"First, I want to extend my gratitude to all the people who have reached out from across the country and around the world to support our family.

This kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind. In fact, kindness radiated out of her.

Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn’t wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine.

Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow. Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.

Like people have done across place and time, we moved to make a better life for ourselves. We chose Minnesota to make our home. Our whole extended road trip here, we held hands in the car while our son drew all over the windows to pass the time and the miles.
What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community, we made friends and spread joy. And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever.

We were raising our son to believe that no matter where you come from or what you look like, all of us deserve compassion and kindness. Renee lived this belief every day. She is pure love. She is pure joy. She is pure sunshine.

On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.

Renee leaves behind three extraordinary children; the youngest is just six years old and already lost his father. I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him. That the people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way.

We thank you for the privacy you are granting our family as we grieve. We thank you for ensuring that Renee’s legacy is one of kindness and love. We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love."

 

The Trump administration is targeting the funding of Smithsonian museums like the Museum of American History, the Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum, the Museum of African American History and Culture, the Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of African Art, and the National Portrait Gallery.

Here's more reporting from The Washington Post (which unfortunately may be behind a paywall): White House threatens Smithsonian funds in sweeping content review - The Washington Post

Here's a link to the memo: Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence – The White House
 

Here is Beth's latest newsletter:
https://bethshelburne.substack.com/p/do-the-crime-do-the-time

In Chicago, Portland, and other communities that are under attack by ICE, they are organizing groups to assemble and distribute ICE kits that contain whistles and multi-lingual Know Your Rights cards. You loudly blow the whistle with three short bursts if you see federal agents, and you loudly blow three long bursts if you see a detention or police action in progress. Keep blowing your whistle until a crowd shows up, and if you hear whistles being blown then you should find them and record what is going on. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has a People Power group, offers legal assistance, and has lots of other important information for activists.

The Black Voters Matter Fund has lots of actions planned, including their We Ain't Buying It pledge campaign to use our economic power to force change by boycotting companies that don't support the community. Voting with your wallet is one way for all of us to make a difference, regardless of our financial resources. Grassroots organizations like the Black Voters Matter Fund, Indivisible, and Until Freedom organize local events, and they are urging shoppers to boycott companies who reneged under pressure from Trump on their promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts such as Target, Amazon, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Ford, Wal-Mart, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Tesla. The goal is to support the retailers that have stood up to Trump, as well as the Black, minority, and immigrant-owned businesses, and all of the small and local businesses who support the community.

Blackout The System is a national movement across all races, cultures and classes to strategically and peacefully withdraw our labor and spending. They have planned a Mass Blackout for November 25th through December 2nd where participants will limit their spending by only using cash and supporting local businesses if you need to spend money. You can sign up for more upcoming events, as well as learn about divestment and mutual aid projects.

On Veterans Day, there are lots of anti-Trump protests organized in several major cities across the country. The "Vets Say No" protests are organized by the veterans group About Face, and May Day Strong, which is an anti-authoritarian movement. The "Vets Say No" protests are to say “no to ICE, no to occupation, no to fascism, and no to cuts stripping away life saving services our communities need.”

For separation of Church and State issues, I recommend joining Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Their motto is “Freedom Without Favor, Equality Without Exception” and they do great work! There's also the Southern Poverty Law Center who is great at racial justice issues. And there is the Equal Justice Initiative that has some must-see museums like their Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama. My visit to their Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park really was eye-opening and life-changing.

For LGBTQIA+ activism, I love working with groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, GLAAD, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays PFLAG, Lambda Legal, and the National LGBTQ Task Force, just to name a few. Many of these groups are organized at the local level in order to provide vital services for the community, and so it's easy to get involved.

For political activism, there are the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) who organize local events such as protests and mutual aid.

Regardless of your interests, you should be able to find several groups where you can get involved with local activism. All of the groups that I have mentioned support change through non-violent actions, so be sure to leave your weapons at home (even if they're legal), and commit to de-escalation with counter-protesters and authorities.

Did I leave out an organization that deserves to be listed? There are so many to choose from, but if you have suggestions and are a site member, please leave a comment below.

There are many reasons why mass incarceration is a problem. First, it is expensive. The United States spends more on prisons than on higher education, and the cost of incarceration is only going up. Second, mass incarceration is ineffective. Studies have shown that incarceration does not reduce crime rates, and it can actually increase them. Third, mass incarceration is harmful to individuals and families. People who are incarcerated are more likely to become unemployed, homeless, and addicted to drugs and alcohol. They are also more likely to be victims of violence.

There are many things that can be done to end mass incarceration. We can reduce the number of people who are incarcerated by reforming our criminal justice system. We can also invest in programs that help people who have been incarcerated reintegrate into society.

Ending mass incarceration is not going to be easy, but it is essential. It is time to invest in our communities, not our prisons.

Here are some specific steps that can be taken to end mass incarceration:

• Reform the criminal justice system to focus on rehabilitation, not punishment.
• Reduce the number of people who are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses.
• Invest in programs that help people who have been incarcerated reintegrate into society.
• End the war on drugs, which has disproportionately affected people of color.
• Address the root causes of crime, such as poverty, lack of education, and lack of opportunity.

Ending mass incarceration will not happen overnight, but it is possible. It will require a concerted effort from all of us. We need to demand change from our elected officials, and we need to support organizations that are working to make our communities safer and more just.

– Bard (Google AI)

However, the current iteration of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has defied all logical or legal reasoning, and the majority of illegitimate justices have become activists who are sitting on the bench.

It was previously ill-advised to read the "tea leaves" of SCOTUS decisions based on legal theory. Sadly, we can now predict what 1) the legal outcome of a case should be and 2) the likely outcome of the case based on a #CorruptSupremeCourt making decisions in cases that affect our future,