Many of us find ourselves, thankfully, in the position of responding to our neighbors who regret supporting Donald Trump. The war in Iran was a major catalyst to this exodus from MAGA, especially among major conservative voices such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson.

I find myself oscillating between wanting to stay angry, wanting to say “I told you so”, and taking the higher road of compassion and forgiveness. I want to believe that I am capable of laying down my sword and working for peace.

However, in order for healing to begin, we need to be able to have an honest conversation and reflection. I am more interested in “How did we get here and how do we move forward as a collective people?” then I am in winning the game. The policies of this regime have harmed actual human beings, the environment, and our global standing as a nation. This regime has torn apart so many of our democratic institutions, made justice feel like a joke, and used Jesus Christ in grotesque ways. We need awakening, honesty, and willingness to examine why voting for this administration ever felt acceptable in the first place.

I understand that questioning your religious and political affiliations and beliefs is extremely difficult. Most of us in the deconstruction community have been going through the process for many years. I am not expecting an overnight, radical move from oppression to empathy, but perhaps these questions will spark important dialogue and reflection.

Questions for Honest Reflection

Power & Hierarchy

• Who did you believe deserved power more than others, and why?

• When you say “take the country back,” who was it being taken back from?

• What groups did you see as threats, and what made them threatening?

• Do you believe some people are more deserving of dignity, rights, or opportunity than others?

Race

• How did race shape your political fears, even if you didn’t name it that way?

• What did “law and order,” “inner cities,” “DEI,” or “woke” mean to you at the time?

• Looking back, were there moments you normalized racism because it benefited your side?

• What does equality feel like when you’re used to advantage?

Gender & Sexuality

• Why do you think queer and trans people became such a political obsession for the right?

• What did traditional gender roles offer you emotionally or socially?

• Were women’s autonomy or LGBTQ+ rights ever framed to you as a loss for you personally? Why?

• What fears were attached to people living differently than you?

Wealth & Capitalism

• Why do you think wealth is often treated as proof of virtue?

• Did you equate success with moral worth?

• How did you view poor people then, and how do you view them now?

• At what point did you realize an economy can reward exploitation?

Empathy & Self-Interest

• Did something only become real when it affected you personally?

• Why do you think suffering felt abstract until it touched your life?

• Who were you able to ignore before that you can’t ignore now?

• What has expanded your empathy?

Christianity & Power

• Were you taught to respect authority more than to question injustice?

• Did religion frame obedience as holier than resistance?

• Were marginalized groups portrayed as threats to “traditional values”?

• Did protecting a religious identity matter more than protecting vulnerable people?

• Were you taught to care more about sexual morality than economic exploitation or systemic harm?

• How were race, gender roles, and nationalism woven into your understanding of faith?

• Did you excuse cruelty because the leader promised to defend your beliefs?

• Were certain people expected to submit while others were expected to rule?

• Did your theology make empathy selective?

• What teachings of Jesus were emphasized—and which were ignored?

Accountability

• What beliefs did you defend because they benefited you?

• What truths did you avoid because they were inconvenient?

• How do you take responsibility without collapsing into shame?

• What do you owe the people harmed by policies you supported?

Reconstruction

• What values are replacing the ones you left behind?

• What does justice mean to you now?

• How do you know you’ve changed beyond one issue?

• What would your politics look like if human dignity—not dominance—was the center?

May we all lay down our various swords in order to get to the root of dangerous ideologies that have caused so much damaging polarity. Divided we fall, and we are falling.

The good news? There is still time to change the road we are on.

Organizations I recommend for anyone leaving MAGA:

www.recoveringfromreligion.org

www.leavingmaga.org

“You’re just rebelling.”
Or, “You’re just being rebellious.”

I heard this a lot. I wasn’t trying to be rebellious; I was simply not swallowing what I was supposed to. I wasn’t seeing the religion the way I was told I should. If something didn’t make logical sense, I was honest about it. And if I wasn’t accused of being rebellious, I was told not to “lean unto my own understanding.”

They were already playing defense before they even listened to anything I had to say. This is by design.

