Writer, journalism & MFA faculty. Talking news, politics, pop culture & Red Sox. UMass, American U & Bay Path U MFA alum. Also on Threads: MeredithOBrien
NEXT WEDNESDAY: Please join my former UMass roomie Gayle Carvalho & me as we discuss my new novel, Louie on the Rocks at the Natick Barnes & Noble. We'll be discussing family estrangement, Trump era political division & what adult children owe their parents. #bookevent
Mike Johnson, like Kevin McCarthy and Tucker Carlson before him, is trying to use selective video to whitewash January 6.
But we remember what happened: Donald Trump sent a violent mob to the Capitol in an attempt to undermine our democracy.
The D.C. Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments tomorrow in my lawsuit against the Washington Post over its sexual assault coverage ban. The proceedings begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be live-streamed here: https://t.co/lnJuUPwe1E
If Trump becomes president again, after all we know ,and you supported his campaign you will have participated in the end of American democracy.
You will not be rewarded by your leader beyond a rush you might seek for upending civility.
You aren't part of his plan.
He is the entirety of his plan and the future will belong to him.
Not you.
You won't get a thank you or a knowing nod.
He will allow you to buy trinkets with his image and name emblazoned.
Trump is a despicable example of human kind.
Devoid of compassion.
Devoid of any respect for knowledge and education.
Trump is the fully realized Id.
He will have no guardians , no guard rails and no shame.
He cannot tell the difference between what he is and what he wants.
There is none when you analyze the situation.
He flunks Descarte's building block syllogism automatically.
He can't think so no therefore.
Ego driven rage and revenge.
If you're inclined to assist him please rethink your reasons.
#Trump
Did I mention this guy was doing work in a complex for senior citizens? The vulnerable folks? Luckily, he walked in the opposite direction after our elevator ride otherwise I would have quizzed him about his supposed "sources."
I was at my father's senior apartment facility & shared an elevator with a dude who was doing work in the building. He informed me that #COVID was a government conspiracy and "only" killed 200K. I told him it was well over a million. "That's not what I read," he said. 🤯
The institutional right is screening a “pro-Trump army of up to 54,000 loyalists” that, if elected, Trump plans to use to unleash DOJ on his political enemies, create deportation camps for millions of immigrants, and generally turn his whim into law. https://t.co/QRRyWdufvN
Spokesman denies that Trump rhetoric echoes that of dictators like Hitler and Mussolini and declares that those who say it does will find "their entire existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House." @marianne_levine https://t.co/yYLZbxNnv6
"Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian at New York University, said in an email to The Washington Post that 'calling people 'vermin’ was used effectively by Hitler and Mussolini to dehumanize people and encourage their followers to engage in violence.'”
This weekend, the former president "denigrated his domestic opponents & critics" called them "vermin" and that they're more dangerous to the U.S. than Russia, China or North Korea. https://t.co/PM5TzTlAfh
What the everloving fuck. Writing about this in the newsletter today but I had to share now:
Ohio Republicans say that "to prevent mischief by pro-abortion courts with Issue 1, Ohio legislators will consider removing jurisdiction from the judiciary."
https://t.co/6Rjaf7XF9M
NEW: Swifties are finding themselves more energized than ever after facing attacks from MAGA extremists like Charlie Kirk in the wake of Tuesday's elections. They've now launched a viral movement to register voters and get them to the polls. https://t.co/TSiR442PK6
In Collier County, Florida more than 300 book titles are now banned. Titles include literary classics, books adapted into films and TV shows, & young adult books.
Read more: https://t.co/44SnT0lySi 🧵
@collierschools@winknews Both Collier and Lee County schools said they are in compliance with a new Florida law that bars sexual content from schools.
Yet @collierschools have removed over 300 books from their shelves, while in Lee County, only six have been pulled.
https://t.co/Ut3OuHmw1Z #BannedBooks