We must protect our children from books
Hello again; new format who dis
This was my view from a boat off the Napali Coast in Kaua’i. I miss it.
Hi you.
It’s me.
I’ve missed you too. I had a plan for the opening of this newsletter but woke up to see news about schools dropping books or outright banning them. Some discuss the holocaust, others racism and history, still more were written in a time with tone we don’t tolerate anymore, but it got me thinking.
When we ban books in schools before we ban guns, we admit we are more afraid of our children learning than we are of them dying. It’s not that schools openly welcome guns. It’s that clearly our society is willing to tolerate recurring slaughter due to our acceptance of guns while we are increasingly quick to purge any idea that makes us uncomfortable. We’ll subject our kids to mass shootings but not to the truth of American history. So, Twitter:
I also posted this on IG, TikTok, and Facebook.
This is getting ridiculous for a situation that’s already ridiculous. We are about to enter Black History Month, but I’m not sure if I’m allowed to celebrate for fear that it will make some snowflake parent uncomfortable. So just Happy February?
Now where was I?
I had so many plans for 2021, and achieved several but one missed goal was keeping up my connection to you via this newsletter. Having effectively taken an unannounced hiatus since October, I’m happy to report, I’m back!
I finished production for my upcoming PBS series, America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston (premieres July 5), and we have fully published season 3 of How To Citizen with our focus on tech that helps us create the communities we want. I’ve also been cranking out longer pieces for Puck, the media company I joined / helped launch. Oh, and I slept. Wow, did I sleep at the end of 2021.
Here’s my plan for this newsletter. I’m resuming weekly drops, and I’m simplifying the format. Seven things you need to click. That’s it. There’s a sea of nonsense out there, and I’m going to help you spot the good stuff which includes a commitment to links that help you understand, learn, and get inspired by the good we are capable of, not just the horrors we’re overexposed to.
Here’s the first edition of the new newsletter… Enjoy those clicks and the feelings that come with them, including discomfort.
Trump’s Next Coup Has Already Begun (The Atlantic)
Listen, not every link is going to be happy one, but this remains the most impactful and jarring article I read last year, and it is still relevant. We must face the abyss so we can avoid falling into it.
How Did ID.me Get Between You and Your Identity? (Bloomberg)
Here’s the key question posed: Should we be entrusting private companies with a responsibility that would naturally fall on governments—such as verifying the identities of their own citizens? My answer: no! If you don’t want to hand your face over to a private company in order to file your taxes online, you can raise your voice via this tweet by Dr. Joy Buolamwini.
Climate resilience hubs finding a foothold on Detroit's East Side, helping residents face disasters (Model D Media)
Communities coming together to build resilience in the face of the coming storm will be one of the great stories of our near future. In this case it’s about climate change and Detroit, but the lessons apply far beyond that.
‘Marcus, stop tweeting’: Marcus Williamson takes you inside viral Rose Bowl thread (Los Angeles Times)
This is a football story I can get behind. I haven’t been able to really get into the game since all the traumatic brain injury research was revealed. Seeing this young man recognize his value and worth beyond brutalizing other young men to enrich coaches, schools, and even cities… all while not being paid.. seeing him claim his power made me smile big time.
Energy, and How to Get It (The New Yorker)
This is an enjoyable read through the author’s attempts to understand why some people seem to have more energy than others and what we can do to control it. Science, spiritualism, and lots of good writing in this one. Thanks, Elizabeth for sharing.
When Someone Asks How Republicans Are Making It Harder To Vote…
I saw this on PBS Newshour, and it’s 🔥. Stick around for the Texas election official who gets around the law preventing her from helping people correct their voter registrations. She’s sassy in the best way.
And simply enjoy this…
Thanks for reading. More soon. And to my paying subscribers, I got you. Special things coming your way this week.