This is one of those moments when the historical pattern is so clear it’s almost unbearable to watch in real time.
Snyder lays out exactly how a manufactured fantasy becomes state action, how a targeted community becomes a political prop, and how quickly the line between rhetoric and atrocity collapses.
What’s happening in Springfield isn’t an “incident”, it’s a test case. And the fact that we’re watching it unfold in the open is the warning.
Seeing it matters, naming it matters, because pretending this is normal is how these things harden into permanence.
In November, we’ll need to keep in mind that JDV confessed to Dana Bash (CNN, 9/18/24) that he creates stories. “If I have to create stories so that the … media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, that’s what I’m going to do, Dana.” He wasn’t VP yet. Not sure how he wasn’t disbarred for that, other than purview confusion (he resides in Ohio but is licensed to practice law in Kentucky. Which raises other questions). https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/15/jd-vance-lies-haitian-immigrants
I like the way Timothy Snyder phrased it. Vance’s stance might be summarized thus: “Where there is the smoke that I made up, then there must also be the fire that I also made up.”
“Here is a list of expected DNC planks for November. I expect incumbents and candidates to support every one of them and to explicitly name and explain any they don’t. This is an existential moral imperative and the world is watching. It’s up to us to give them their marching orders. This year, it’s the platform, not the person. Like Quincy Jones said, they need to check their egos at the door. Or emigrate.”
(Please consider also forwarding the planks you support to your elected representatives.)
1. Medicare for all, including mental health.
2. Running water for all.
3. Safe, affordable, adequate housing for all.
4. Climate change course correction.
5. National “Annual Yearly Progress” educational standards that apply to all students: public school, private school, home school.
6. Nutrition and pesticides. There’s a reason why US wheat imports are banned in EU.
7. Paths to citizenship.
8. Metric system instead of imperial measurements. Every country in the world has made the switch except the US, Liberia, and Myanmar.
9. Reading and math literacy.
10. Maternal and infant survival (US has the worst rates among developed countries).
11. Restore DEI. My disability requires electronic communication (email or chat with a transcript) but legal teams don’t like written records. I have to surrender agency and assign a proxy to manage a credit card issue or schedule a mammogram. Disney sent me an email stating that they’re “phones only.” What’s next? Telling guests in wheelchairs to manage the stairs?
12. Zero tolerance of corruption.
13. Child care. Montessori is Head Start in Italy. It was developed there to lift up disadvantaged children. In the US, we’ve made it a designer brand that’s unaffordable for those who need it most and for whom it was intended.
14. Amend the 2nd amendment. Texas has more than 4000 gun deaths per year. FL takes silver with more than 3000. Together, they’re responsible for more than 17% of the 40,000 annual gun deaths in the US. The UK has 28. Not 28,000. Not 2800. 28. Their cops are unarmed. Everyone wins.
15. FOIA restored without the loopholes.
16. Enforcement of the laws, regs and court decisions that are on the books but ignored.
17. Abortion rights enshrinement.
18. Marriage equality enshrinement.
19. Infrastructure investment.
20. Internet for all.
21. We need to stop flushing drinking-quality water. We’re running out.
22. Return the Black Hills.
23. Reparations.
24. Liveable wages in decent working conditions, ideally in a union environment.
25. End citizens united.
26. Inheritance reform.
27. Enshrine social security.
28. Reform SCOTUS and court system.
29. Campaign finance reform.
30. Tax reform.
31. Commitment to ethical conduct.
32. Commitment to “truthfulness, transparency, and accountability.”
33. Enshrine voting rights.
34. Outlaw NDAs. They were meant to protect secret formulas, not silence the voices of victims.
35. Join ICC.
36. Restore the covenant of “good faith and fair dealing.”
37. Term limits. Public service is not for accumulating power and influence, it’s for serving the people.
38. Mandatory service to by all citizens reaching 18 for two years in public works, AmeriCorp, National Guard, or other similar organization.
39. Prison reform.
40. Free college or vocational training.
41. Eliminate electoral college.
42. End private equity investment.
43.End tipping. It’s out of control and our global neighbors don’t do it.
44.Issue new SS numbers to each citizen now that ours have been compromised.
An amazing post, Prof. Snyder. Thank you for your historical clarity. So weird to watch it in real time. This reminds me of reading “The Oppermanns,” a novel written in 1933 by an author who was there in Berlin while the expulsion of the Jews was happening. This is such a clear step-by-step realization of things imagined in “Mein Kampf,” which Trump used to keep by his bedside. Thank you for the links for we who are feeling helpless.
To my mind we are already living in a police state. Here in the nice little, mostly white, town in coastal California we are mostly "blue leaning/oriented". When I speak with people about what could be coming even to our small town I'm met with, "Here? Oh,that won't happen here!". I already have my whistle at the ready, I have my signs for protesting. Friends in other states warn me to be careful, but I tell them, I live in a small, liberal town, right now there appears to be no threat. They tell me about the pro-trump people in their area that get spit at & think that goes on here. First there are a limited number of pro-trump individuals, in fact the other day there was a pro trump "rally" outside the Post Office & 2 old* people were there! That was it. No horn honking in support, no people cheering them on. *(I'm allowed to use the term old people because I am old too!)
But about 10 miles away we have an area with several cities & towns filled with immigrant laborers that tend the fields, clean the houses, run the restaurants, build the houses & commercial buildings. Those field workers provide much of the produce that feeds the East Coast in the winter. They provide most of the almonds & almond products. Remember, California is the 4th largest economy in the WORLD & much of it is because of agriculture that is highly dependent on immigrant labor! We'll be lost without our immigrants.
And these white nationalist thugs that run this regime don't tell us what happens when these immigrants are gone, they don't tell us who will do the jobs left vacant. Are a bunch of white boys going to work in the field, climb the ladders to roof a home or business, clean the toilets & hotel rooms, etc, etc, etc. I think not?
I'm going to forward this post to our local coordinator of Indivisible & suggest we be ready to protest on the day ICE & the Nazis invade Springfield. My intuition tells me that this is going to make Minneapolis tame by comparison. I mean Ohio is a red state the dimwits in power will automatically assume they won't meet with much resistance. I'm thinking they are wrong.
