“Unity is an anomaly. Polarization is normal. Skepticism about liberal democracy is also normal. And the appeal of authoritarianism is eternal.” –Anne Applebaum, Twilight of Democracy It got pretty lost amidst the other news of FBI arrests of violent insurrectionists and whatnot, but last week the POLITY scale – an official scorecard that measures and…
“If you’re just now getting on the boat of recognizing that Trump is an autocrat, a fascist, and a menace to democracy, welcome aboard. But please don’t take the most comfortable seats and feel entitled to navigate. Some people have been aboard awhile and their feet are tired.” —Anand Giridharadas 2020. It’s over. Finally. I…
In the absence of having anything valuable to add in kissing off this dumpster fire year we called 2020, I wrote some satire about one thing that always makes me laugh: the War on Christmas. “Dear Valued Antifa Members, I trust this letter finds you well, or as well as possible under these trying circumstances,…
“…elected officials are not saviors to praise but employees to hold accountable, and we do this by not backing down. Biden’s win does not signal an end to civic engagement and a return to brunches and blind allegiance. Voting Biden and Harris in was harm reduction; it doesn’t mean we can fall asleep at the…
I don’t wish to dwell on what we cannot change any more than you do – this is fine, we’re all fine! – but I want to give voice and space to everyone feeling beyond exhausted and weary by this whole dank, brutal, terrifying year. Apparently Covid cases spiking again wasn’t quite enough heartbreak and…
Before our small, homebound, slightly depressing Thanksgiving break began, I devoured Helen Rosner’s latest essay in The New Yorker, “The Joylessness of Cooking”. Rosner writes of her quarantine cooking journey; how it began as enthusiasm and resourcefulness but then waned and morphed into obligation and exhaustion. I read this wonderful piece chuckling a little though,…
Sandra Lee taught me to cook. I feel certain I have destroyed any credibility I may have or could have had as an authoritative voice in cooking and recipe development by stating that, but I must because it’s true. I didn’t gravitate toward cooking as a child. When given dinner prep chores, I always chose…
It’s been over a week since our pro-Trump mainstream media finally stepped up and said what everyone already knew: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the presidential election. Nowhere near enough Americans cast their vote against fascism, but those of us who did whooped it up for a day. As was predictable, dust is settling,…
“It’s time to stop worrying about what the Republicans will say. It’s true that if we embrace a far left agenda, they’re going to say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. If we embrace a conservative agenda, you know what they’re going to do? They’re going to say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. Let’s…
“This is the worst-case scenario, my friends. Don’t take anything for granted. Yes, you are voting. But they are not trying to win an election anymore. Those words should chill you, to your very bones. Because the truth is that more often than not — coups succeed.” —Umair Haque I’m dedicating today’s post, published on…