High-demand religion can only sustain itself by silencing opposing voices. So systems are already in place to dismiss, demean, or even demonize anyone who doesn’t fall in line.

Accusing you of “being rebellious” shifts the focus onto your character rather than the actual issue raised in the doubt or question.

It’s also a subtle form of shaming, an imposition of false guilt.

I had been singing songs about “trusting and obeying God” since I was a toddler, so having doubts or questions automatically felt like I was sinning. I remember feeling like I was sinning against God for even taking Anthropology 101 in college. Holding the fossil record felt like I was spitting in the face of my creator because I could no longer reconcile it with young-earth creationism.

When I started questioning the flood story, I was terrified to even say it out loud. I believed that story, literally, until I was 29 years old. Now, it is difficult to understand how I ever believed it. It’s obviously mythology. However, even being honest in my own brain at that time made me feel like I was blaspheming, or even worse, sinning against the Holy Spirit.

That wasn’t sinning or rebellion. It was using critical thinking skills.

When doubt is reduced to rebellion, the institution and its narratives remain protected. It also discourages others from voicing opposition because being labeled rebellious carries social stigma. The path for the dissenter becomes narrow: remain silent or leave. And if you leave, you'd better have a thick enough skin to withstand judgment, condemnation, and sometimes even shunning.

Rebellion can be a natural response in environments that don’t value autonomy. The script is written. You play your role. There is an authority figure and a hierarchical structure, and you’re expected to obey and believe, even when you don’t agree. Even when you can see the harm.

I was able to walk away fully when my morals no longer aligned with the institution. I saw how the theology perpetuated and enabled larger systems of oppression, and that became a dealbreaker. There was no changing it from the inside because, again, the defense mechanisms were already in place before a word was spoken.

So yes, sometimes you leave.

But leaving because you refuse to participate in injustice doesn’t make you “just rebellious.”

It makes you human.

Whether you’re deconstructing for moral reasons, intellectual reasons, or both, you deserve to be heard — not dismissed, not minimized, not gaslit.

So, no, you’re not “just rebellious”,

You’re thinking.

This is Part 1 of The Deconstruction Myths Series. Next: Deconstruction is Not a Phase.
Subscribe to follow along.

The transformative process:

1. Seeking

2. Finding

3. Disturbance (Shock)

4. Astonishment (Wonder)

5. Rule over All- Achieving enlightenment, individual liberation, and the inner kingdom of heaven.

6. Rest-This last step is added in some Greek translations.

The truth is uncomfortable. It challenges our ego, our long held worldview. The truth highlights illusions we believed in, sometimes with our whole hearts and minds. It uncovers the lies we’ve been sold and perhaps the harm we’ve engaged in while under the influence of grand deception.

Yet, if we push past the discomfort, emancipation from the shackles of systems built to control us, awaits. Mental slavery shatters. It is there we encounter our higher selves, also known as the kingdom of heaven within us.

Currently, we are experiencing a grand awakening on this planet. We are finally getting answers and uncovering what has been hidden from us in order to maintain the status quo of control and manipulation.

Religion has been exposed.

Institutional abuse has been revealed.

The media empire serves an agenda for the powerful.

In a nutshell, many of our foundations are cracking under the weight of corruption, distortion, and mass human and planetary exploitation.

It is scary and difficult to process that throughout history, concentrated power has often controlled and manipulated society to protect its own interests. This dynamic has existed for centuries. Power has had its hands in everything from religion to politics to economics.

So, what now? What is there to believe in? What can we hold onto in this dark hour?

Love.

Love for your fellow human.

Love for yourself.

Love for the planet.

Love for the powerless.

Jesus tried to teach us that very simple truth and it’s amazing the way that his teachings have been twisted and manipulated to such a degree that now we have Christian influencers calling empathy a sin.

In Jesus’ name, some leaders have convinced millions of Christians that their god is going to destroy this world after the rapture. Who does that benefit? It can benefit those who profit from deregulation and unchecked exploitation of the earth’s resources. When people believe the world is temporary and disposable, environmental responsibility becomes easier to dismiss.

