Think Global, Act Local

While most of my writing offers a deep dive into various issues related to bipartisan corruption and fascism in America, I’m experimenting with alternative formats for posts and welcome any feedback. This post will collect a few short reflections on news cycles from this week, starting with a report released just this morning.

Liars exposed by advocates

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken testified before Congress, falsely claiming that Israel has not violated international human rights in order to secure congressional approval of illegal weapons transfers.

Meanwhile, Biden and Harris’ inability to distance themselves from Netanyahu squandered the election two weeks ago that they were poised to win with progressive support. Instead, after corporate Democrats refused to allow a primary process and lined up to support a continuing genocide, Republicans swept the so-called swing states and secured control over all three branches of the federal government.

Today, Human Rights Watch issued a report that flatly contradicted Blinken’s shameless lies before Congress on Biden’s behalf. Titled “Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza,” it offers a poignant and disturbing rebuke of Biden’s legacy. The report notes that:

According to the United Nations, 1.9 million people were displaced in Gaza as of October 2024 out of a population of 2.2 million people. This report examines the Israeli authorities’ conduct which has led to this extraordinarily high level of displacement and finds these actions amount to forced displacement.

Unlike appointed or elected Democrats, Human Rights Watch was willing to observe where the evidence unfortunately led. The report continues:

Given the evidence strongly indicates that multiple acts of forced displacement were carried out with intent, it amounts to war crimes. The report further finds that the Israeli government’s acts of forced displacement are widespread and systematic. Statements by senior officials with command responsibility show that forced displacement is intentional and forms part of Israeli state policy and therefore amount to a crime against humanity. Israel’s actions appear to also meet the definition of ethnic cleansing.

An awareness of this reality could have won Democrats the election, had they demonstrated the courage to reject human rights abuses and embrace accountability, rather than bury their heads in the sand and try to gaslight voters. Pretending the escalating Israeli genocide in Gaza is legal, sane, or in any way defensible was the single most crucial way that Democrats lost the 2024 election (although, to be fair, there were also others).

Here we go again

Trump’s appointees reflect a predictable strategy of reinforcing his cult of personality, rather than choosing figures based on their experience, acumen, or insight.

Leading the pack of clownish appointments, Matt Gaetz would be a comically corrupt Attorney General poised only to reinforce all the problems that he says he hopes to solve—especially the alleged politicization of the Justice Department. The multiple investigations exploring his misconduct suggest that, if anything, allowing Gaetz to lead DOJ would only exacerbate its politicization and undermine the department’s independence.

While Gaetz exemplifies the absurdity of the incoming administration and its disregard for any norms of decency, he is far from alone.

For instance, Trump’s Secretary of Defense is a former television anchor with no expertise at all in anything relating to the military or foreign policy. It is (even more so than the choice of Gaetz at Justice) a reflection that Trump plans to govern theatrically, without meaningful independence or expertise in his cabinet.

I appreciate the handful of Senators—including Republicans Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME)—who have spoken out to criticize Trump’s choice in Gaetz. Of course, many of Gaetz’s colleagues in the House have also voiced opposition and incredulity, especially in light of the congressional ethics investigation that was poised to reach a conclusion tomorrow, or the sex trafficking investigation launched by the Department of Justice which Trump outrageously appointed Gaetz to lead. 

Anyone who imagines that Trump will “drain the swamp,” as he has long pledged to do, might observe his early appointments. They (and the entirety of his first term) suggest that, rather than return to Washington with a vision of any kind, he instead appears to be surrounding himself with sycophants dedicated to reinforcing his cult of personality.

What we can each do, wherever we live

Earlier this week, I rejoined the “Redneck Gone Green” podcast with my friend David Cobb. Our conversation touched on the various ways that Democrats lost the election, but also importantly explored things that we can each do in our communities responding to this month’s events.

When I ran for office, I was occasionally challenged by the need to project hope to supporters. I often needed to consciously cultivate that hope, if not conjure it in the face of a dystopian reality to which others are only now awakening.

I appreciate the exchange with David because—while acknowledging the collapse of whatever vestiges of democracy remained in America—it emphasized opportunities for all of us to more closely engage our communities. We also explored various models that anyone might consider to serve their neighbors and build crucial grassroots networks.

Whether in the context of local climate resilience efforts preparing for or responding to natural disasters, or projects pooling resources to offer greater financial and economic resilience to working families challenged by our predatory corporate economy, or even community self-defense efforts to build the capacity to resist potential right wing vigilante violence, we will all need our neighbors more than ever in the coming weeks and months.

I hope our discussion offers something that inspires you to take action in your community, and encourage any comments (especially ones reflecting on grassroots organizing in which readers might be involved)!