I am refreshing this post because I have an update on the second Safe Skies donation project, which I received today from United24.
Over $1.5 million for the Safe Skies system — done 🔥
Just imagine, our ambassador, along with four professors from the world’s leading universities, raised funds for 2500 sensors that will help protect Sumy, Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts from drones and missiles.
But Timothy wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t decide to keep going! He is raising another $950 000 which will be enough to protect Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Cherkasy oblasts.
Just $300,000 stands between our ambassador and the goal of $1,900,000. This is the cost of 5,000 sensors that will help Ukrainian Air Forces protect the Ukrainian sky even more effectively in eight regions.
You do not have to donate a pre-determined amount, the line above those figures allows you to donate as little or as much as you wish. I'll do my part.
---
I remember sharing those lessons one by one on social media as mantras lest we should forget. The 'lessons' are still guiding my practice as a teacher educator and ordinary citizen. The essence of the principles provided by this pocket-book size volume hits deeper and deeper every day. Also what Masha Gessen said at the time and has been saying ever since.
In mid-March 2022, I warned my Ukrainian teacher colleagues to check the validity of their passports and send copies of important documents up to the Cloud system. Some asked me not to cause panic. I said that making sure you have a valid passport is the opposite of panicking.
I don't think we should engage with the gentleman who has commented below. His posts reflect his unshakeable stance.
This morning, after yesterday's chaos, prison riots and kidnappings, and the announcement of a state of emergency for sixty days in Ecuador (where I live), I received this message from a Ukrainian member of the educational fundraising group in which we work together:
"That’s bad news. Really sorry! At the time you Elli gave me lots of good suggestions on how to survive. Some of them saved my life. It’s time you follow them too. Be strong! Keep safe as much as possible in the situation."
So, yes, "Be calm when the unthinkable arrives." ( Lesson 18)
I agree with your points. And the “gentleman who has commented below” gave himself away using terms such as “toxic far-right thug regime” and “oppressive neo-fascist thug regime”. These are Putin-esque phrases: you point to another when it is you who are an “oppressive neo-fascist thug regime”. The NATO complaints are another tell. I could continue to pick apart his statements but I assume the folks who read Snyder’s substack are aware.
Why do President Biden and the Republican and Democratic Senate leaders continue to support Ukraine's toxic far-right thug regime? Ukraine has been enslaved by the rapacious International Monetary Fund (with reconquering the Donbass a condition of the original loan), and Zelensky has pledged to keep all of Ukraine's promises to the IMF, and the NATO countries have voting domination at the IMF, and NATO has promised to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine until it bleeds to death, delivering pounds and pounds of bloody flesh to service the unpayable IMF loans.
Ukraine's oppressive neo-fascist thug regime is not "democratic." In Ukraine, all the opposition parties have been suppressed after Zelensky capitulated to neo-Nazi war-mongers and reneged on his campaign promise to bring peace to the Donbass region.
A few months ago, both Zelensky and Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau applauded as the Speaker of Canada's House of Commons praised a Ukrainian who was a real-life Nazi, a member of a Nazi SS unit that committed genocide against Poles during World War II. After international condemnation, Speaker Anthony Rota quickly resigned.
When Zelensky became President, he initially moved toward fulfilling the Minsk Agreements that had "frozen" the civil war in the Donbass and outlined a pathway toward peace. But then he capitulated to the Neo-Nazis (who controlled Ukraine's Interior Ministry, in charge of the police stations) and eventually re-ignited the frozen war, precipitating the Russian invasion. We are being lied to.
In August, after U.S. Secretary of State Blinken announced more aid for Ukraine, Zelensky posted a video showing him with Ukraine's most prominent Neo-Nazi Andriy Biletsky:
See also (from 2019) "Neo-Nazis and the Far Right Are On the March in Ukraine":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Sméagol, is that you? Whoever you are, everything you have written is lies and Russian propaganda. This space is for fact and truth. Begone if you cannot respect them.
John, I will say I appreciate your civility in discussion. I'm sure you're a nice guy. It was from your first reference I'll dig it up after my cup of coffee kicks in. Have a great day!