They live in apathy about protecting the environment because “What’s the point? God’s going to destroy it.” Never realizing that certain theologies can be used in ways that harm humans and destroy this beautiful earth.

Power often worships money, and organized religion has not been immune to that temptation. We see the evidence every day.

Million dollar sound systems.

Gourmet coffee shops in the sanctuary.

High-end suits and diamond cross necklaces behind the pulpits.

Megachurch marketing departments.

Church merch.

Sermons for sale.

Give, give, give, the church needs a bigger building to teach more people how to enable systems of oppression.

Some religious leaders publicly supported a man widely accused of predatory behavior and dishonesty, encouraging their congregations to do the same, while celebrating stock market highs as proof of blessing.

It’s all so far off from loving your neighbor that my head spins.

Yet, the truth is there for all who want to find it. For those that have ears, hear. For those that have eyes, see. Yes, it’s disturbing. Yes, it’s difficult to process and maintain sanity while you’re being shocked with the unthinkable.

But perhaps this moment is not only about exposure. Perhaps it is also about reconstruction.

If structures built on fear begin to crumble, we are invited to build something new. If theology rooted in control loses its grip, we are free to rediscover faith rooted in love. If systems that worship money reveal their emptiness, we can choose to value human dignity instead.

Yes, awakening can be disturbing. Yes, it can be difficult to process. But disturbance is not the final stage. Astonishment follows. Clarity follows. A deeper sovereignty follows.

To release yourself from fear-based narratives, whether religious or political, is a profound gift. To choose compassion over apathy is power. To choose stewardship over exploitation is strength. To choose love in an age of cynicism is rebellion of the highest kind.

This does not have to end in despair. It can begin in reconstruction.

You are not powerless.
You are not trapped.
You are free.

You can rest.

Songs that inspired this essay:

The Christians in the pews knew exactly where those trains were going and what was happening at their destination.

What did they do to drown out the noise?

They sang louder.

Some of them were terrified, I imagine, to speak up. Some of them were in support of the Nazi agenda. The few who did speak out were punished severely, often brutally. Friends, neighbors, and even family members reported them, leading to devastating consequences.

The brave ones were often arrested by the Gestapo without trial.

Imprisoned. Beaten. Sent to concentration camps.

Fired from jobs. Socially ostracized. Stripped of rights.

Something as small as telling an anti-Hitler joke could send someone to prison.

Often, speaking out was a death sentence.

The state used terror, surveillance, and propaganda to silence dissent.

To be very clear, however, courage wasn’t always such a severe risk. There was a window before the regime had fully consolidated power, when resistance was still possible. Once that consolidation was complete, it was too late. Silence became mandatory for survival.

How did it get to that point?

What were the warning signs in Nazi Germany?

1. Scapegoating during crisis. Jews, immigrants, and political opponents were blamed for economic hardship and national decline.

2. “We alone represent the people.” Hitler framed himself as the sole voice of the German people. Anyone who opposed him was labeled anti-German.

3. Attacks on the press. Before the camps. Before the war. Independent journalism was branded as enemy propaganda.

4. Normalization of political violence. Nazi paramilitary groups beat political opponents in the streets.

5. Emergency powers that never ended. After the Reichstag fire in 1933, Hitler declared a national emergency and suspended civil liberties.

6. Gradual removal of rights. Jews were excluded from professions, barred from marriage, stripped of citizenship, and had their property seized, step by step.

7. Weaponized nostalgia. The Nazis promised a “return to greatness,” traditional values, and a purified national identity. The future was framed as terrifying. The past was romanticized.

8. Co-opting institutions instead of destroying them. Courts, police, churches, and universities weren’t abolished. They were filled with loyalists.

9. Social pressure to conform. Fear kept people silent.

10. “It can’t happen here” thinking. Many Germans believed Hitler would cool down. That institutions would restrain him. That his rhetoric was just rhetoric.

By the time it was undeniable, it was irreversible.

We are seeing many of these same warning signs in the United States today.

