I am in wonderment of Tim's eloquence, the heroism and decency of the vast majority of the Ukrainian people, and the juxtaposition between them and the majority here. How can one's soul be so empty to not be moved by Tim's words?
All the more poignant following Trump's casual comment yesterday that Ukraine my one day become part of Russia and defence secretary Pete Hegseth's speech/lecture today to fellow NATO defence secretaries that the US was no longer “primarily focused” on European security and that Europe would have to take the lead in defending Ukraine. He said that Ukraine could not expect to get a deal with the Russians that secured their pre-2014 borders; he ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine; he repeated Trump's call for other NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP (which is actually a higher percentage than the US itself spends); and he made what then sounded like a rather hollow re-affirmation of US commitment to NATO. And why? Because the US had to confront the completely fake threat of 'invasion' on its southern border and the threat of Chinese militarism in the Indo-Pacific region, which makes one wonder how then it makes sense to launch a trade war against regional allies like South Korea and Japan. It made about as much sense as anything this administration is doing.
Thank you for this beautiful but tragic commentary. You state the horrible in such a calm way. I feel a calmness in your writing even though it portens the horrible.
"The Russian government rejoices in such changes in the U.S., and has a hand in them. But the problem is not Russia. The problem is us. It is as though we have boarded a train without thinking about the destination. The windows are shaded, and the conductors have purposes of their own, which have nothing to do with our dignity, rights, or humanity. I worry that we will not see that line approaching, that no one will get out, that no one will stop the train."
This part of your statement resonates with me. I feel like the is headed in the wrong direction, and that many people are not recognizing this. I have made three trips to volunteer in Ukraine. I have heard the horror stories of life in the occupied areas, and I am afraid of what is happening in the US, with a malicious trifecta of people making the rules to suit themselves.
Many here cite this, as have you, Leanna, being on a train "without thinking about the destination."
Additionally apt, as it summarizes exactly the gist of Orwell's "Politics and the English Language."
If we let cliché, slogans, abstractions, and other such lazy labeling enter our vocabulary -- rather than keeping centered on the human, on the specifically individual in one's contexts -- we get, guaranteed, the same narcotized conditions all MAGA inhabits.
Dear Timothy, thank you for bringing us to your train, our train. We know the lines and the various states on different sides of the tracks, We are hurting, We feel the cold. We are in a tragic burlesque, We have friends and families. We hope to find more unity, determination and love.
Thank you. We here in America who once thought so highly of ourselves and of our way of life are being brought low and humbled. Worst of all, we have done this to ourselves. Many of us believed that the roots of our democracy -- roots nurtured by the blood of so many patriots -- were sufficiently deep to withstand this onslaught of fascism, but we currently are being proven tragically wrong. Please keep us in your thoughts. And please stay well and strong and free on your side of the line.
More could so care as you say, "Post," if any in our media modeled apt referencing.
Many in the U.S. and around the world have books, films, songs, and other arts enlightening as to individuals and their contexts which we'd all do well to see.
Trouble is, virtually all in U.S. media got "educations" void of humanities.
How do we stop from crossing the line although we have already entered the field of play. It feels like we must do more than just let our representatives know our concerns, we must invest in the facts, call out lies and misinformation, and find networks and communities who can push back. What else?
Tom, thanks for your comment. Since Trump announced his intentions 10 years ago, your questions surfaced I’m mind. I had to do something. So I started writing letters to the editor to my little local weekly paper every 2 weeks now for 10 years. I started writing rather offensive opinion pieces but gradually shifted to writing to both Rs and Ds. targeting my full community and hoping to support clear thinking about what our country and community needs from our leaders. I’m active with the dem party and am reengaging with Indivisible. But writing has become my passion. I can touch 2-3,000 readers twice per month. Occasionally I’ll meet someone who says “oh, you’re the guy who writes those editorials. I always watch for them.” Always a nice moment during that day!
Local is essential. I am organizing people to speak at local city council, county board, and other meetings. Trying to connect the dots between local people and the crisis in Washington, which is as distant as Mars for many rural voters.
Probably. It t takes a lot of attention and commitment. And there are issues of quality And consistency. Share your idea with friends and see if conversation takes your idea further.
Today I read somewhere that Trump said, Ukraine may end up being Russian. What are we to make of that? It is a statement that terrifies me, yet we knew he would say this. What can be done to stand up to this? He waits until he totally destroys the US first. Will the EU stand up to Russia, without the US, and against Trump's wishes?
Kate, In my political support group which meets weekly, we were talking last night about how the only thing that Trump understands is real estate so he sees countries like a piece of real estate to acquire or sell. He would like to acquire Canada because he thinks of it as white, not multicultural, and offload Puerto Rico, because he hates countries with Brown skinned people.