Nancy, you sound like a far-right apologist for neo-Nazi terrorists.
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Jan, how would you know what's Russian propaganda?
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
I would add a 21st resolution: Start teaching civic classes again in our schools. Too many American citizens have no idea what we are on the verge of losing. Americans need to be taught again what the idea of the United States actually means.
My first civics lesson was in the fourth grade around 1955. A document was placed on a desk; it was the Declaration of Independence but the 56 signers' names were eliminated. The students picked a name from a jar (some picked two for extra credit), present a report about the signer, imitate the signature, then sign the document in the appropriate place. My signer was Dr. Benjamin Rush, whose signature was between Robert Morris and Benjamin Franklin. My love of the Declaration and later the Constitution and Bill of Rights was forged in the fourth grade under the auspices of Mrs. Hirsh. I practiced Constitutional Law for 30 years.
Definitely mine. I’m a first generation immigrant and English test is included to pass citizen test. In Europe, immigrants follow free language courses to assimilate better.
On Tyranny must have been translated into Spanish by now. The Spanish edition should be available in schools and public libraries everywhere if it isn't already. I'm going to check our local libraries.
On Tyranny is a powerful piece of work. From early 2017 through 2023, I kept buying copies and handing them out, a total of 43 copies. I joined with a group of women in my town to discuss and digest On Tyranny, ultimately impacting our thinking and action. Thank you, Professor Snyder.
I read your book awhile back and what really stuck with me is the lesson to not obey in advance. Everyone who believes that the Supreme Court should not enforce the amendment regarding disqualifications from office, is doing exactly that. They are afraid of the repercussions from Trump and his supporters. If we are afraid to enforce our laws, he has already won.
Exactly!!! It’s incredible that some of these editorials have said things like, “it’s better to beat Trump at the ballot box than to rule against him in court”, or, “if a court strikes Trump from the ballot it will unleash too much chaos and violence; just let the people decide”. The whole reason we have the Constitution is to provide guardrails for the most important election we have in this country, the Presidential Election (among other things, to be sure). We MUST enforce the laws and the Constitution “without fear or favor” if we want to preserve our democracy. To do otherwise is definitely “obeying in advance” and opening the door to Tyranny with a welcome sign above the entrance.
I was so proud of myself when I read the book and bought 10 copies to give to friends. I'm a bush-leaguer in this bunch!! I'm gonna forward this email to the usual suspects!! The best thing about that book is that it introduced me to a scholar of Eastern Europe. Timothy Snyder and Anne Applebaum are my "go-to" people for that part of the world. They have lived there and know what it FEELS LIKE! I think Biden needs to resurrect the "Fireside Chat." That's how FDR turned a nation. How would you like to see President Biden and Timothy Snyder sit down & discuss Ukraine, Authoritarianism, and Russia for an hour. What about Robert Reich and the economy & equality. What about Jon Meacham and The Founding Fathers. How about Adam Tooze & what's happened to capitalism and consumerism. One more: Robert Kaplan could educate the President and all of us on what life &
war is like in an authoritarian government. The minions, me and you, badly need an education, and the President would learn a few things he might not know. Resurrect the Fireside Chat! I think Biden would be great at the job.
Each edition of On Tyranny is different and enriched in its own way. I own them all and have reserved room on the bookshelf for new versions. The kindle edition goes with me wherever I go. When I am gone, On Tyranny will belong to grandchildren.
The Supreme Court will hear the Colorado disqualification case on February 18. If the Court follows the plain text and history of the 14th Amendment, Section 3, they can separate the law from politics by disqualifying trump (as they must) and leaving it up to Congress, the political branch, to remove the disqualification. It was Congress that shirked its constitutional responsibility in the second impeachment, and it was Congress that was attacked on Jan. 6. Let the final judgment be made there.
