Merrick’s gotta go! We must get serious about January 6. “As the World Burns” is not a TV soap opera. As usual, thank you for keeping out minds trained on what must be released (Cuomo!), and what retained and praised (the courage of Texas Democrats and some Florida teachers). Sierra Club it is!
I am befuddled by Merrick Garland's tenure. Many DOJ alumni defend him fiercely, arguing that he is working hard in the background to bring the insurrectionists and coup plotters to justice. But the prosecutions are public. They are sending messages to the American people, which is that it is no big deal to violently assault the Capitol. If the insurrectionists were members of Black Lives Matter, does anyone believe they would be charged with "parading on Capitol grounds?"
Today’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross featured Dave Davies interviewing Col. Vindman about his book, the contents and backstory. It was superb, is archived fir podcast listening, I believe. Do you have a viable address where we might write the Colonel? It seems to me you once published such an address but it feels daunting to search for it in your newsletters. He had a fun story about his 8 year old daughter overhearing Trevor Noah‘s routine about “baby spy”
(Colonel Vindman was brought here by his parents when he was three but GOP tried to vilify him as a double agent, favoring Ukraine.) I plan to buy the book and perhaps an address is listed there in. As always, thank you for the broad swath of news and purpose you encompass as you write each night.
This was a wonderful newsletter and thank you for talking about climate change and ways we can help.
I was actually saddened to hear that some of your readers defended Cuomo. The fact that one reader, "experienced worse abuse", does not make Cuomo's behavior acceptable. The ability for men to behave in a misogynistic, sexist, harassing manner is not their innate right, and it is way more than political correctness that makes Cuomo's behavior despicable and his resignation absolutely necessary. He is a bully and, as you say, in the end he has political allies but no friends. No one I know who had any personal dealings with him felt much sympathy for him.
I am still upset about Al Franken and this was behind my turning away from Kirsten Gillibrand"s presidential run. I wish Franken had been able to have the investigation that Cuomo was subjected to. In the end we would likely have found that during some photo ops, at the end of a long day, Senator Franken was so much NOT a sexual predator, that he had no sense that his hand may have been on the buttocks of the woman he was posing with. (The Tweedy thing he had already survived). I'm still mad about that, but Andrew Cuomo is no Al Franken!
I was shocked by the responses about Cuomo. The NYTimes has an article today about how Cuomo was enabled by staff, including women. We saw a similar phenomenon with Harvey Weinstein, where a cadre of subordinates enabled, facilitated, and concealed his mistreatment of women. That is the evil genius of abusive bosses--they prey on the economic need, weakness, and insecurities of subordinates to protect them.
Sadly, women who comment that they endured worse treatement than Gov. Cuomo meted out, and that he should not have been forced to resign do not surprise me. In my professional life, I represent plaintiffs in employment-discrimination cases. Those of us who do that kind of work often note that women can be the toughest jurors in sexual-harassment cases, from just that kind of thinking. The Me-Too movement still has a ways to go.
And kudos to brave school officials in Florida and Texas who have the courage to stand up to demagoguery. And to Texas Democrats willing to risk arrest and opprobrium.
Yes, the women who defended Cuomo also criticized his victims for not being tougher. As I noted in my responses to them, the burden should not be on women to "tough it out," the burden should be on men to act with decency in the workplace. However, to be clear, most of Cuomo's defenders were men who argued that Cuomo should not be forced to resign until he had the opportunity to defend himself in court, etc.
Your newsletter is my breakfast of champions. I start the day more aware and hopeful .
Yes, just as with any discipline, we need to find a slot in the day for activism. Mine has been postcards to new young voters in battleground states, reminding them that voting is
Their superpower. It thrills me every time I write it.
You don’t “get over” sexual harassment. It is demeaning, demoralizing and takes away your power. Cuomo created a toxic work environment. I glad he will begone soon. Others need to do the same!
Merrick’s gotta go! We must get serious about January 6. “As the World Burns” is not a TV soap opera. As usual, thank you for keeping out minds trained on what must be released (Cuomo!), and what retained and praised (the courage of Texas Democrats and some Florida teachers). Sierra Club it is!