Speaking of Putin talking points, here is what Olga Lautman says today in her Russia Unmasked Substack.
I really like the part, that we are on a train without thinking of the destination. That grabbed my attention. If the MAGA were critical thinkers, they might get that concept. But if they thought critically, would they be MAGA? Maybe they have been stuck within pre-adolescent thought, a lack of abstract conceptual abilities. Who the f*** knows? Can they change?
I cannot fathom how trump’s cult seems so willing to follow him to their doom. They’re willing to sacrifice themselves just to “own the libs.” It’s insanity, by any definition.
Agree! It is bizarre, bc it’s not in their own best interests, and it is not an authentically Christian response, as they claim to be. They won’t acknowledge that gap either. The moral aspect of a facist government.
Watching Trump sitting irresolutely at his Oval Office desk, as Elon Musk held forth about DOGE, I couldn't help thinking that is *exactly* how he looked at the Helsinki summit with Putin: hang-dog. Maybe Putin's Trump compromat is on loan to Musk. Maybe the line we're approaching is not that different from yours today.
As some other Substack writer noted, Musk is Trump’s Rasputin. Seeing him standing there in the Oval Office, whilst Trump slumped in his chair, said it all.
Thank you for your moving essay and for your persistent fight for democracy and a free world.
I am in wonderment of Tim's eloquence, the heroism and decency of the vast majority of the Ukrainian people, and the juxtaposition between them and the majority here. How can one's soul be so empty to not be moved by Tim's words?
All the more poignant following Trump's casual comment yesterday that Ukraine my one day become part of Russia and defence secretary Pete Hegseth's speech/lecture today to fellow NATO defence secretaries that the US was no longer “primarily focused” on European security and that Europe would have to take the lead in defending Ukraine. He said that Ukraine could not expect to get a deal with the Russians that secured their pre-2014 borders; he ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine; he repeated Trump's call for other NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP (which is actually a higher percentage than the US itself spends); and he made what then sounded like a rather hollow re-affirmation of US commitment to NATO. And why? Because the US had to confront the completely fake threat of 'invasion' on its southern border and the threat of Chinese militarism in the Indo-Pacific region, which makes one wonder how then it makes sense to launch a trade war against regional allies like South Korea and Japan. It made about as much sense as anything this administration is doing.
Worse, Russell, than the guaranteed lap dog we all knew to expect.
Thank you for this beautiful but tragic commentary. You state the horrible in such a calm way. I feel a calmness in your writing even though it portens the horrible.
"The Russian government rejoices in such changes in the U.S., and has a hand in them. But the problem is not Russia. The problem is us. It is as though we have boarded a train without thinking about the destination. The windows are shaded, and the conductors have purposes of their own, which have nothing to do with our dignity, rights, or humanity. I worry that we will not see that line approaching, that no one will get out, that no one will stop the train."
This part of your statement resonates with me. I feel like the is headed in the wrong direction, and that many people are not recognizing this. I have made three trips to volunteer in Ukraine. I have heard the horror stories of life in the occupied areas, and I am afraid of what is happening in the US, with a malicious trifecta of people making the rules to suit themselves.
Thank you for your honesty and your clarity.
Many here cite this, as have you, Leanna, being on a train "without thinking about the destination."
Additionally apt, as it summarizes exactly the gist of Orwell's "Politics and the English Language."
If we let cliché, slogans, abstractions, and other such lazy labeling enter our vocabulary -- rather than keeping centered on the human, on the specifically individual in one's contexts -- we get, guaranteed, the same narcotized conditions all MAGA inhabits.
Thanks very much for the George Orwell reference - just what I needed to read!
Be safe, Mr. Snyder. Godspeed.
Dear Timothy, thank you for bringing us to your train, our train. We know the lines and the various states on different sides of the tracks, We are hurting, We feel the cold. We are in a tragic burlesque, We have friends and families. We hope to find more unity, determination and love.
Thank you for touching us,
Please stay in touch.
I love you, Fern!
I have missed you, dear Marlene. Thank you for coming by.
With love, care and strength to you and your family,
Salud!
Same.
🦉🦉🌱🌱👐🏻🎶🌳🌅❤️🗽
As a Canadian, even as we come under US economic assault, I feel like I'm sitting on the safer side of an important line.
I hope that the citizens of the US that still believe in the rule of law will prevail. To them, my best wishes for their part in the struggle.