Actually, Nancy, I think the USSC is going to hear the appeal of Anderson v Griswold on Feb 8th (maybe the 18 was a typo?), and then issue an opinion later in February to get ahead of the primaries. Colorado had asked the USSC to issue their opinion before Feb 15th so as to have time to print correct mail in ballots before sending them out to the voters for the GOP primary in Colorado on March 5th.
I’m becoming hopeful that the USSC will affirm Anderson v Griswold. Lately, the tide seems to be turning in the various editorials I’m seeing, ie, more in line with the Federalist Society view that Anderson v Griswold was correctly decided and that it should be affirmed without worrying about whether that will set off another round of chaos and violence. I’ve also been seeing Ian Bassin’s name being mentioned, and it seems Ian is now advising the Biden WH on how to message in advance of the USSC hearing. Hopefully, Ian is also working on an amicus curiae brief to file in support of affirming the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court.
The WSJ for the very first time had a legal analysis article yesterday(?) that cited the Baude/Paulsen law review article as being a solid authority for the USSC to rely on in affirming Anderson v Griswold, and they pointed out what I’ve been saying about the three Trump justices being of one mind with both Bill Baude and Michael Paulsen. This gives me hope.
Interestingly enough, in Trump’s last speech in Iowa, he mentioned feeling “hurt” when judges he’d appointed to the bench had ruled against him in his previous election lawsuits. He even said, “You know, you appoint these judges to the bench and then they rule against you when you need them. That hurts”, and “Sometimes when you appoint judges, they rule against you just to prove they’re not biased.” This struck me as perhaps Trump knows he’s going to lose the appeal and he’s laying the groundwork for blaming his judicial appointees for the loss rather than admit he never had a case to begin with. Also to avoid any responsibility for his own actions, as usual.
RED ALERT - hello everyone, contrary to my hopefulness expressed here vis a vis the WSJ, yesterday they had an Editorial Board piece saying that it was imperative for the USSC to “put a stop” to this business of “kicking people off ballots” that has been “started” by Anderson v Griswold. The EB seems to think that this has never happened before anywhere and that now “all of a sudden” different states and other jurisdictions are trying to kick all sorts of people off election ballots, not just the presidential ballot.
What is the EB thinking? This isn’t new. If you run for state representative or state senator, you have to live in the district you are running for. If you don’t they can kick you off the ballot as not qualified. Ditto the US House of Representatives, if you don’t live in the district you’re running for, you can be kicked off the ballot. When states redistrict, often someone is kicked out of office because they don’t live within the new district lines. A representative seat can be wiped off the map. This isn’t “unfair”. This isn’t an “attack on democracy”. We have RULES governing our elections and they include RULES on who is eligible for office, even down to the local school board. Since when is enforcing the rules an “attack on democracy”?
Why the WSJ is now siding so strongly with Trump baffles me, but I find it terrifying to think that this thinking might be followed by the USSC. I hope they have more integrity than some editorial board members. Be warned.
21. Know that reliable communications are more likely than not to be severed, so do not permit yourselves to believe what *will* be available to you, which is propaganda: "Germans in Warsaw did not simply ban Poles from communicating, publishing, and broadcasting information: they provided their own."
--Your former doctoral student Jadwiga Biskupska, in her dissertation turned into a book, "Survivors: Warsaw Under Nazi Occupation" (NY: CUP, 2022). '5.1 Nazi Information Control,' pp.142ff.
This summary of his 2017 book ON TYRANNY is helpful for those who did not buy Professor Snyder’s book or did not recall his earlier ON TYRANNY Substack article.
I wonder if he might relate his ‘10 points’ specifically to what currently is occurring in the United States and globally.
Just dawned on me that #18 is Netanyahu! I'm Jewish and pro Israel but it's clear he's used October 7th for his own personal ends. Disgusting and treacherous. If that attack had happened under Shimon Peres, the right wing would be calling for his head. It's good to know that Israeli citizens are starting to get back on the street and call his power grab for what it is.
Speaking of symbols, January 6th is a time to put out a flag and stand up for democracy. And if you can, support your favorite candidates with donations, however small; money matters but numbers of donations do too; esp, where the races are tight.
