The most important line from Trump’s State of the Union
This piece from Vox’s Zack Beauchamp isn’t the most hopeful, but it’s important to take a sober look at where the US is right now. The president isn’t hiding the fact that he sees Democrats as true enemies. This isn’t “normal” partisanship; it’s something much darker, and it’s worth taking seriously.
Punch the monkey needs more than your love
I’ve always loved looking at photos of macaques hanging out in hot springs and I’m a sucker for “baby animal loves its parent” videos, so the viral story of a 7-month-old macaque bonding with his IKEA orangutan stuffie after being abandoned by his mother really bummed me out. And I felt even more bummed — though, ultimately, better for having known — that Punch is just one of many primates that is suffering. Sara Herschander’s story made me sad, but it also gave me hope that a better future for animals is possible.
🎧 How communities rally when the government fails them
I spent most of the past year focused on hyper-local politics and organizing with my neighbors, which I highly recommend if you’re feeling overwhelmed by what is happening nationally. This episode of Explain It to Me makes the case for getting involved with mutual aid. As guest expert Tyesha Maddox put it, “I think there is this sense that no one is going to save us but ourselves, and we have to be responsible for our communities.”
🎥 What American democracy can learn from 1930s Finland
Before this week, I was unaware of the history of the Lapua, a far-right Finnish group that rose to prominence in the decade before World War II. The Lapua also included center-right elites, politicians, and business owners. The ultimate thrust was quite violent; the Lapua’s go-to way to send a message was kidnapping their political rivals. But the fact that I had never heard of them is because they were ultimately unsuccessful. This video explains the Lapua’s rise and swift fall, and makes the case that collective action — in this case, through institutions’ refusal to participate in authoritarianism — can stop fascism.
Everyone ignores this good news about democracy
In 2024, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was imposing martial law, people sprang into action. Lawmakers barricaded themselves inside the national parliament, while protesters mobilized outside. Yoon was quickly impeached, removed from office, and sentenced to prison. And a lot of the credit, my Vox colleagues argue in this story, goes to the ordinary people who saw the threat for what it was and responded immediately, despite the very real threat of armed forces who wanted to stop them. Their courage is a lesson in what furious citizens can accomplish when they work together.