Protest in support of Democracy! Do it as often as you can, in whatever way you can, before you too will be denied a voice!!!
I’m headed to our Menlo Park Speaks Out weekly protest, I’ve been there almost every week since April. A chance to relieve the overwhelming distress and disgust with so many issues - war on science (I’m an environmental scientist), ICE thuggery, graft, corruption, etc, etc, etc…. - by talking “small truths” (thank you Tim!) among us and doing the honk and wave (sounds like a new dance). I’ve been to more than 70 protests/demonstrations since Stand Up for Science in March, in April I bought a large 3×5’ Stars and Stripes to proudly wave. But after the Renee Nicole Good summary execution, I finally turned it upside down in distress.
I was at a Lutheran conference this week and the visiting pastor from Minneapolis was asked what we should do to get ready for this to come to our towns. She replied: get gas masks. That was a punch to the gut, for sure. We are about to see (in trump's way of putting it) something bigger and worse than has ever been seen before...
Greetings good people. A district judge issued today a stay on the removal of the Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status, which was the best thing that could happen today. They now have, at least for the time being, a continuing legal right to stay.
Vance's naked ambition is so close to the surface that you can see it and hear it bubbling. Truths will be repeated if convenient and ignored if they run counter to the MAGA storyline. Actually, it seems to me the Vance-line is often even worse than the MAGA line as pronounced by Trump. So then what happens? The MAGA line swirls downwards to catch up with and align with the Vance line. There's remarkably little daylight between the Vance line and the musings and breast beatings of the Nazis of 1930s Germany.
Why is this true in our America? How does his wife and family live with the venality?
I canʻt speak for Usha but letʻs remember that there was a robust caste system in India...and based on my experience working at a university with international students, it may still be operating under wraps.
“Bloodlands” USA here we come. I steeled myself to read Tim’s incredible work I can (or can’t) imagine how you did the research and wrote the book without breaking down in tears and agony. Are we really allowing actual Nazis to drive our policies in such a hateful direction? The answer is yes.
I often wonder what happened to the branches of my family that did not emigrate from Latvia and Lithuania in the 1880s. Maybe there is no mystery, only history.
Yes, it was. I had to take breaks, but I learned so much especially about Stalin’s purges and the Holomodor, and the Jewish doctors “plot” postwar. Ukraine can’t seem to catch a break for even a few years at a time. Tragic beyond imagination.
Make sure all your emails to John Husted and Bernie Morena include cc's to Mike Turner (10th District) for the city proper, Warren Davidson (8th District) and Mike Carey (15th District).
Please see my comments below and check with artificial intelligence. They seem to have a lot of information. I know there's a coalition of churches working to try to assist the Haitian community. I know they are on alert.
There are also some wonderful charitable organizations working hard to help the suffering and starving people of a Haiti which is currently largely ruled by armed gangs of dangerous young thugs. For example there is “LITTLE FOOTPRINTS, BIG STEPS” led by the wonderful and so brave Morgan Friedman.
Can we encourage Greyhound to run extra busses from Springfield, maybe to Washington state, New Mexico, Mexico, and Canada? Maybe free breakfasts at Waffle House and/or McDonald's for persons on the road from Springfield, OH. Ask the State of Ohio to force insurers to make double payments for losses in Springfield area due to immigration enforcement in 2026.
Support the nation's next Underground Railroad which soon may be saving liberals.
Local faith leaders and organizations are currently coordinating efforts to provide sanctuary and assistance as the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians is set to expire on February 3, 2026.
Central Christian Church (Sanctuary Network)
Lead Pastor: Rev. Carl Ruby, who is a key figure in the faith-based constellation supporting Haitian families against potential large-scale enforcement.
Address: 1504 Villa Rd, Springfield, OH 45503.
The Nehemiah Foundation
An umbrella organization connecting local churches and Christian nonprofits to coordinate resources like ESL programs and social services.
Address: 102 W High St, 3rd Floor, Springfield, OH 45502.
Phone: 937-325-6226.
Haitian Community Help & Support Center (HCHSC)
A primary resource hub for legal assistance, education, and social services.
Address: 1530 S Yellow Springs St, Springfield, OH 45506.
'The community expects ICE agents in the coming weeks, since temporary protected status will end for Haitians at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 3.'
'That's why on Jan. 24, about 200 people poured into Central Christian Church on Villa Road. It identifies itself as a sanctuary for all of Springfield’s immigrants.'
'Volunteers guided participants through a rapid response training."
'According to the training, safety measures include:'
'Create a plan'
'You have the right to remain silent regardless of your status. You do not have to answer questions about your citizenship or immigration status.
Tell friends, family, or an attorney you are attending a protest. Identify a emergency contact and memorize their phone number.'
'Do not bring anything that can be construed as a weapon to a protest.
Carry a state-issued ID, but if you are undocumented, do not carry documents from another country.'
'Know the area where you will protest. Identify how you can safely exit the environment.
Identify a "meet-up" place in case you're separated from your group.'
'Physical preparedness'
'Dress appropriately for the weather.'
'Hydrate, have snacks, meds, cash if you need.'
'Have goggles and a mask in case of tear gas.'
'Do not wear contacts, they will trap gas on your eyes.'
'Phone'
'You have the right to use your phone to record ICE agents in the public commission of their duties.'
'Carry a fully charged phone and a backup charger.'
'Turn off fingerprint/Face ID unlock features on your phone and use a strong password.'
"Put your phone on airplane mode and consider turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to avoid tracking."
"Volunteers said when in a protest environment:"
"Monitor crowd movements, police presence and signs of escalation."
"Stay calm. Keep a low, steady voice. No yelling. Instead, sing a soothing song."
"Do not antagonize or challenge agents."
"De-escalate by calmly walking away from the environment. Do not run."
"If detained"
"Do not resist arrest. Do not fight back."
"Ask if you can leave. If allowed to leave, calmly and quietly walk away."
"If you can not leave, ask for a lawyer. This is your right."
"Do not sign any papers until you have a lawyer."
"Do not lie to a federal agent, this is a crime."
"Do not attempt to negotiate. Stay quiet after asking for an attorney."