1. Scapegoating during crisis. Immigrants are blamed for economic hardship and social decline.

2. “We alone represent the people.” Donald Trump repeatedly frames himself as the only one who can fix the country, while portraying those who oppose him as domestic terrorists.

3. Attacks on the press. The term “fake news” has been weaponized to undermine trust in independent journalism.

4. Normalization of political violence. Police and federal law enforcement violence is increasingly justified, minimized, or dismissed, even when civilians are killed.

5. Emergency powers that threaten permanence. Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would grant sweeping emergency authority.

6. Gradual removal of rights. Federal protections for reproductive rights have been overturned. LGBTQ and trans rights are increasingly targeted through legislation and policy. After the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents, Trump told reporters, “You can’t have guns, you can’t walk in with guns,” signaling a willingness to threaten constitutional rights.

7. Weaponized nostalgia. Make America Great Again promises a return to an idealized past, traditional values, and a purified national identity.

8. Co-opting institutions instead of destroying them. Courts, law enforcement, churches, and universities are pressured, reshaped, or staffed with loyalists rather than dismantled.

9. Social pressure to conform. Those who dissent from MAGA ideology are labeled radicals, lunatics, or domestic threats.

10. “It can’t happen here” thinking. Many Americans believe Trump will calm down. That institutions will stop him. That his rhetoric is simply honesty.
    “I think the president being frank and open and honest to your faces, rather than hiding behind your backs, is frankly a lot more respectful than what you saw in the last administration,” Karoline Leavitt said while defending Trump for calling a reporter a “piggy.”

Friends, we are in a rare and fragile moment in American history.

We still have time.

The Trump movement has not fully consolidated power. “We the people” still hold it.

But for Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, it was already too late.

For the countless Black men and women killed by police brutality, it was too late.

For our neighbors suffering in detention centers like the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, it is too late.

For families ripped apart by immigration policies, it is too late.

It is not too late, however, to save our democracy.

I encourage you to speak out, if for no other reason than to make it safer for others to do so.

This is not the time to worry about the friends we may lose or the connections we may strain. Relationships can be repaired. Democracy cannot.

Hope is not lost.

We still have the power to choose love over fear, truth over propaganda, and community over silence.

We will defeat this.

We will win.

And we will not ignore the piercing whistles of the trains.

Historical Note:
The warning signs outlined in this essay — scapegoating during crisis, attacks on the press, normalization of political violence, emergency powers, and the gradual erosion of civil rights — are widely documented by historians as central to the Nazi consolidation of power in the early 1930s. These patterns are discussed extensively in works by scholars such as Hannah Arendt (The Origins of Totalitarianism), Timothy Snyder (On Tyranny), and Christopher Browning (Ordinary Men). This essay does not argue that the United States is Nazi Germany, but that history provides recognizable patterns of democratic erosion that demand vigilance before power becomes irreversible.

It sounded like a hopeful reason to believe. It sounded good, exactly what you would expect if the creation story of Adam and Eve were true.

Except it’s not true.

Women and men have the same number of ribs.

When I was in grade school, I learned that dinosaur fossils were a trick from Satan. The devil hid dinosaur bones around the world to lure Christians away from creationism while seducing them into believing in evolution.

That’s not true either.

I was still playing with Barbies when I learned that researchers dug a hole so deep in China that they heard terrifying screams of hell. Apparently, there were cassette tapes of the screams.

Also not true.

I was learning the alphabet when I was told about the rapture. Any day now, God was going to snatch up all the “true believers” in the blink of an eye, leaving all the sinners to suffer in a world of torture, violence, disaster, and famine.

The message was very clear: don’t get left behind.

Believe.
Obey.

Your family could get taken, and you might be left to die with the atheists.

Except that’s not true either.

I could go on and on about all the lies I was told throughout my life in Evangelical Christianity. Sadly, I believed most, if not all of them, for 29 years. It’s too scary not to. It’s dangerous to question. I didn’t want to burn.

