(Photo: j_bary via Foter.com / CC BY)
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” ― Carl Sagan
By Andrea Loewen
@andreaxuaxua
This Month’s Action:
There has been a plethora of insanity this month: more threats to healthcare, the Russian collusion, attacking the Attorney General on Twitter, banning transgendered people from the military. But this excited me the most: on July 12th, the first articles of impeachment were filed by Brad Sherman.
Right now, very few representatives (including Democrats) support impeachment, and so this particular article will likely go nowhere (I haven’t been able to find anything on it since the filing, so maybe it already has). It won’t be the last article filed, though. Now is the time to get on the phone, fire up your email, and let your representatives know that you support impeachment.
This Month’s Reading:
WTF List (Keeping Up With the News):
What the Fuck Just Happened Today: Still the best place for daily updates on the declarations, bills, and other actions made by the Whitehouse.
Transgendered People Cannot Serve in the US Military: This is the latest of the madness, and just for your reference, the military spends more on viagra than transgendered soldiers’ medical expenses. Oh, and this decision is part of a deal to get border wall funding.
Another Obamacare Repeal Bill Falls Short: Seven Republican senators voted against this bill. Maybe send them a thank you note? (And just for fun, it’s good to know that those fighting Trumpcare represent 36 million more Americans than those supporting it.)
Trump’s Son-in-Law Kushner Denies Russian Collusion: The Russian collusion investigations continue.
Action Inspo and Instructionals:
Let these alternate guides and examples of resistance inspire you!
Sleeveless in Speakers’ Lobby? House May Update Dress Code: Representative Martha McSally took a small act of protest over the strict House dress code by speaking in a sleeveless shirt and open-toed sandals. She made a point of pointing it out at the end of her speech. Go Martha!
VoteRunLead: VoteRunLead supports women who want to participate in democracy as leaders, providing training and tools.
Psychiatry Group Says Members Can Comment on Trump’s Mental Health: It’s been a rule for a long time that therapists and those with psychological training should not comment on the mental health of public figures. The American Psychoanalytic Association has removed this ban, in order to help the public understand Trump’s unusual behaviour.
9 Inspiring Women Who Have Fought for the Rights and Visibility of Afro Latin Americans: These women have fought the good fight and made real change!
How One California City is Sending a Message of Environmental Resistance to Trump: Just after Trump called to expand offshore oil drilling, Santa Barbara banned new federal oil and gas leases in its waters.
Did Japan’s First Lady Pretend Not to Speak English to Snub Trump?: We don’t know for sure, but it’s inspiring nonetheless!
Analysis, Opinion, and Enrichment:
These will help you better understand how what’s feeding the madness and expose you to perspectives different from your own (regardless of their direct connection to Trump’s madness).
What These Transgendered Soldiers Think About Trump’s US Trans Troops Ban: In case you need an insider perspective.
What Exactly is Collusion?: There’s a lot of talk about collusion lately. Don’t quite know what it means? Here you go.
What We Know – and Don’t Know – About Hate Crimes in America: ProPublica has been working with a variety of newsrooms to track hate crimes through a project called Documenting Hate. Here’s where they’ve gotten so far.
What Could Happen if Jeff Sessions Resigns: Isn’t it a strange turn of events to be rooting for Sessions?
The Battle Over Conservatism: Conservatives in America are embroiled in a civil war right now. What ideology will win?
A Veteran ICE Agent, Disillusioned With the Trump Era, Speaks Out: Want to know what it’s like at ICE now, compared to in the past?
Andrea is a Vancouver-based writer, theatre producer and promoter, choreographer, and yoga instructor with a big dose of love for sci fi/fantasy, her cat, green tea, riding her bike no matter the weather, and using a robot to vacuum her floors so she doesn’t have to. She covers dance for Vancouver Presents, as well as writing for her own blog, The Receptionist and co-producing and co-hosting the podcast Life, Right? www.andrealoewen.com