"Documenting events"
'When safe, record events. Share footage with trusted advocacy, legal and media organizations.'
'Avoid posting to social media platforms live photos/videos of your participation in a protest. ICE monitors all social media platforms to identify and track activists.'
'Use established rapid response networks or local immigration advocacy apps to report ICE activity.'
'ICE monitors social media platforms and their postings. '
'After the protest'
'Contact friends and family to let them know you're safe.'
'Debrief with your support group about your experience. Report any incidents of people being detained to legal aid groups.'
Thank you for posting this important advice to protesters in Springfield which is equally applicable to protesters in Minneapolis, in Portland, in New York and all over America. Document what you see Trump’s ICE Thugs doing to arrest and/or terrorize both immigrants and American citizens. Don’t be deterred from continuing to peacefully protest and to document the brutal behaviour of ICE.
But above all, STAY SAFE” —- so that you can continue to try to save American democracy from the fascist regime of Trump, Vance, and their corrupt MAGA sycophants.
And please remember that we Canadians 🇨🇦 are here at least in spirit supporting all of you brave and true Americans! 🇱🇷 🙏 🙏
And please let me know how we Canadians 🇨🇦 can provide some concrete help to all of you so brave and true Americans in your continuing Protests against Trump’s ICE thugs and the racist lies of Trump’s and Vance’s corrupt MAGA Administration.
Judge blocks Trump administration from ending protections for Haitians
A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protections that have allowed roughly 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington granted a request to pause the termination of temporary protected status for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds. The TPS designation for people from the Caribbean island country was scheduled to end on Feb. 3.
Reyes said in an accompanying 83-page opinion that plaintiffs were likely to prevail on the merits of the case, and that she found it “substantially likely” that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem preordained her termination decision because of “hostility to nonwhite immigrants.”
“During the stay, the Termination shall be null, void and of no legal effect,” the judge said in her two-page order, adding that for now, the termination has no bearing on their ability to work and to be protected from detention and deportation.
Temporary Protected Status can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary if conditions in home countries are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangers. While it grants TPS holders the right to live and work in the U.S., it does not provide a legal pathway to citizenship.
The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, making more people eligible for deportation. The moves are part of the administration’s wider, mass deportation effort.
In addition to the migrants from Haiti, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has terminated protections for about 600,000 Venezuelans, 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal, more than 160,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon. Some have pending lawsuits in federal courts.
Haiti’s TPS status was initially activated in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and has been extended multiple times. The country is racked by gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
“If the termination stands, people will almost certainly die,” attorneys for Haitian TPS holders wrote in a court filing in December. “Some will likely be killed, others will likely die from disease, and yet others will likely starve to death.”
They say the decision to end Haiti’s status was motivated by racial animus, and Noem failed to consider whether there was an ongoing armed conflict that would pose a “serious threat” to personal safety, as required by law.
The Department of Homeland Security said conditions in Haiti had improved. In a court filing in December, attorneys for the administration said the plaintiffs’ claims of racial animus were based on statements “taken out of context, often from other speakers and from years ago, and without direct links to the Secretary’s determinations.”
Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign & Logan Counties
in Springfield, Ohio, accepts credit card donations from people regardless of their location.
You can coordinate your network's efforts using their established giving methods:
Online Donations: You can make one-time or recurring gifts through the Official SHFB Donation Page. Their system is designed to securely process credit cards and requires a standard billing address for verification.
Virtual Food Drives: For a coordinated nationwide effort, your network can Host a Virtual Fundraising Campaign. This allows you to share a custom link or QR code with your group, making it easier to track the collective impact of your donations before the anticipated February 4th surge.
Direct Contact: If your network is planning a particularly large or specialized contribution, you can reach their donor relations team directly at (937) 325-8715 or via email at infoshfb@theshfb.org to ensure the funds are processed efficiently.
I'm trying to find out whether they accept credit card payments. I'm not sure whether they do or not. I've just delivered personal checks. If they accepted credit cards, that would be very helpful.
Dr Professor Snyder, thank you for these words. I am an adoptive mom to 2 Haitian children. I am also a pediatrician who worked in Cincinnati from 2007-2017. We were in the process of adopting our kids when the 2010 earthquake occurred. Cincinnati rallied behind us and helped get our kids home 12 days later. Unfortunately Trump has brought out so much hatred in people I am not sure the same would happen there now. Even our own family members seem to have been taken into the Trump cult of hatred. What I know of Haitians is they are amazingly resilient despite living with generations of trauma. Both of my Haitian kids are now cancer survivors - one with breast cancer at age 19 and the other with a neuroendocrine tumor that nearly killed him at age 15 and necessitated in the removal of his left lung. Neither are pediatric cancers. They don’t have any of the known genetic markers of their cancers. So presumably being bathed in carcinogens at their orphanage is the cause. Removing TPS status for Haitians right now IS tantamount to ethnic cleansing. Thank you for stating this so clearly.
God bless you Lauri for adopting these two children from Haiti. I so resonate with what you are saying about not being sure Cincinnati would rally today to the needs of the most vulnerable as they did in 2010. My family living there (I am the family outlier living in NYC) are all sold out to MAGA/Trump. Very sad indeed. (and grateful for ways I can help my home state through this post/comments)
Everywhere there are people who hate for the sake of hate. The US does seem to excel and while there are right wing people in power in other countries, none are as hateful as the US administration (Putin aside as his Ukrainian campaign is demonstrating he is today's king of genocide). I live in London and yes, we have our "skinheads" e.g. white nazi Nationalist, they are more prone to creating issues at football matches.
Vance and Musk have been here to import their and the US brand of vengeful hate, while it has had some impact there has not been anything like what we see in Springfield. Of course the UK government works to counter such sentiments. Also, such hate needs a figurehead and there is no world leader as adept as trump in leading the charge, again Putin aside. Be it Meloni in Italy, Weidel in Germany, LePen or Zemmour in France or Wilders in the Netherlands, none has yet to truly catch on. Here in the UK Farage's Reform Party is gaining traction but their biggest success to date has been attracting failed Tories who were on the verge of being thrown out of the Tory Party. Farage has openly on TV admitted that Reform's biggest issue is no "top-table" talent. Farage himself comes across more as a buffoon than a serious politician and many abide by the maxim underestimate him at your peril. Further as the face of Brexit, a majority of Brits now see it as a big mistake, a failure that Farage carries.