It’s not an easy path to come out of the fog, to see clearly all the ways you’ve been lied to and manipulated. It’s bittersweet. On one hand, your mind is liberated and you’re finally allowed to tell yourself the truth. On the other hand, if you try to tell others, they meet you with more lies and more fog. The gaslighting continues, except now the smoke is visible.

It’s no surprise that a religion that does not rely on evidence to support its belief system produces a political cult that does not rely on evidence to support its belief system.

This is why I can watch the video of Renée Nicole Good being murdered in broad daylight by the American Gestapo, while a Christian conservative can watch the same video, frame by frame, and come away with a completely different conclusion.

To them, the officer was run over by her vehicle.
To them, she was trying to run him over.
To them, he couldn’t move out of the way.
To them, her wheels weren’t turned away from the officer.
To them, her murder was justified.
To them, he never walked away with a skip in his step and is now recovering from major injuries in the hospital.

It’s maddening to witness. What video are they watching?

Yet it’s helpful to understand how their religion shaped their critical thinking abilities, or the lack of them. They were not taught critical thinking skills. They were taught to obey the official narrative. Don’t ask questions. Do not lean on your own understanding.

When something doesn’t add up, the cognitive dissonance is so uncomfortable that the default response is to gaslight oneself in order to remain within the acceptable narrative.

I know this because I used to gaslight myself in order to believe what I was supposed to believe.

Religions such as Evangelical Christianity are very useful for fascist leaders. The congregation has already been primed to obey authoritarian rule.

Believe.
Obey.
Don’t ask questions.

If you encounter someone who doesn’t believe what you do, they are the enemy. They are working for Satan.

They are the domestic terrorist.

Comply or die.
Believe or burn.

Once you are trained to distrust your own perception, reality becomes negotiable.

And when reality is negotiable, cruelty can always be justified.

Life in America is frustrating right now. Who am I kidding—it’s been frustrating, especially for those of us who grew up in conservative Christianity. I’m fairly positive that I’ve been fighting since I was old enough to talk because the world I was born into and expected to swallow did not make any sense, logically or morally.

I remember the very moment I started deconstructing my surroundings. I was five years old, innocently curious, and simply asked my mother, “Who created God?” I couldn’t wrap my little mind around an all-powerful being without an origin story. I still can’t.

My mother answered me confidently: “He always was, he always is, he always will be.” She actually sang this phrase with a little tune. She was so sure of what she was saying, as if my question about God’s origins had never even dawned on her.

And thus began our tumultuous relationship of conflicting worldviews. Decades later, we still see nothing eye to eye. I’m still fighting for validation, and she’s still stubbornly refusing the facts I’m handing out. If I had to describe how it has felt my whole life, I would say I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall over and over—as if I’m completely insane.

And if I’m going to be honest with myself, I need to admit that I have acted completely insane in continuously fighting to be heard by someone who cannot hear me. It’s not just her—it’s the entire religious community. We are screaming, and have been, into a void of people plugging their ears while singing loudly, “Nana nana boo boo, I don’t want to hear you.”

Because they don’t want to hear us. Period.

People don’t like it when you challenge their worldview. They’d rather we nod our heads in agreement and go along with their delusions. However, the political climate has made it impossible for us not to challenge their beliefs, because their beliefs are actually causing real people real harm.

And we can point that out over and over again, and nothing changes. We leave the argument frustrated and bruised again—from the brick wall.

I don’t have the answers. I have no solutions. I don’t know how to move forward, nor do I know how to stop the madness that we find ourselves in. And that’s okay.

We can sit in this liminal space right now. We can do nothing.

Winnie the Pooh once said, “Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something,” and I have to believe in that.

We’ve tried everything else. Maybe we do nothing. Maybe we let the whole thing cook in front of them, because at some point, truth will win out. Love will win. Healing will happen. But it sure as hell isn’t happening right now.

Someday.

Let “someday” be your light in the distance.

Conservative Christianity always felt like an itchy sweater I was forced to suffocate in with a million loose threads begging me to pull them. Eventually, I tugged one and soon the entire garment unraveled into a pool of wasted yarn.

I really tried to wear it.

