, climates, and traditions. Whether planting a community mural in Buenos Aires, hosting a virtual town‑hall in Nairobi, or organising a legislative lobby day in Strasbourg, every initiative — no matter how big or small — adds nutrients to the democratic garden.

https://may17.org/

Day of Silence, April 10, 2026

Tomorrow is Day of Silence.

Day of Silence 2026: Rise Up. Take Action.

History of Day of Silence: Started in the mid 90’s by two college students, Day of Silence was a nationally-recognized demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools.

30 Years of Day of Silence:

2026 marks the 30th year of the first Day of Silence. Originally held by students at the University of Virginia, in response to the bullying and harassment of LGBTQ+ students, it has grown to a national day of action pushing back against the silencing of LGBTQ+ youth and the erasure of their experiences.

In our deepening cultural and political divide, LGBTQ+ students are more directly targeted than ever before. From harmful legislation to erasing LGBTQ+ history from school curriculum, it is now more important than ever to take a step back and let our communities know what it feels like when we are stripped of our voices.

Silent Protests as Resistance:

A silent protest is a form of demonstration where people express disagreement or demand change without speaking. Day of Silence is one of many highly successful demonstrations throughout history. Silent protests have been used across movements successfully and are powerful demonstrations that in the case of Day of Silence highlight the importance of intersectional LGBTQ+ youth voice.

I am not sure how many high school or middle school students stop by "Oh, By The Way," but if you are a student, please consider joining the Day of Silence tomorrow. And if you are an adult who knows a teen, especially a gay teen, who might benefit from this, please pass it along. The event is also observed on college campuses. Click on the link below to learn more about how to participate and for social media templates. We are under attack and can use all the voices we can get.

https://glisten.org/campaigns/dayofsilence/

NO KINGS 3.28.26

I am marching today.
Each time I attend a rally and march, the crowd gets bigger and bigger. Protesting is a way to energize, to gather strength, to embolden your friends and neighbors to join. To be a wrench in the machine, to create a wall of resistance. The right don't like these marches and rallies ... which is exactly why we need to continue gathering and marching and protesting. I love my country and I am not going to watch it turned into a controlled, propagandist, intolerant regime ... that is not what the United States was ever meant to be.

https://www.nokings.org/

Here, below, is the Declaration of Independence. It reads like a current list of transgressions by the current occupant of the White House and his entire administration.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Just finished reading...

"Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy" by Joyce Vance (a Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Law at The University of Alabama, and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 2009 to 2017 appointed by Obama).

A friend of mine gave me her copy of this uplifting book to read, saying that she found it to be a helpful antidote to the fear and disappointment many of us in the former United States of America are living with. And she was right, it was wonderful to be reminded that the government is not broken, the principles are not broken, Congress is not broken, the Supreme Court is not broken, the office of the President is not broken, the concept of Democracy itself is not broken...these things remain whole, innocent, waiting to be used in an ethical, moral way. It is some of the people within these positions and institutions that are broken. The bedrock is intact. But we the people have the power and obligation to remove and replace the broken ones with those who believe in the Constitution, Democracy, and the ideals of what we can continue to achieve as a Nation.

The book's blurb says:

We’re in this together.

For the past several years, Joyce Vance has signed off posts on her chart-topping Substack, "Civil Discourse", with these four words. In that time, she has guided readers through a continued erosion of democratic norms, the unprecedented felony conviction of an ex-president, and the constitutionally calamitous beginning to the second Trump administration. Here, Vance offers a blueprint for avoiding burnout and despair, and for strengthening our democratic muscle.

Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action, putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance’s message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context and the political history— and why the rule of the law still matters. At the same time, she empowers the reader to do something, both as individuals and collectively.

Consider this the birth of a countermovement to Project 2025, a rallying cry for citizen engagement to combat the second Trump administration and save American democracy.

Recommend? Yes, it is a wonderful, easy read: six succinct chapters allow her to make her case and outline a paradigm. If you could use some fortification against the daily onslaught of vicious cruelty and ineptitude, buy a copy and read carefully!

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/801635/giving-up-is-unforgivable-by-joyce-vance/
https://joycevance.substack.com/

PROP 50 WINS!

https://stopelectionrigging.com/
https://cadem.org/prop50/
https://couragecalifornia.org/yes-on-californias-prop-50/

VOTE YES ON PROP 50!

"WHAT IS PROPOSITION 50?

Since day one, Californians have been on the frontlines of protecting our communities under attack by the Trump administration and his MAGA Republicans. With Proposition 50, California voters have the opportunity to fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants.

Proposition 50 is a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Proposition 50 proposes new lines for many of California’s 52 congressional districts, which would negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas. Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda."

November 4: ELECTION DAY
VOTE!

Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 11, 2025. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

https://stopelectionrigging.com/
https://cadem.org/prop50/
https://couragecalifornia.org/yes-on-californias-prop-50/

Robert Reich Urges A YES Vote For Prop 50!

https://stopelectionrigging.com/

https://cadem.org/prop50/

https://couragecalifornia.org/yes-on-californias-prop-50/

VOTE TOMORROW! YES ON PROP 50!