Thank you Professor for this outstanding analysis, I felt like I was sitting in a lecture hall at a prestigious university.
"Farage himself comes across more as a buffoon than a serious politician"
People said that about Trump, too, till he had penetrated the Republican Party and replaced its DNA with his own; so that now the entire Republican Party is a cancer rather than a functioning ("serious") political party.
The Trump MAGA regime's 2nd attempt to retain control of the WH & Congress is underway with the benefit of learned experience from their failure & better preparation eg Project 2025. A tyrannical caste system imposed & maintained through Orwellian lies, propaganda, gaslighting & projection is the MAGA goal.
Trump’s $10B lawsuit against the US for Jack Smith’s investigations are followed by Trump and sons demand $10 billion payout in new lawsuit against IRS. Disclosure that Trumps paid no taxes has damaged their reputations?
I too often think of JD Vance's family. He has an extraordinary wife. I don't do that with other politicians but something just seems so out of sync with him, with his family, and with Peter Thiel (who is someone I've often agreed with philosophically.) I keep feeling like I'm missing something?
You might be missing "it" because it's so obvious. Vance is the poster boy of moral rot and naked, unrestrained lust for power. I can't even bear to see his mug on tv; his countenance just screams "slime".
Vance is another of Trump's people - like Miller - picked because they are damaged, like him. Trump was bullied, and learned to bully. Vance grew up in poverty, and wants nothing more than to be rich. Miller is a descendant of Holocaust survivors who wants to spread ethnic cleansing everywhere. "Do unto others" seems to have a reverse meaning for them: do evil, do harm. Not "love thy neighbor."
History of the USSR and Nazi Germany is full of outstanding scientists, physicians, philosophers, poets, writers, filmmakers etc, who were enthusiasts, a part and often the animators of various abominations. There is data on IQ of Nazi leadership - overwhelmingly over 130 or higher.
Intelligence, knowledge, creativity, insightfullness, you name it, does not correlate strongly, positively or negatively, with moral compass.
In Los Angeles and Chicago, ICE was able to cause quite a bit of chaos. But some of this chaos was mitigated by the size and infrastructure that these huge cities could offer their people. Springfield is an older, small manufacturing town sitting in the middle of large farm fields. This is not a sophisticated city with the ability to respond quickly to disasters.
Springfield's food bank is called Second Harvest. They are part of a network of food banks that are one of the most efficient food banks in the country. I have dealt with them, personally. I know that there is a group of Springfield churches who are setting up safe houses and logistics for getting people medical care they might need. There is a church named Christ Episcopal Church that has been actively assisting the Haitian community for a couple of years or more.
Anything you can do to help will be appreciated, I'm sure.
Thank you much for this clarity on all phases of this horror. I have some hope in Judge Reyes, and also in community of American people at large, to at least witness with open minds, to further befriend, to cultivate courage and protect vulnerable members as much as possible. Meanwhile, joining every protest against this Nazi horror of our federal administration, local and large, that we can find.
Unless a court intervenes, Haitians granted the right to live and work in the U.S. will lose their temporary protected status on Tuesday, February 3.
There are upwards of 10,000 Haitians living and working in Springfield, Ohio. They have helped revitalize this struggling city, filling open positions in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and food service and addressing a labor shortage that had hampered local growth.
Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno (R) believes they should self-deport. Senator Jon Husted (R) has said nothing. Governor Mike DeWine (R) has said it's "unwise" and a "mistake" for the government to remove protected status for these people and return them to a country our own State Department has issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory for. He's also said the economic consequences for the city will be severe.
The current president and vice-president of the U.S. lied about these people during their campaign. And now the "ethnic purging" they promised may be about to happen.
Close-ish. I live in Cincinnati. I've been planning to visit a friend in Yellow Springs, which is much closer, within the next 2 weeks and am hoping to time it with any proposed actions being scheduled.
There are going to be a lot of prayer activities tomorrow (I'm not religious). I know that the food bank accepts CC donations. I know all hell may break loose on Wednesday. After that, nobody knows.
I got an email for that from the Haitian Support Center, whom I've donated to before. In fact, I've got my end of the year check ready to mail for them (I know - I'm late).
The service is at 9 in the morning, which won't work for me. The rest of the week isn't good, either. I'm looking at coming up the week of February 9 and will keep my eyes open for any events that could help me choose the best date.
If you hear of something, please feel free to tag me again. I want to be there. Meanwhile, I'm going to hope that the judge will rule favorably on Monday, giving all of us more time to prepare.
This is one of those moments when the historical pattern is so clear it’s almost unbearable to watch in real time.
Snyder lays out exactly how a manufactured fantasy becomes state action, how a targeted community becomes a political prop, and how quickly the line between rhetoric and atrocity collapses.
What’s happening in Springfield isn’t an “incident”, it’s a test case. And the fact that we’re watching it unfold in the open is the warning.
Seeing it matters, naming it matters, because pretending this is normal is how these things harden into permanence.
In November, we’ll need to keep in mind that JDV confessed to Dana Bash (CNN, 9/18/24) that he creates stories. “If I have to create stories so that the … media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, that’s what I’m going to do, Dana.” He wasn’t VP yet. Not sure how he wasn’t disbarred for that, other than purview confusion (he resides in Ohio but is licensed to practice law in Kentucky. Which raises other questions). https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/15/jd-vance-lies-haitian-immigrants
I like the way Timothy Snyder phrased it. Vance’s stance might be summarized thus: “Where there is the smoke that I made up, then there must also be the fire that I also made up.”
He is a MONSTER.
For now.
Please consider contacting DNC with the planks you support. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-to-speak-with-dnc-leadership
This is what I sent:
“Here is a list of expected DNC planks for November. I expect incumbents and candidates to support every one of them and to explicitly name and explain any they don’t. This is an existential moral imperative and the world is watching. It’s up to us to give them their marching orders. This year, it’s the platform, not the person. Like Quincy Jones said, they need to check their egos at the door. Or emigrate.”
