Take a deep breath. Try a Physiological Sigh.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. There are no quick fixes. There will be many ups and downs.
"There is hope. Even as we acknowledge the long road ahead, we must recognize the power of persistent, principled resistance. Every voice raised in defense of truth, every act of civic engagement, every moment of genuine dialogue across ideological divides—these are the building blocks of democratic renewal."
https://www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/despair-hope-and-defiance
"This is why asking "what should we do?" misses the point entirely. There is no single action, no perfect strategy, no one-time gesture that discharges your moral responsibility. The question isn't what you should do—it's who you should be. Every minute of every day.
Be the person who names the lie, even when everyone else plays along. Be the one who remembers what happened yesterday, even as others accept today's contradictory reality. Be the colleague who refuses to participate in the ritual humiliation of others. Be the friend who doesn't laugh at cruelty disguised as humor. Be the citizen who treats democratic norms as sacred, not optional.
These choices don't require special talents or privileged positions. They don't demand heroic sacrifice or martyrdom. They simply require the decision to remain morally awake when everything around you encourages sleep. To maintain your full humanity when systems push you toward becoming a fraction of yourself.
Every minute of every day, you have opportunities to practice standing firm. Each small choice builds the moral muscle memory you'll need for bigger challenges ahead. Each moment you choose courage over comfort, clarity over confusion, community over isolation—you're not just preserving your own humanity. You're keeping something precious alive in our collective existence."
https://www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-manifesto-of-the-cognitive-revolution
"The only resistance worth a damn is the one where you stop calculating the odds and start living your truth without reservation. What separates the merely clever from the genuinely courageous isn't tactical brilliance but moral clarity—the willingness to act as if your conscience matters more than your comfort.
There is no algorithm for moral action in immoral times. There is no checklist that, once completed, absolves you of the responsibility to keep acting, keep choosing, keep standing for something."
https://www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/what-you-should-do
(But do not get overwhelmed, see above)
Check Timeline for a summary of the latest fuckery
Read and support Independent media sources
Mainstream media has been noticeably absent in the first weeks
Read or listen to Timothy Snyder's Twenty Lessons
"Every one of us has a town square. It may include our social media accounts, our local book club or dinner table. Use your town square to speak out in favor of democracy. Do not shy away from difficult conversations; seek them out. Engage the curious. Educate those who seek information. We all have a role to play, so don’t assume your voice is too faint or your platform too small."
10 Things We Can All Do to Protect Democracy - Democracy Docket
Marc Elias (marcelias.bsky.social)
"What’s happening now is unethical, illegal, and unconstitutional. But the path forward is clear. Share what you know to be true. Support those documenting reality. Demand transparency. Call out lies.
The tools for truth-telling are in our hands. Social media, smartphones, and networks—the same technologies that spread confusion can spread clarity. Every post, every conversation, every insistence on truth strengthens the foundation of democracy.
Human freedom depends not just on knowing the truth but on saying it—again and again and again."
https://www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/flood-the-zone-with-truth
Mike Brock 🇺🇸 (brockm.bsky.social)
Courage is contagious. Spread it.
Democracy 2025 (coalition members)
Subscribe to Notes on the Crises
https://bsky.app/profile/nathantankus.bsky.social
Find someone who is doing something you appreciate and join in
Calls, email, letters, social media
Run for office (they send information to walk the potential candidate through the process)
Provides a list of offices to select from [local (including coroners), state and federal offices] and when the next election for the office will be
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