I seriously tried to believe all the things I was supposed to believe,

pray the right prayers,

walk the impossible straight line,

and judge others outside of the church as “evil sinners fulfilling Satan’s agenda”.

Yet there was always a still, small, voice in my heart that whispered

“something isn’t right here.”

One of my earliest memories is of me pulling at a thread of the monstrous sweater. I must’ve been four or five years old when I asked my first question challenging my religion.

I simply asked my mom, “who created god?”

The idea that there was this all powerful father god who controls everything and watches us all absolutely made no sense to me. Where did this god come from? Where did he get his power? Who created this god? Did he create himself? And why is he so mean?

I thought he was scary and I was taught to fear him.

I was just a little girl learning about eternal fiery torture chambers, demons, and the possibility of being left behind by this god in the rapture for listening to Paula Abdul or saying a cuss word. All of this I learned against my will. My neural pathways were set before I even had a chance to learn how to regulate my nervous system.

But still, I wasn’t quite buying it all the way.

“Who created god?”

My mom answered in the way that most christians would answer this question.

Very confidently she sang a little tune of “He always was, he always is, and he always will be.”

This didn’t answer my question, didn’t make any sense, and it still doesn’t.

This moment would begin my life of asking questions about the religion, trying to see it the way I was supposed to, but ultimately being unable. To make matters worse, everyone around me seemed to be just fine in their itchy sweaters and they were not pulling at the threads.

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience. Maybe you felt crazy for having sensible thoughts because when you voiced them you were told you were wrong for thinking them in the first place. Maybe you learned quickly that it was safer to sit down, shut up, and pretend to be one of them.

You’re not alone.

There are millions of us who were quietly gaslit by a system that calls out anything that doesn’t fit its script. We pointed out contradictions and were told we were the ones being disruptive. We tried to ask honest questions and were told we were arrogant, sinful, or spiritually blind. That kind of steady dismissal rewires you. It makes you doubt yourself before you even finish the thought.

That doubt shows up as anxiety, shame, and a habit of apologizing for existing. It makes you second-guess your instincts and shrink parts of yourself that feel too loud or too human. But the thing about threads is this: once you start pulling, you can’t un-know what you’ve seen. The unraveling is painful. It’s also honest work.

If that itch is still there, if you’re tired of pretending and want to start untangling, here are three simple things you can do right now:

1. Ask the question out loud (to paper first). Write it down. Don’t edit. Let whatever comes up come up. Asking yourself, in writing, is a small act of permission. I remember giving myself permission to deconstruct this religion. It was scary but also liberating.

2. Name one belief that no longer fits. Call it what it is: fear, control, inherited guilt, and write one way it shows up in your life. Awareness makes choice possible.

3. Find one person or one source that won’t gaslight you. A forum, a book, a therapist, or an online community. Find someone who listens without trying to fix you with doctrine.

This space, Sin Blossoms, is for that kind of work: honest questions, practical tools, and the messy beauty of unraveling. If you’re done pretending the sweater fits, stay a while. Read, comment, or subscribe. We’re pulling at threads together.

Even in chaos, a world of your own can exist.

In June of 1941, Anaïs Nin wrote in her diary:
“Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s.”

Amid the horrors of World War II, Nin described the news as
“one long endless horror story, filled with brutality, sadism, carnage, madness, and treachery.”

The world outside, she said, was too savage to bear:
“Every bomb falls on a house we lived in, on a human being we love. And what can one do?”

And what can one do?

That question haunts me, as I find myself having similar observations of the world outside my walls.
It echoes incessantly in my ear as I tend the broken pieces of shattered progress.

What can we do as we watch our fellow humans celebrate the ruins,
justifying what the soul condemns?

It feels reckless, even irresponsible,
like breaking some unspoken civic law if I step away from the daily rolling in mud with pigs.

Because nothing changes.
Except now I’m dirty too.

Is it worth it, bearing witness to filth that blinds me to what is beautiful?

At what point do we surrender to the inevitable crash,
holding fast, stubbornly,
to the belief that love will rise from the wreckage,
that hope dares to exist here at all?