(Please consider also forwarding the planks you support to your elected representatives.)
1. Medicare for all, including mental health.
2. Running water for all.
3. Safe, affordable, adequate housing for all.
4. Climate change course correction.
5. National “Annual Yearly Progress” educational standards that apply to all students: public school, private school, home school.
6. Nutrition and pesticides. There’s a reason why US wheat imports are banned in EU.
7. Paths to citizenship.
8. Metric system instead of imperial measurements. Every country in the world has made the switch except the US, Liberia, and Myanmar.
9. Reading and math literacy.
10. Maternal and infant survival (US has the worst rates among developed countries).
11. Restore DEI. My disability requires electronic communication (email or chat with a transcript) but legal teams don’t like written records. I have to surrender agency and assign a proxy to manage a credit card issue or schedule a mammogram. Disney sent me an email stating that they’re “phones only.” What’s next? Telling guests in wheelchairs to manage the stairs?
12. Zero tolerance of corruption.
13. Child care. Montessori is Head Start in Italy. It was developed there to lift up disadvantaged children. In the US, we’ve made it a designer brand that’s unaffordable for those who need it most and for whom it was intended.
14. Amend the 2nd amendment. Texas has more than 4000 gun deaths per year. FL takes silver with more than 3000. Together, they’re responsible for more than 17% of the 40,000 annual gun deaths in the US. The UK has 28. Not 28,000. Not 2800. 28. Their cops are unarmed. Everyone wins.
15. FOIA restored without the loopholes.
16. Enforcement of the laws, regs and court decisions that are on the books but ignored.
17. Abortion rights enshrinement.
18. Marriage equality enshrinement.
19. Infrastructure investment.
20. Internet for all.
21. We need to stop flushing drinking-quality water. We’re running out.
22. Return the Black Hills.
23. Reparations.
24. Liveable wages in decent working conditions, ideally in a union environment.
25. End citizens united.
26. Inheritance reform.
27. Enshrine social security.
28. Reform SCOTUS and court system.
29. Campaign finance reform.
30. Tax reform.
31. Commitment to ethical conduct.
32. Commitment to “truthfulness, transparency, and accountability.”
33. Enshrine voting rights.
34. Outlaw NDAs. They were meant to protect secret formulas, not silence the voices of victims.
35. Join ICC.
36. Restore the covenant of “good faith and fair dealing.”
37. Term limits. Public service is not for accumulating power and influence, it’s for serving the people.
38. Mandatory service to by all citizens reaching 18 for two years in public works, AmeriCorp, National Guard, or other similar organization.
39. Prison reform.
40. Free college or vocational training.
41. Eliminate electoral college.
42. End private equity investment.
43.End tipping. It’s out of control and our global neighbors don’t do it.
44.Issue new SS numbers to each citizen now that ours have been compromised.
45.Other____________________
Before November because the primaries are months prior to the elections in fall.
💯 Great point!
An amazing post, Prof. Snyder. Thank you for your historical clarity. So weird to watch it in real time. This reminds me of reading “The Oppermanns,” a novel written in 1933 by an author who was there in Berlin while the expulsion of the Jews was happening. This is such a clear step-by-step realization of things imagined in “Mein Kampf,” which Trump used to keep by his bedside. Thank you for the links for we who are feeling helpless.
Seconded.
According to Laura Ingraham’s sister, she has at least two copies of Mein Kampf in her house.
To my mind we are already living in a police state. Here in the nice little, mostly white, town in coastal California we are mostly "blue leaning/oriented". When I speak with people about what could be coming even to our small town I'm met with, "Here? Oh,that won't happen here!". I already have my whistle at the ready, I have my signs for protesting. Friends in other states warn me to be careful, but I tell them, I live in a small, liberal town, right now there appears to be no threat. They tell me about the pro-trump people in their area that get spit at & think that goes on here. First there are a limited number of pro-trump individuals, in fact the other day there was a pro trump "rally" outside the Post Office & 2 old* people were there! That was it. No horn honking in support, no people cheering them on. *(I'm allowed to use the term old people because I am old too!)
But about 10 miles away we have an area with several cities & towns filled with immigrant laborers that tend the fields, clean the houses, run the restaurants, build the houses & commercial buildings. Those field workers provide much of the produce that feeds the East Coast in the winter. They provide most of the almonds & almond products. Remember, California is the 4th largest economy in the WORLD & much of it is because of agriculture that is highly dependent on immigrant labor! We'll be lost without our immigrants.
And these white nationalist thugs that run this regime don't tell us what happens when these immigrants are gone, they don't tell us who will do the jobs left vacant. Are a bunch of white boys going to work in the field, climb the ladders to roof a home or business, clean the toilets & hotel rooms, etc, etc, etc. I think not?
I'm going to forward this post to our local coordinator of Indivisible & suggest we be ready to protest on the day ICE & the Nazis invade Springfield. My intuition tells me that this is going to make Minneapolis tame by comparison. I mean Ohio is a red state the dimwits in power will automatically assume they won't meet with much resistance. I'm thinking they are wrong.
Protest in support of Democracy! Do it as often as you can, in whatever way you can, before you too will be denied a voice!!!
Famous last words: "It won't happen here."
It will happen sooner than you think. I'd rather live next to a Haitian family than a MAGA one.
Me too!!! "Me too" in more ways than one!!!!
I’m headed to our Menlo Park Speaks Out weekly protest, I’ve been there almost every week since April. A chance to relieve the overwhelming distress and disgust with so many issues - war on science (I’m an environmental scientist), ICE thuggery, graft, corruption, etc, etc, etc…. - by talking “small truths” (thank you Tim!) among us and doing the honk and wave (sounds like a new dance). I’ve been to more than 70 protests/demonstrations since Stand Up for Science in March, in April I bought a large 3×5’ Stars and Stripes to proudly wave. But after the Renee Nicole Good summary execution, I finally turned it upside down in distress.
I was at a Lutheran conference this week and the visiting pastor from Minneapolis was asked what we should do to get ready for this to come to our towns. She replied: get gas masks. That was a punch to the gut, for sure. We are about to see (in trump's way of putting it) something bigger and worse than has ever been seen before...