These are points and warnings are excellent and worth re-reading over and again. I bought a copy and gave it to family and downloaded the e version to keep me company. But most importantly one must examine oneself and be better... this is a roadmap.
Just saw a professor Snyder's appearance on the Alex Wagner show. A line that really hit me was " it's about a million people doing a million little things." Even though I'm vegetarian reminds me of the adage how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Thank you Prof. Snyder for these important reminders. The old adage that "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" could not be truer today, and it is essential to educate Americans on how their choices will enable our democratic institutions survive and thrive, or cast them (and our lives) into the abyss of tyranny and authoritarianism. It can be done, but it requires an all out effort on the part of every logically thinking American to take the correct path. We have our work cut out for us this year.
I am refreshing this post because I have an update on the second Safe Skies donation project, which I received today from United24.
Over $1.5 million for the Safe Skies system — done 🔥
Just imagine, our ambassador, along with four professors from the world’s leading universities, raised funds for 2500 sensors that will help protect Sumy, Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts from drones and missiles.
But Timothy wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t decide to keep going! He is raising another $950 000 which will be enough to protect Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava and Cherkasy oblasts.
Just $300,000 stands between our ambassador and the goal of $1,900,000. This is the cost of 5,000 sensors that will help Ukrainian Air Forces protect the Ukrainian sky even more effectively in eight regions.
Support Timothy Snyder! Support Ukraine!
Here is the link: https://u24.gov.ua/safeskies
You do not have to donate a pre-determined amount, the line above those figures allows you to donate as little or as much as you wish. I'll do my part.
---
I remember sharing those lessons one by one on social media as mantras lest we should forget. The 'lessons' are still guiding my practice as a teacher educator and ordinary citizen. The essence of the principles provided by this pocket-book size volume hits deeper and deeper every day. Also what Masha Gessen said at the time and has been saying ever since.
In mid-March 2022, I warned my Ukrainian teacher colleagues to check the validity of their passports and send copies of important documents up to the Cloud system. Some asked me not to cause panic. I said that making sure you have a valid passport is the opposite of panicking.
I don't think we should engage with the gentleman who has commented below. His posts reflect his unshakeable stance.
This morning, after yesterday's chaos, prison riots and kidnappings, and the announcement of a state of emergency for sixty days in Ecuador (where I live), I received this message from a Ukrainian member of the educational fundraising group in which we work together:
"That’s bad news. Really sorry! At the time you Elli gave me lots of good suggestions on how to survive. Some of them saved my life. It’s time you follow them too. Be strong! Keep safe as much as possible in the situation."
So, yes, "Be calm when the unthinkable arrives." ( Lesson 18)
Elizabeth, thank you for such positive action.
I agree with your points. And the “gentleman who has commented below” gave himself away using terms such as “toxic far-right thug regime” and “oppressive neo-fascist thug regime”. These are Putin-esque phrases: you point to another when it is you who are an “oppressive neo-fascist thug regime”. The NATO complaints are another tell. I could continue to pick apart his statements but I assume the folks who read Snyder’s substack are aware.
Why do President Biden and the Republican and Democratic Senate leaders continue to support Ukraine's toxic far-right thug regime? Ukraine has been enslaved by the rapacious International Monetary Fund (with reconquering the Donbass a condition of the original loan), and Zelensky has pledged to keep all of Ukraine's promises to the IMF, and the NATO countries have voting domination at the IMF, and NATO has promised to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine until it bleeds to death, delivering pounds and pounds of bloody flesh to service the unpayable IMF loans.
Ukraine's oppressive neo-fascist thug regime is not "democratic." In Ukraine, all the opposition parties have been suppressed after Zelensky capitulated to neo-Nazi war-mongers and reneged on his campaign promise to bring peace to the Donbass region.
A few months ago, both Zelensky and Canada's Prime Minister Trudeau applauded as the Speaker of Canada's House of Commons praised a Ukrainian who was a real-life Nazi, a member of a Nazi SS unit that committed genocide against Poles during World War II. After international condemnation, Speaker Anthony Rota quickly resigned.