I still believe it.
I still believe this chaos is a crucible,
a necessary, tragic time of awakening,
a storm that strips us bare,
so we can rebuild from the bones of what was.

The world may crumble around us,
perhaps for decades,
perhaps beyond my lifetime,
beyond the lifetime of my children.

But here’s the truth:

We don’t have to live in their collapse.
We don’t have to die in their drama.
We don’t have to bow to their ruins
or kneel to their false gods.

We can create our own world.

A world that glistens.
A world that dances.
A world that sings.

We can stitch it together from courage, imagination, and hope against all reason.

In the end, we are doing exactly what Anaïs Nin knew we must:
we are creating our own world.

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Happy Wednesday! This is the sixth edition of “weekly sinopsis” where I highlight last week’s news, politics, and anything I find interesting to share with you.

Read

Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution

Could the U.S. force treatment on mentally ill people (again)?

Trump backed a federal abortion ban as president. Now, he says he wouldn't sign one

Biden Administration Approves Expansion of Background Checks on Gun Sales

Arizona Republicans Want to Throw My Doctor In Jail

Watch

This is my favorite video of the week! She is speaking facts, hilariously as well! Is it me or does Bella remind you too of Fiona Gallagher on Shameless?

The YouTube channel below is Comedy Gold. The creator produces these songs with a vintage sound and vintage label, giving you the impression that this vinyl is an actual record. It’s not real, but so funny, I had to share.

…And now for some Good News

Canada to make contraception for women free

Global death tolls from natural disasters have actually plummeted over the last century

A California inmate donated his life savings to relief in Gaza — and then a GoFundMe campaign raised $100k for him

Solar power beats coal for the first time ever in Texas

EPA Limits Carcinogenic Emissions at 218 US Plants–Including Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’

Have a great week everyone!

Follow:

Kimberly’s Linktree

The recent ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court has allowed for the enforcement of an almost total abortion ban from 1864, which affects 1.6 million people who can become pregnant in the state along with medical professionals. The law prohibits all abortions, except in situations where it is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person. Additionally, the law imposes a prison sentence of two to five years on anyone who "provides, supplies or administers" an abortion.

Despite several attempts to repeal this law, Republicans have blocked all efforts to do so. What's more alarming is that, on the eve before the Supreme Court's decision, Arizona Republican Senator Anthony Kern invited an anti-abortion prayer circle to seek divine intervention to ensure that the Civil War-era abortion ban would become the new law of the land. Videos have surfaced showing this dark witchcraft circle in the Senate chamber, complete with chanting and speaking in tongues.

It is haunting that in 2024 we have fanatical Christians engaging in this behavior in our legislative buildings that the taxpayer finances in a country where we have freedom of religion. Once again, Christian nationalists disregard our constitutional rights and show us exactly their agenda which is to force this country to adhere to their religion.

Perhaps Christian nationalists should mind their own business and worry about the log in their eyes.

It can be challenging to continuously remind myself to forgive those who are against women's rights, as they disregard the facts and choose to remain ignorant. Many women have shared their personal stories of abortion, rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, ectopic pregnancies, and more, which are readily available online. Despite this, anti-abortion activists and other conservatives continue to ignore these stories and prioritize their religious beliefs over the truth. It's disheartening to see them willingly turn a blind eye to the reality of the situation for the sake of power and control.

Religious power is often idolized by these individuals. The desire to control others is their seduction, and the temptation of this control sparkles and tantalizes their delusion of moral superiority. However, there is nothing moral about endangering the lives of women, and there is nothing superior about being unable to feel empathy and compassion for them. Unfortunately, the religious right movement often uses this powerful dangling carrot to keep their followers voting for the interests of the rich while feeling like good Christians, despite their actions saying otherwise.

It’s maddening and unfortunate that some people are willing to vote for anti-abortion laws that take away our rights. These laws will have tragic consequences, which will not only affect the individuals who are directly impacted by them but also their loved ones. As more and more abortion bans are implemented, the likelihood of these laws affecting those who supported them increases. The consequences of such laws can be avoided if people listen to women's stories, empathize with their experiences, and put themselves in their shoes. Humility and empathy are the answers to this issue, not endangering women or forcing birth.