That really does hit home doesn't it? And not in a good way!
We've been doing our weekly protest in Berkeley (because of course we would). It feels good to be part of a community and do more than doomscroll.
Greetings good people. A district judge issued today a stay on the removal of the Haitians’ Temporary Protected Status, which was the best thing that could happen today. They now have, at least for the time being, a continuing legal right to stay.
Thank you for this encouraging update! Let's all pray that the stay holds up.
Vance's naked ambition is so close to the surface that you can see it and hear it bubbling. Truths will be repeated if convenient and ignored if they run counter to the MAGA storyline. Actually, it seems to me the Vance-line is often even worse than the MAGA line as pronounced by Trump. So then what happens? The MAGA line swirls downwards to catch up with and align with the Vance line. There's remarkably little daylight between the Vance line and the musings and breast beatings of the Nazis of 1930s Germany.
Why is this true in our America? How does his wife and family live with the venality?
I canʻt speak for Usha but letʻs remember that there was a robust caste system in India...and based on my experience working at a university with international students, it may still be operating under wraps.
It is. Even though it is said to be frowned on in Silicon Valley.
“Bloodlands” USA here we come. I steeled myself to read Tim’s incredible work I can (or can’t) imagine how you did the research and wrote the book without breaking down in tears and agony. Are we really allowing actual Nazis to drive our policies in such a hateful direction? The answer is yes.
I often wonder what happened to the branches of my family that did not emigrate from Latvia and Lithuania in the 1880s. Maybe there is no mystery, only history.
Bloodlands should be required reading although as you said itʻs a difficult book to read.
Yes, it was. I had to take breaks, but I learned so much especially about Stalin’s purges and the Holomodor, and the Jewish doctors “plot” postwar. Ukraine can’t seem to catch a break for even a few years at a time. Tragic beyond imagination.
For those of us close to but not in Springfield, what are the most substantive ways in which we can help?
Make sure all your emails to John Husted and Bernie Morena include cc's to Mike Turner (10th District) for the city proper, Warren Davidson (8th District) and Mike Carey (15th District).
Please see my comments below and check with artificial intelligence. They seem to have a lot of information. I know there's a coalition of churches working to try to assist the Haitian community. I know they are on alert.
There are also some wonderful charitable organizations working hard to help the suffering and starving people of a Haiti which is currently largely ruled by armed gangs of dangerous young thugs. For example there is “LITTLE FOOTPRINTS, BIG STEPS” led by the wonderful and so brave Morgan Friedman.
Can we encourage Greyhound to run extra busses from Springfield, maybe to Washington state, New Mexico, Mexico, and Canada? Maybe free breakfasts at Waffle House and/or McDonald's for persons on the road from Springfield, OH. Ask the State of Ohio to force insurers to make double payments for losses in Springfield area due to immigration enforcement in 2026.
Support the nation's next Underground Railroad which soon may be saving liberals.
Here is up-to-date information about Springfield agencies ready to assist:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign & Logan Counties
This organization provides food distribution and support to neighbors in the tri-county area.
Address: 20 N Murray St, Springfield, OH 45503.
Phone: 937-325-8715.
Email: infoshfb@theshfb.org.
Website: theshfb.org.
Haitian Community & Faith Support Network
Local faith leaders and organizations are currently coordinating efforts to provide sanctuary and assistance as the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians is set to expire on February 3, 2026.
Central Christian Church (Sanctuary Network)
Lead Pastor: Rev. Carl Ruby, who is a key figure in the faith-based constellation supporting Haitian families against potential large-scale enforcement.
Address: 1504 Villa Rd, Springfield, OH 45503.
The Nehemiah Foundation
An umbrella organization connecting local churches and Christian nonprofits to coordinate resources like ESL programs and social services.
Address: 102 W High St, 3rd Floor, Springfield, OH 45502.
Phone: 937-325-6226.
Haitian Community Help & Support Center (HCHSC)
A primary resource hub for legal assistance, education, and social services.
Address: 1530 S Yellow Springs St, Springfield, OH 45506.
Phone: 937-408-6194.
Email: contact@haitiansupportcenterspringfield.org.
Première Eglise Evangélique Haitienne (PEEHSO)
Provides worship and community services; located at the same address as the HCHSC.
Address: 1530 S Yellow Springs St, Springfield, OH 45506.
Phone: 937-450-2897.
'The community expects ICE agents in the coming weeks, since temporary protected status will end for Haitians at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 3.'
'That's why on Jan. 24, about 200 people poured into Central Christian Church on Villa Road. It identifies itself as a sanctuary for all of Springfield’s immigrants.'
'Volunteers guided participants through a rapid response training."
'According to the training, safety measures include:'
'Create a plan'
'You have the right to remain silent regardless of your status. You do not have to answer questions about your citizenship or immigration status.
Tell friends, family, or an attorney you are attending a protest. Identify a emergency contact and memorize their phone number.'
'Do not bring anything that can be construed as a weapon to a protest.
Carry a state-issued ID, but if you are undocumented, do not carry documents from another country.'
'Know the area where you will protest. Identify how you can safely exit the environment.
Identify a "meet-up" place in case you're separated from your group.'
'Physical preparedness'
'Dress appropriately for the weather.'
'Hydrate, have snacks, meds, cash if you need.'
'Have goggles and a mask in case of tear gas.'
'Do not wear contacts, they will trap gas on your eyes.'
'Phone'
'You have the right to use your phone to record ICE agents in the public commission of their duties.'
'Carry a fully charged phone and a backup charger.'
'Turn off fingerprint/Face ID unlock features on your phone and use a strong password.'
"Put your phone on airplane mode and consider turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to avoid tracking."
"Volunteers said when in a protest environment:"
"Monitor crowd movements, police presence and signs of escalation."
"Stay calm. Keep a low, steady voice. No yelling. Instead, sing a soothing song."
"Do not antagonize or challenge agents."
"De-escalate by calmly walking away from the environment. Do not run."
"If detained"
"Do not resist arrest. Do not fight back."
"Ask if you can leave. If allowed to leave, calmly and quietly walk away."
"If you can not leave, ask for a lawyer. This is your right."