When Zelensky became President, he initially moved toward fulfilling the Minsk Agreements that had "frozen" the civil war in the Donbass and outlined a pathway toward peace. But then he capitulated to the Neo-Nazis (who controlled Ukraine's Interior Ministry, in charge of the police stations) and eventually re-ignited the frozen war, precipitating the Russian invasion. We are being lied to.
In August, after U.S. Secretary of State Blinken announced more aid for Ukraine, Zelensky posted a video showing him with Ukraine's most prominent Neo-Nazi Andriy Biletsky:
https://mronline.org/2023/08/21/zelensky-holds-court-with-ukraines-most-notorious-neo-nazi/
See also "Ukraine is Brutally Repressing the Left, Criminalizing Socialist Parties, Imprisoning Activists"
https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2022/03/21/ukraine-repressing-left-criminalizing-socialist-parties/
See also "How Zelensky Made Peace with Neo-Nazis"
https://consortiumnews.com/2022/03/04/how-zelensky-made-peace-with-neo-nazis/
See also "How One Ukrainian Billionaire Funded Hunter Biden, President Volodymyr Zelensky, And Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion"
https://greatgameindia.com/hunter-biden-zelensky-neo-nazi/
See also (from 2019) "Neo-Nazis and the Far Right Are On the March in Ukraine":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/
Sméagol, is that you? Whoever you are, everything you have written is lies and Russian propaganda. This space is for fact and truth. Begone if you cannot respect them.
Once you read one of the references (to be generous to intellectual discourse I checked) it mentions Ukraine's long-standing desire to conquer Russia!
Someone has been huffing the glue too much!
This comes straight from the internet research agency
I don't suppose you could provide a quote.
John, I will say I appreciate your civility in discussion. I'm sure you're a nice guy. It was from your first reference I'll dig it up after my cup of coffee kicks in. Have a great day!
Nancy, you sound like a far-right apologist for neo-Nazi terrorists.
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/
Russian propaganda...
Jan, how would you know what's Russian propaganda?
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/
tl;dr
Your history is skewed.
Stalin wasn't Russian, and the Russians in the Russian-speaking half of Ukraine starved during the Holodomor, too.
I would add a 21st resolution: Start teaching civic classes again in our schools. Too many American citizens have no idea what we are on the verge of losing. Americans need to be taught again what the idea of the United States actually means.
My first civics lesson was in the fourth grade around 1955. A document was placed on a desk; it was the Declaration of Independence but the 56 signers' names were eliminated. The students picked a name from a jar (some picked two for extra credit), present a report about the signer, imitate the signature, then sign the document in the appropriate place. My signer was Dr. Benjamin Rush, whose signature was between Robert Morris and Benjamin Franklin. My love of the Declaration and later the Constitution and Bill of Rights was forged in the fourth grade under the auspices of Mrs. Hirsh. I practiced Constitutional Law for 30 years.
And some don’t even speak English.
Civics can be taught through other than the English language.
Of course, but we need to speak the same language.
Not my priority for citizenship.
Definitely mine. I’m a first generation immigrant and English test is included to pass citizen test. In Europe, immigrants follow free language courses to assimilate better.
Although there be exceptions to the language test, I understand your point.
We need to be free first and foremost. Meet people where there are.
On Tyranny must have been translated into Spanish by now. The Spanish edition should be available in schools and public libraries everywhere if it isn't already. I'm going to check our local libraries.
Yes, spread it world wide.
Requirements for citizenship. Yes, some people don't speak English. https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-e-chapter-2
WOW! Volume 12, chapter 2.
For fun—a comparison:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship.html
Constitutional illiteracy is deadly!
On Tyranny has also been published in a beautiful graphic edition, illustrated by Nora Krug.
This book is my favorite. Coming from a family of courageous leaders in the WWII Resistance, I fight on to protect democracy and freedom with my ✍🏻.
The pen is sharper than the sword. ✌🏻Evil prevails when good people fail to act.