Thank you. We here in America who once thought so highly of ourselves and of our way of life are being brought low and humbled. Worst of all, we have done this to ourselves. Many of us believed that the roots of our democracy -- roots nurtured by the blood of so many patriots -- were sufficiently deep to withstand this onslaught of fascism, but we currently are being proven tragically wrong. Please keep us in your thoughts. And please stay well and strong and free on your side of the line.
great piece. I wish more Americans cared anout what is going on in the world
More could so care as you say, "Post," if any in our media modeled apt referencing.
Many in the U.S. and around the world have books, films, songs, and other arts enlightening as to individuals and their contexts which we'd all do well to see.
Trouble is, virtually all in U.S. media got "educations" void of humanities.
Thank you Tim
Thank you for writing this, at this moment. I have never so deeply cherished my local press here in Philadelphia as I have in recent months.
How do we stop from crossing the line although we have already entered the field of play. It feels like we must do more than just let our representatives know our concerns, we must invest in the facts, call out lies and misinformation, and find networks and communities who can push back. What else?
Tom, thanks for your comment. Since Trump announced his intentions 10 years ago, your questions surfaced I’m mind. I had to do something. So I started writing letters to the editor to my little local weekly paper every 2 weeks now for 10 years. I started writing rather offensive opinion pieces but gradually shifted to writing to both Rs and Ds. targeting my full community and hoping to support clear thinking about what our country and community needs from our leaders. I’m active with the dem party and am reengaging with Indivisible. But writing has become my passion. I can touch 2-3,000 readers twice per month. Occasionally I’ll meet someone who says “oh, you’re the guy who writes those editorials. I always watch for them.” Always a nice moment during that day!
Local is essential. I am organizing people to speak at local city council, county board, and other meetings. Trying to connect the dots between local people and the crisis in Washington, which is as distant as Mars for many rural voters.
Can you start a local paper, with a mix of people who simply want to keep track of wha’s actially going on in their lives?
Probably. It t takes a lot of attention and commitment. And there are issues of quality And consistency. Share your idea with friends and see if conversation takes your idea further.
Bravo!
Will be very interested in your reporting - Please take care!
Today I read somewhere that Trump said, Ukraine may end up being Russian. What are we to make of that? It is a statement that terrifies me, yet we knew he would say this. What can be done to stand up to this? He waits until he totally destroys the US first. Will the EU stand up to Russia, without the US, and against Trump's wishes?
How about what Trump said of Canada - that without the US, they aren't even a country? Total Putin talking point.
Kate, In my political support group which meets weekly, we were talking last night about how the only thing that Trump understands is real estate so he sees countries like a piece of real estate to acquire or sell. He would like to acquire Canada because he thinks of it as white, not multicultural, and offload Puerto Rico, because he hates countries with Brown skinned people.
Speaking of Putin talking points, here is what Olga Lautman says today in her Russia Unmasked Substack.
https://open.substack.com/pub/olgalautman/p/russias-demands-usaid-list-and-peddles?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
She is waiting for these to be spread in the US. I also subscribe to her daily Trump Tyranny Tracker.
Yes, I receive Olga's newsletter as well!
I really like the part, that we are on a train without thinking of the destination. That grabbed my attention. If the MAGA were critical thinkers, they might get that concept. But if they thought critically, would they be MAGA? Maybe they have been stuck within pre-adolescent thought, a lack of abstract conceptual abilities. Who the f*** knows? Can they change?
Agree with your assessment of maga voters; most choose a willfull ignorance so they can marinate in their racism and other biases.
You say it much more politely than I do, Jamae.
They are perfectly happy with the racism and other biases. They yearn for the white, male, Christian, heteronormative, cisgendered dominance over all.
I cannot fathom how trump’s cult seems so willing to follow him to their doom. They’re willing to sacrifice themselves just to “own the libs.” It’s insanity, by any definition.
Agree! It is bizarre, bc it’s not in their own best interests, and it is not an authentically Christian response, as they claim to be. They won’t acknowledge that gap either. The moral aspect of a facist government.
He has been their Pied Piper. The rats always follow the scent of the cheese.
Watching Trump sitting irresolutely at his Oval Office desk, as Elon Musk held forth about DOGE, I couldn't help thinking that is *exactly* how he looked at the Helsinki summit with Putin: hang-dog. Maybe Putin's Trump compromat is on loan to Musk. Maybe the line we're approaching is not that different from yours today.
when I saw this I phoned all my Representatives. Do You Know What is Happening Right Now??
As some other Substack writer noted, Musk is Trump’s Rasputin. Seeing him standing there in the Oval Office, whilst Trump slumped in his chair, said it all.
Absolutely brilliant as usual. A must read
Love your work; have read all your books. Thank you for sharing the dangers and the insights.