"Do not sign any papers until you have a lawyer."
"Do not lie to a federal agent, this is a crime."
"Do not attempt to negotiate. Stay quiet after asking for an attorney."
"Documenting events"
'When safe, record events. Share footage with trusted advocacy, legal and media organizations.'
'Avoid posting to social media platforms live photos/videos of your participation in a protest. ICE monitors all social media platforms to identify and track activists.'
'Use established rapid response networks or local immigration advocacy apps to report ICE activity.'
'ICE monitors social media platforms and their postings. '
'After the protest'
'Contact friends and family to let them know you're safe.'
'Debrief with your support group about your experience. Report any incidents of people being detained to legal aid groups.'
(Our Community. Our Nation. Our World. 91.3⚡WYSO)
👍🏽
Thank you for posting this important advice to protesters in Springfield which is equally applicable to protesters in Minneapolis, in Portland, in New York and all over America. Document what you see Trump’s ICE Thugs doing to arrest and/or terrorize both immigrants and American citizens. Don’t be deterred from continuing to peacefully protest and to document the brutal behaviour of ICE.
But above all, STAY SAFE” —- so that you can continue to try to save American democracy from the fascist regime of Trump, Vance, and their corrupt MAGA sycophants.
And please remember that we Canadians 🇨🇦 are here at least in spirit supporting all of you brave and true Americans! 🇱🇷 🙏 🙏
And please let me know how we Canadians 🇨🇦 can provide some concrete help to all of you so brave and true Americans in your continuing Protests against Trump’s ICE thugs and the racist lies of Trump’s and Vance’s corrupt MAGA Administration.
Thank you, Dr. Morton. It matters a great deall to have the support of our friends in Canada.
You and other readers may appreciate this support from our German friends.
The link to 'A Letter to America' follows:
https://youtu.be/Q-Z6M-LDXWg
The Associated Press
February 2, 2026 7:46 PM
Judge blocks Trump administration from ending protections for Haitians
A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protections that have allowed roughly 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington granted a request to pause the termination of temporary protected status for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds. The TPS designation for people from the Caribbean island country was scheduled to end on Feb. 3.
Reyes said in an accompanying 83-page opinion that plaintiffs were likely to prevail on the merits of the case, and that she found it “substantially likely” that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem preordained her termination decision because of “hostility to nonwhite immigrants.”
“During the stay, the Termination shall be null, void and of no legal effect,” the judge said in her two-page order, adding that for now, the termination has no bearing on their ability to work and to be protected from detention and deportation.
Temporary Protected Status can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary if conditions in home countries are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangers. While it grants TPS holders the right to live and work in the U.S., it does not provide a legal pathway to citizenship.
The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, making more people eligible for deportation. The moves are part of the administration’s wider, mass deportation effort.
In addition to the migrants from Haiti, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has terminated protections for about 600,000 Venezuelans, 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal, more than 160,000 Ukrainians and thousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon. Some have pending lawsuits in federal courts.
Haiti’s TPS status was initially activated in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and has been extended multiple times. The country is racked by gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
“If the termination stands, people will almost certainly die,” attorneys for Haitian TPS holders wrote in a court filing in December. “Some will likely be killed, others will likely die from disease, and yet others will likely starve to death.”
They say the decision to end Haiti’s status was motivated by racial animus, and Noem failed to consider whether there was an ongoing armed conflict that would pose a “serious threat” to personal safety, as required by law.
The Department of Homeland Security said conditions in Haiti had improved. In a court filing in December, attorneys for the administration said the plaintiffs’ claims of racial animus were based on statements “taken out of context, often from other speakers and from years ago, and without direct links to the Secretary’s determinations.”
***
Thank you. I was just wondering how I could help from out of state.
Good news!
Second Harvest Food Bank of Clark, Champaign & Logan Counties
in Springfield, Ohio, accepts credit card donations from people regardless of their location.
You can coordinate your network's efforts using their established giving methods:
Online Donations: You can make one-time or recurring gifts through the Official SHFB Donation Page. Their system is designed to securely process credit cards and requires a standard billing address for verification.
Virtual Food Drives: For a coordinated nationwide effort, your network can Host a Virtual Fundraising Campaign. This allows you to share a custom link or QR code with your group, making it easier to track the collective impact of your donations before the anticipated February 4th surge.
Direct Contact: If your network is planning a particularly large or specialized contribution, you can reach their donor relations team directly at (937) 325-8715 or via email at infoshfb@theshfb.org to ensure the funds are processed efficiently.
I'm trying to find out whether they accept credit card payments. I'm not sure whether they do or not. I've just delivered personal checks. If they accepted credit cards, that would be very helpful.
Thank you for listing these opportunities for us to assist these Haitian neighbors.
My white skin is becoming an embarrassment.
No matter what, just keep your morality headed in the right direction. That should suffice.
Dr Professor Snyder, thank you for these words. I am an adoptive mom to 2 Haitian children. I am also a pediatrician who worked in Cincinnati from 2007-2017. We were in the process of adopting our kids when the 2010 earthquake occurred. Cincinnati rallied behind us and helped get our kids home 12 days later. Unfortunately Trump has brought out so much hatred in people I am not sure the same would happen there now. Even our own family members seem to have been taken into the Trump cult of hatred. What I know of Haitians is they are amazingly resilient despite living with generations of trauma. Both of my Haitian kids are now cancer survivors - one with breast cancer at age 19 and the other with a neuroendocrine tumor that nearly killed him at age 15 and necessitated in the removal of his left lung. Neither are pediatric cancers. They don’t have any of the known genetic markers of their cancers. So presumably being bathed in carcinogens at their orphanage is the cause. Removing TPS status for Haitians right now IS tantamount to ethnic cleansing. Thank you for stating this so clearly.
God bless you Lauri for adopting these two children from Haiti. I so resonate with what you are saying about not being sure Cincinnati would rally today to the needs of the most vulnerable as they did in 2010. My family living there (I am the family outlier living in NYC) are all sold out to MAGA/Trump. Very sad indeed. (and grateful for ways I can help my home state through this post/comments)
Everywhere there are people who hate for the sake of hate. The US does seem to excel and while there are right wing people in power in other countries, none are as hateful as the US administration (Putin aside as his Ukrainian campaign is demonstrating he is today's king of genocide). I live in London and yes, we have our "skinheads" e.g. white nazi Nationalist, they are more prone to creating issues at football matches.