If you live in California and haven't voted yet, I urge you to vote YES on Prop 50 tomorrow!

"WHAT IS PROPOSITION 50?

Since day one, Californians have been on the frontlines of protecting our communities under attack by the Trump administration and his MAGA Republicans. With Proposition 50, California voters have the opportunity to fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants.

Proposition 50 is a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Proposition 50 proposes new lines for many of California’s 52 congressional districts, which would negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas. Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda."

November 4: ELECTION DAY
VOTE!

Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 11, 2025. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

https://stopelectionrigging.com/
https://cadem.org/prop50/
https://couragecalifornia.org/yes-on-californias-prop-50/

YES ON PROP 50!

If you live in California with me, I urge you to vote YES on Prop 50!

"WHAT IS PROPOSITION 50?

Since day one, Californians have been on the frontlines of protecting our communities under attack by the Trump administration and his MAGA Republicans. With Proposition 50, California voters have the opportunity to fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants.

Proposition 50 is a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Proposition 50 proposes new lines for many of California’s 52 congressional districts, which would negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas. Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda."

IMPORTANT DATES FOR VOTERS:

October 25:

Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties.

November 4: ELECTION DAY
VOTE in person!

Note that vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 11, 2025. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

https://stopelectionrigging.com/
https://cadem.org/prop50/
https://couragecalifornia.org/yes-on-californias-prop-50/

10.18.25

https://www.nokings.org/

HAPPY LABOR DAY 2025!

Happy Labor Day, readers in the United States! This is a holiday that recognizes and honors the American labor movement of the late 19th century and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country.

I believe in the power of labor and work. I believe in the dignity of labor and work. I believe in the power of unions to protect workers from abuse by companies and corporations, and I am a proud union member. Now more than ever in this current political climate, I believe all of these things. I believe in the sense of fairness toward which the human spirit strives. Happy Labor Day!

Standing together with co-workers in a union makes a tangible difference you can feel every day. Here are just a few benefits:

• Workers in labor unions make 18% more in wages than our nonunion counterparts.
• We are more likely to have health care benefits. More than nine out of 10 union members have access to employer-provided health insurance, compared to 68% of nonunion workers, according to the Department of Labor.
• We work in safer workplaces. One study found job sites that were unionized have lost-time claims at a 31% lower rate than non-unionized sites.
• We have more job security—even and especially in moments of economic crisis.

Countries where most workers are in a union are among the happiest and healthiest on Earth.

Life is better in a union.

https://aflcio.org/laborday

COME AND TAKE IT!

It’s official. California’s special election is ON for November 4th.

The People of California will be able to cast their vote for a Congressional map.

Direct democracy that gives us a fighting chance to STOP Donald Trump’s election rigging.

Time to fight fire with fire. If you are in California with me, I implore you to vote YES.

https://stopelectionrigging.com/

Wait For 2026 When We The People Have The Last Word

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia 2025: THE POWER OF COMMUNITIES

This year's theme for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia is "THE POWER OF COMMUNITIES." The official website states:

Developed through consultations with LGBTQIA+ organisations worldwide, the IDAHOBIT 2025 theme “the power of communities” was announced during the ILGA World Conference 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.

IDAHOBIT, observed annually on 17 May, commemorates the 1990 decision by the World Health Organization to remove homosexuality from its International Classification of Diseases. Since then, the day has served as a focal point for raising awareness of the violence and discrimination still faced by LGBTQIA+ people across the globe.

“The power of communities” reflects the diversity and richness within LGBTQIA+ communities, from the grass roots to the global, celebrating our varied and intersecting backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The theme for 2025 highlights the strength and resilience that emerges from our collective solidarity, recognising the contributions of human rights defenders, LGBTQIA+ civil society groups, allies, and millions of people in our communities who support human rights and collective liberation.

IDAHOBIT is not a centralised campaign; rather, it is a shared moment for communities and allies driving change around the world to take action in ways that resonate with their specific contexts and reflect their realities and priorities. Every initiative—big or small—counts and can make an impact, amplifying the movement’s reach and contributing to a world free from discrimination and violence.

Please visit the website for more uplifting and empowering information including ways to Mark The Moment.
https://may17.org/

Warning Signs Of Fascism

Time to repost this...

Word Of The Day

https://www.instagram.com/susiedent

Time To Save The Country

Here We Are Again

Hello, readers. I have started to write this post several times already, approaching it from different angles each time: talking about resisting, talking about disappoinment, using humorous images to address looming dystopia, posting a list of rules on How To Survive An Authoritarian Regime, but none of it seemed right. None of it captured the entirety of the swirl of conflicting thoughts and emotions I am sure all of us are feeling. So I just want to say two things:

I still believe in everything I did before last night, with even more conviction. For whatever the next administration has in store for us, I intend to be a grain of sand in the eye of heaven, which will manifest itself against them in many ways.

Just like the last time we did this, living well is the best revenge. I re-dedicate myself to beauty in all its forms. The arts are a healing balm and they come to our aid in distressing times. I pledge to continue to live my life, and turn the volume up a bit. They don't get my liberal tears...they get my liberal self.

We are not going away.

VOTE HARRIS 2024!

http://kamalaharris.com