On Tyranny is a powerful piece of work. From early 2017 through 2023, I kept buying copies and handing them out, a total of 43 copies. I joined with a group of women in my town to discuss and digest On Tyranny, ultimately impacting our thinking and action. Thank you, Professor Snyder.
Great idea to gather up some friends and discuss and take action. I’m going to start working on that today !
Susie, we are now into a deep dive into the Constitution.
Great minds think alike! I just bought four to hand to my niece and nephew and an extra for their friends
A great gift!
Now THAT'S a CITIZEN.
I bought 10 copies of this when it came out and would buy 10 more today.
Buy more, Margaret...still available.
I read your book awhile back and what really stuck with me is the lesson to not obey in advance. Everyone who believes that the Supreme Court should not enforce the amendment regarding disqualifications from office, is doing exactly that. They are afraid of the repercussions from Trump and his supporters. If we are afraid to enforce our laws, he has already won.
Exactly!!! It’s incredible that some of these editorials have said things like, “it’s better to beat Trump at the ballot box than to rule against him in court”, or, “if a court strikes Trump from the ballot it will unleash too much chaos and violence; just let the people decide”. The whole reason we have the Constitution is to provide guardrails for the most important election we have in this country, the Presidential Election (among other things, to be sure). We MUST enforce the laws and the Constitution “without fear or favor” if we want to preserve our democracy. To do otherwise is definitely “obeying in advance” and opening the door to Tyranny with a welcome sign above the entrance.
I was so proud of myself when I read the book and bought 10 copies to give to friends. I'm a bush-leaguer in this bunch!! I'm gonna forward this email to the usual suspects!! The best thing about that book is that it introduced me to a scholar of Eastern Europe. Timothy Snyder and Anne Applebaum are my "go-to" people for that part of the world. They have lived there and know what it FEELS LIKE! I think Biden needs to resurrect the "Fireside Chat." That's how FDR turned a nation. How would you like to see President Biden and Timothy Snyder sit down & discuss Ukraine, Authoritarianism, and Russia for an hour. What about Robert Reich and the economy & equality. What about Jon Meacham and The Founding Fathers. How about Adam Tooze & what's happened to capitalism and consumerism. One more: Robert Kaplan could educate the President and all of us on what life &
war is like in an authoritarian government. The minions, me and you, badly need an education, and the President would learn a few things he might not know. Resurrect the Fireside Chat! I think Biden would be great at the job.
I’d love to hear Biden and all of those you mention. Maybe you can forward this to him 👍
This is excellent. And it is so scary that we need it! Thank you.
Each edition of On Tyranny is different and enriched in its own way. I own them all and have reserved room on the bookshelf for new versions. The kindle edition goes with me wherever I go. When I am gone, On Tyranny will belong to grandchildren.
The Supreme Court will hear the Colorado disqualification case on February 18. If the Court follows the plain text and history of the 14th Amendment, Section 3, they can separate the law from politics by disqualifying trump (as they must) and leaving it up to Congress, the political branch, to remove the disqualification. It was Congress that shirked its constitutional responsibility in the second impeachment, and it was Congress that was attacked on Jan. 6. Let the final judgment be made there.
Actually, Nancy, I think the USSC is going to hear the appeal of Anderson v Griswold on Feb 8th (maybe the 18 was a typo?), and then issue an opinion later in February to get ahead of the primaries. Colorado had asked the USSC to issue their opinion before Feb 15th so as to have time to print correct mail in ballots before sending them out to the voters for the GOP primary in Colorado on March 5th.
I’m becoming hopeful that the USSC will affirm Anderson v Griswold. Lately, the tide seems to be turning in the various editorials I’m seeing, ie, more in line with the Federalist Society view that Anderson v Griswold was correctly decided and that it should be affirmed without worrying about whether that will set off another round of chaos and violence. I’ve also been seeing Ian Bassin’s name being mentioned, and it seems Ian is now advising the Biden WH on how to message in advance of the USSC hearing. Hopefully, Ian is also working on an amicus curiae brief to file in support of affirming the decision of the Colorado Supreme Court.