Vance and Musk have been here to import their and the US brand of vengeful hate, while it has had some impact there has not been anything like what we see in Springfield. Of course the UK government works to counter such sentiments. Also, such hate needs a figurehead and there is no world leader as adept as trump in leading the charge, again Putin aside. Be it Meloni in Italy, Weidel in Germany, LePen or Zemmour in France or Wilders in the Netherlands, none has yet to truly catch on. Here in the UK Farage's Reform Party is gaining traction but their biggest success to date has been attracting failed Tories who were on the verge of being thrown out of the Tory Party. Farage has openly on TV admitted that Reform's biggest issue is no "top-table" talent. Farage himself comes across more as a buffoon than a serious politician and many abide by the maxim underestimate him at your peril. Further as the face of Brexit, a majority of Brits now see it as a big mistake, a failure that Farage carries.
Thank you Professor for this outstanding analysis, I felt like I was sitting in a lecture hall at a prestigious university.
"Farage himself comes across more as a buffoon than a serious politician"
People said that about Trump, too, till he had penetrated the Republican Party and replaced its DNA with his own; so that now the entire Republican Party is a cancer rather than a functioning ("serious") political party.
Agreed, as I wrote "underestimate him at your peril".
The Trump MAGA regime's 2nd attempt to retain control of the WH & Congress is underway with the benefit of learned experience from their failure & better preparation eg Project 2025. A tyrannical caste system imposed & maintained through Orwellian lies, propaganda, gaslighting & projection is the MAGA goal.
Trump’s $10B lawsuit against the US for Jack Smith’s investigations are followed by Trump and sons demand $10 billion payout in new lawsuit against IRS. Disclosure that Trumps paid no taxes has damaged their reputations?
https://newrepublic.com/post/205975/donald-trump-irs-lawsuit-even-crazier Tax lawsuit
The Trumpism fueled kleptocratic nightmare is about to get worse.
https://newrepublic.com/article/205924/trump-witkoff-crypto-bank-scam?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_ticker_rss
Resist MAGA gangster, grifter authoritarianism! Vote Sane #VoteBlue!
I too often think of JD Vance's family. He has an extraordinary wife. I don't do that with other politicians but something just seems so out of sync with him, with his family, and with Peter Thiel (who is someone I've often agreed with philosophically.) I keep feeling like I'm missing something?
You might be missing "it" because it's so obvious. Vance is the poster boy of moral rot and naked, unrestrained lust for power. I can't even bear to see his mug on tv; his countenance just screams "slime".
Vance is another of Trump's people - like Miller - picked because they are damaged, like him. Trump was bullied, and learned to bully. Vance grew up in poverty, and wants nothing more than to be rich. Miller is a descendant of Holocaust survivors who wants to spread ethnic cleansing everywhere. "Do unto others" seems to have a reverse meaning for them: do evil, do harm. Not "love thy neighbor."
evil can lurk in the best of families
History of the USSR and Nazi Germany is full of outstanding scientists, physicians, philosophers, poets, writers, filmmakers etc, who were enthusiasts, a part and often the animators of various abominations. There is data on IQ of Nazi leadership - overwhelmingly over 130 or higher.
Intelligence, knowledge, creativity, insightfullness, you name it, does not correlate strongly, positively or negatively, with moral compass.
In Los Angeles and Chicago, ICE was able to cause quite a bit of chaos. But some of this chaos was mitigated by the size and infrastructure that these huge cities could offer their people. Springfield is an older, small manufacturing town sitting in the middle of large farm fields. This is not a sophisticated city with the ability to respond quickly to disasters.
Springfield's food bank is called Second Harvest. They are part of a network of food banks that are one of the most efficient food banks in the country. I have dealt with them, personally. I know that there is a group of Springfield churches who are setting up safe houses and logistics for getting people medical care they might need. There is a church named Christ Episcopal Church that has been actively assisting the Haitian community for a couple of years or more.
Anything you can do to help will be appreciated, I'm sure.
Thank you much for this clarity on all phases of this horror. I have some hope in Judge Reyes, and also in community of American people at large, to at least witness with open minds, to further befriend, to cultivate courage and protect vulnerable members as much as possible. Meanwhile, joining every protest against this Nazi horror of our federal administration, local and large, that we can find.
Fellow Ohioan here.
Unless a court intervenes, Haitians granted the right to live and work in the U.S. will lose their temporary protected status on Tuesday, February 3.
There are upwards of 10,000 Haitians living and working in Springfield, Ohio. They have helped revitalize this struggling city, filling open positions in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and food service and addressing a labor shortage that had hampered local growth.
Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno (R) believes they should self-deport. Senator Jon Husted (R) has said nothing. Governor Mike DeWine (R) has said it's "unwise" and a "mistake" for the government to remove protected status for these people and return them to a country our own State Department has issued a Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory for. He's also said the economic consequences for the city will be severe.
The current president and vice-president of the U.S. lied about these people during their campaign. And now the "ethnic purging" they promised may be about to happen.
I feel such deep shame for my country.
Do you live near Springfield Ohio? I do. I would like to speak with you.
Close-ish. I live in Cincinnati. I've been planning to visit a friend in Yellow Springs, which is much closer, within the next 2 weeks and am hoping to time it with any proposed actions being scheduled.
There are going to be a lot of prayer activities tomorrow (I'm not religious). I know that the food bank accepts CC donations. I know all hell may break loose on Wednesday. After that, nobody knows.
I got an email for that from the Haitian Support Center, whom I've donated to before. In fact, I've got my end of the year check ready to mail for them (I know - I'm late).
The service is at 9 in the morning, which won't work for me. The rest of the week isn't good, either. I'm looking at coming up the week of February 9 and will keep my eyes open for any events that could help me choose the best date.
If you hear of something, please feel free to tag me again. I want to be there. Meanwhile, I'm going to hope that the judge will rule favorably on Monday, giving all of us more time to prepare.
Thank you. Let's hope for the best.