Category Archives: Politics

Now there are tanks

Fierce Planet Posted on by

Believe me I am aware of how strange it may seem that I, an old-fashioned peace activist who spent years working with Quaker pacifists, stand 100% with Ukraine as it wages a war of self-defense. My approach to this situation arises from discussions I’ve had with other activists about the nature of pacifist beliefs, and what it means to engage in nonviolent resistance. The discussions back then mostly focused on objections from those of us who were committed to a feminist vision of the future, a vision that definitely included the right of women to defend ourselves from predation. But … Continue reading →

Republicans have a new tax plan

Fierce Planet Posted on by

Let PoliticsGirl tell you about how their plan will make rich oligarchs much richer, while keeping the rest of us poorer and more stressed. This is the best breakdown of the new 30% tax Republicans are trying to add to every single thing you purchase pic.twitter.com/VM3XeRdcCF — MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) January 26, 2023

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Russian war crimes continue

Fierce Planet Posted on by

There is no question in my mind that Russia has committed and continues to commit war crimes through Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. From the dead bodies strewn in the streets of Bucha and other areas around Kyiv early in the invasion, to the piles of rubble and miles of graves that are all we have left of Mariupol and the people who lived there, to the tortured citizens of recently liberated Kherson, Russia and their mercenary armies have left a trail of agony, rape, and death that is clearly designed to terrorize the Ukrainian people. It is past time for … Continue reading →

Rejecting democracy

Fierce Planet Posted on by

I’ve been watching the attempted insurrection in Brazil, not with much shock, but with some anger. This is, of course, another expression of the right-wing authoritarians who are doing their best to fracture political systems around the world. They stormed Brazil's National Congress and set fire to the carpet. They attacked presidential offices, rifled through papers and tried to barricade themselves inside. Videos show Jair Bolsonaro's supporters rioting in Brazil’s government offices. https://t.co/dpVKpXYIdo pic.twitter.com/eMDQGA0rpf — The New York Times (@nytimes) January 9, 2023 Apparently Bolsonaro has been working with Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, and perhaps other Trump-aligned fascist types, which … Continue reading →

Republicans are a mess

Fierce Planet Posted on by

But Democrats are doing just fine. Earlier I mentioned that House Democrats had completed a shift of leadership for their caucus, with Hakeem Jeffries becoming caucus Leader. He was easily voted in by his caucus, and in fact won more votes in the Speaker’s race than poor, miserable Kevin McCarthy, though like McCarthy, Jeffries has no obvious path to taking over as Speaker. I said this version of Congress was going to be a mess, but I have to say the mess is already more spectacular than I ever imagined, and the whole thing completely belongs to the Republicans. Overall, … Continue reading →

What have we done with the Internet?

Fierce Planet Posted on by

What it is, is up to us. — Howard Rheingold, author of The Virtual Community I think of myself as an OG Internet inhabitant, because I was one of the early commercial consumers who arrived online after NSFNet began to release control of the network to corporate actors. For me, that began in 1993. I had been hanging around bulletin board systems (BBSs) for a year or two, after peace activists I worked with started to use computers for communication and organizing. I ended up on a system I’d heard of some years before, The Well, created in 1985 and … Continue reading →

Respect for Marriage

Fierce Planet Posted on by

To the ones who can imagine, respect oh yeah. This bill is far from perfect, and I definitely wish for more. But it is an important step nonetheless, to kill the hated Defense of Marriage Act and establish in law the principle that all marriages are equal. Biden makes a case against all forms of bigotry before signing the Respect for Marriage Act pic.twitter.com/Zm8lWg2xIU — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 13, 2022 If there is one message that breaks through from today, it's that this law – and the love it defends – strikes a blow against hate in all its … Continue reading →

Two podcasts ~ Choose a side

Fierce Planet Posted on by

This weekend I caught up with a couple of podcasts, and I’d like to highlight a few things. First is a segment on Pod Save America. I’ve set this up so it goes directly to an interview with Strict Scrutiny‘s Kate Shaw, a lawyer talking here about the Supreme Court hearing Moore v. Harper last week. (Strict Scrutiny itself is another excellent podcast, if you’re looking for some top-notch legal minds discussing the issues of the day.) This case presents the “Independent State Legislature Theory”, which you will no doubt hear about a lot in the near future. It is … Continue reading →

To the ones who keep the passion, respect…

Fierce Planet Posted on by

I’m writing a very personal post, which as usual means I’m half-blocked and writing very slowly. Can’t be helped, this is my only process. So while that goes on, let’s celebrate Jane Fonda, who at the age of 84, after five arrests and recent treatment for cancer, once again leads the Fire Drill protests that began years ago, before Covid. (gift link should get you past the firewall). Their goal is to increase awareness of the continual dangers of climate change, and to pressure Congress to take action now. Fonda retakes the Hill: ‘Cancer is scary, but the climate crisis … Continue reading →