The WSJ for the very first time had a legal analysis article yesterday(?) that cited the Baude/Paulsen law review article as being a solid authority for the USSC to rely on in affirming Anderson v Griswold, and they pointed out what I’ve been saying about the three Trump justices being of one mind with both Bill Baude and Michael Paulsen. This gives me hope.
Interestingly enough, in Trump’s last speech in Iowa, he mentioned feeling “hurt” when judges he’d appointed to the bench had ruled against him in his previous election lawsuits. He even said, “You know, you appoint these judges to the bench and then they rule against you when you need them. That hurts”, and “Sometimes when you appoint judges, they rule against you just to prove they’re not biased.” This struck me as perhaps Trump knows he’s going to lose the appeal and he’s laying the groundwork for blaming his judicial appointees for the loss rather than admit he never had a case to begin with. Also to avoid any responsibility for his own actions, as usual.
RED ALERT - hello everyone, contrary to my hopefulness expressed here vis a vis the WSJ, yesterday they had an Editorial Board piece saying that it was imperative for the USSC to “put a stop” to this business of “kicking people off ballots” that has been “started” by Anderson v Griswold. The EB seems to think that this has never happened before anywhere and that now “all of a sudden” different states and other jurisdictions are trying to kick all sorts of people off election ballots, not just the presidential ballot.
What is the EB thinking? This isn’t new. If you run for state representative or state senator, you have to live in the district you are running for. If you don’t they can kick you off the ballot as not qualified. Ditto the US House of Representatives, if you don’t live in the district you’re running for, you can be kicked off the ballot. When states redistrict, often someone is kicked out of office because they don’t live within the new district lines. A representative seat can be wiped off the map. This isn’t “unfair”. This isn’t an “attack on democracy”. We have RULES governing our elections and they include RULES on who is eligible for office, even down to the local school board. Since when is enforcing the rules an “attack on democracy”?
Why the WSJ is now siding so strongly with Trump baffles me, but I find it terrifying to think that this thinking might be followed by the USSC. I hope they have more integrity than some editorial board members. Be warned.
21. Know that reliable communications are more likely than not to be severed, so do not permit yourselves to believe what *will* be available to you, which is propaganda: "Germans in Warsaw did not simply ban Poles from communicating, publishing, and broadcasting information: they provided their own."
--Your former doctoral student Jadwiga Biskupska, in her dissertation turned into a book, "Survivors: Warsaw Under Nazi Occupation" (NY: CUP, 2022). '5.1 Nazi Information Control,' pp.142ff.
This summary of his 2017 book ON TYRANNY is helpful for those who did not buy Professor Snyder’s book or did not recall his earlier ON TYRANNY Substack article.
I wonder if he might relate his ‘10 points’ specifically to what currently is occurring in the United States and globally.
Just dawned on me that #18 is Netanyahu! I'm Jewish and pro Israel but it's clear he's used October 7th for his own personal ends. Disgusting and treacherous. If that attack had happened under Shimon Peres, the right wing would be calling for his head. It's good to know that Israeli citizens are starting to get back on the street and call his power grab for what it is.
Speaking of symbols, January 6th is a time to put out a flag and stand up for democracy. And if you can, support your favorite candidates with donations, however small; money matters but numbers of donations do too; esp, where the races are tight.
These are points and warnings are excellent and worth re-reading over and again. I bought a copy and gave it to family and downloaded the e version to keep me company. But most importantly one must examine oneself and be better... this is a roadmap.
Just saw a professor Snyder's appearance on the Alex Wagner show. A line that really hit me was " it's about a million people doing a million little things." Even though I'm vegetarian reminds me of the adage how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Thank you Prof. Snyder for these important reminders. The old adage that "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it" could not be truer today, and it is essential to educate Americans on how their choices will enable our democratic institutions survive and thrive, or cast them (and our lives) into the abyss of tyranny and authoritarianism. It can be done, but it requires an all out effort on the part of every logically thinking American to take the correct path. We have our work cut out for us this year.