I am befuddled by Merrick Garland's tenure. Many DOJ alumni defend him fiercely, arguing that he is working hard in the background to bring the insurrectionists and coup plotters to justice. But the prosecutions are public. They are sending messages to the American people, which is that it is no big deal to violently assault the Capitol. If the insurrectionists were members of Black Lives Matter, does anyone believe they would be charged with "parading on Capitol grounds?"
Exactly! He has modeled the High Road in a superlative manner, but it is time to put Justice on the table.
Today’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross featured Dave Davies interviewing Col. Vindman about his book, the contents and backstory. It was superb, is archived fir podcast listening, I believe. Do you have a viable address where we might write the Colonel? It seems to me you once published such an address but it feels daunting to search for it in your newsletters. He had a fun story about his 8 year old daughter overhearing Trevor Noah‘s routine about “baby spy”
(Colonel Vindman was brought here by his parents when he was three but GOP tried to vilify him as a double agent, favoring Ukraine.) I plan to buy the book and perhaps an address is listed there in. As always, thank you for the broad swath of news and purpose you encompass as you write each night.
Hi, Katherine, I will look for an address. i had previously listed his synagogue address, where letters were sent c/o the rabbi.
This was a wonderful newsletter and thank you for talking about climate change and ways we can help.
I was actually saddened to hear that some of your readers defended Cuomo. The fact that one reader, "experienced worse abuse", does not make Cuomo's behavior acceptable. The ability for men to behave in a misogynistic, sexist, harassing manner is not their innate right, and it is way more than political correctness that makes Cuomo's behavior despicable and his resignation absolutely necessary. He is a bully and, as you say, in the end he has political allies but no friends. No one I know who had any personal dealings with him felt much sympathy for him.
I am still upset about Al Franken and this was behind my turning away from Kirsten Gillibrand"s presidential run. I wish Franken had been able to have the investigation that Cuomo was subjected to. In the end we would likely have found that during some photo ops, at the end of a long day, Senator Franken was so much NOT a sexual predator, that he had no sense that his hand may have been on the buttocks of the woman he was posing with. (The Tweedy thing he had already survived). I'm still mad about that, but Andrew Cuomo is no Al Franken!
I was shocked by the responses about Cuomo. The NYTimes has an article today about how Cuomo was enabled by staff, including women. We saw a similar phenomenon with Harvey Weinstein, where a cadre of subordinates enabled, facilitated, and concealed his mistreatment of women. That is the evil genius of abusive bosses--they prey on the economic need, weakness, and insecurities of subordinates to protect them.
Sadly, women who comment that they endured worse treatement than Gov. Cuomo meted out, and that he should not have been forced to resign do not surprise me. In my professional life, I represent plaintiffs in employment-discrimination cases. Those of us who do that kind of work often note that women can be the toughest jurors in sexual-harassment cases, from just that kind of thinking. The Me-Too movement still has a ways to go.
And kudos to brave school officials in Florida and Texas who have the courage to stand up to demagoguery. And to Texas Democrats willing to risk arrest and opprobrium.
Yes, the women who defended Cuomo also criticized his victims for not being tougher. As I noted in my responses to them, the burden should not be on women to "tough it out," the burden should be on men to act with decency in the workplace. However, to be clear, most of Cuomo's defenders were men who argued that Cuomo should not be forced to resign until he had the opportunity to defend himself in court, etc.
Absolutely brilliant!! Today's newsletter is a keeper!!
Thanks, Laurie. I appreciate the feedback.
Your newsletter is my breakfast of champions. I start the day more aware and hopeful .
Yes, just as with any discipline, we need to find a slot in the day for activism. Mine has been postcards to new young voters in battleground states, reminding them that voting is
Their superpower. It thrills me every time I write it.
You don’t “get over” sexual harassment. It is demeaning, demoralizing and takes away your power. Cuomo created a toxic work environment. I glad he will begone soon. Others need to do the same!