Read Abortion is Healthcare: The Critical Need for Reproductive Choice

We don’t discuss enough how traumatizing it is to understand that the conservative men and women in our lives are ready and willing to vote to take our rights away. They are ready and willing to put our lives in danger all for the republican cause to enrich the 1%, falsely believing that it will trickle down into their 401K.

People who are supposed to love us don’t respect us enough to make decisions about our bodies and reproductive systems. We are still thought of in biblical terms, like property, like cattle. Our value is still placed on whether or not we reproduce to ensure the labor force continues to ensure their investments grow. These are not nice realities to think about, yet, for so many Americans, this is the truth of why they will vote to take women's rights away.

To quote Michael Jackson, “They don’t really care about us.”

Even worse, women who are voting to take women’s rights away seem not to care about themselves. There is a war on women and conservative women are waging it against themselves, their daughters, their granddaughters, nieces, friends, etc.

The good news is that the majority of Americans are pro-choice. The majority understand the science and have listened to the stories. The majority cares about women's rights, and that is what I shall focus on in this dark hour.

The majority in 2024.

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Happy Wednesday! This is the fifth edition of “weekly sinopsis” where I highlight last week’s news, politics, and anything I find interesting to share with you.

Read

Arizona Supreme Court rules a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable

'Unforgivable': World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres accuses Israel of committing 'war against humanity'

Solar eclipse myths and rumors bubble up, from radiation to food poisoning

The Vatican says surrogacy and gender theory are 'grave threats' to human dignity

Millennials and Gen Z's trendy new splurge: groceries

Watch

The video below is an absolute must-see about the corruption of the baby formula industry. Call me crazy but if they’re going to force women to give birth, perhaps the resources that women need for their babies’ survival shouldn’t be for-profit products.

The excellent video below discusses why the media centered Caitlin Clark and Iowa instead of the champions of the NCAA Women’s Tournament, the South Carolina Gamecocks coached by Dawn Staley. Interesting food for thought:

If you’re looking for a bingeworthy TV series, I just finished “Apples Never Fall” on Peacock and I highly recommend it. Usually I can figure out what is going on well before the twists and turns. This series had me stumped until the end.

…And now for some Good News

UN rights body adopts first resolution to protect rights of intersex people

RELEASE: Brazil and Colombia See Dramatic Reductions in Forest Loss, But New Fronts Keep Tropical Rates High

1 in 3 Americans say they’ve reduced how much plastic they’re using

Coastal Restoration: Recycled Shells and Millions of Larvae — A Recipe for Renewed Oyster Reefs

New EPA rule says 218 US chemical plants must reduce toxic emissions that are likely to cause cancer

Have a great week everyone!

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I no longer require confirmation to validate my departure from evangelical Christianity. Nor have I ever needed a justification for my reluctance to support conservative politics. But, the final blows keep coming, each one revealing this belief system for exactly what it is: a dying ideology that has no place in a just, equal, and compassionate future.

It is clear that in conservative Christianity, only some people matter. Only some people are worthy of life. We hear grand speeches about saving the unborn by the same people making the most evil statements about Gaza.

During an interview on The Ingraham Angle, Ohio's Republican Representative Max Miller said “We’re going to turn that into a parking lot,”  referring to Gaza, while criticizing and mocking Democrat Representative Rashida Talib’s Palestinian flag outside her office.

During a speech on the House floor, Florida's Republican Representative Brian Mast compared Palestinian civilians to Nazi civilians, adding “There is not this far stretch to say there are very few innocent Palestinian civilians.”

On Fox News', Hannity, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that Israel should “level the place”. “We’re in a religious war here. I am with Israel,” Graham said. “Do whatever the hell you have to do to defend yourself. Level the place.”

Last week, Michigan Republican Congressman and former Baptist pastor Tim Walberg said during a town hall in Dundee, Michigan that “We shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,” according to the recording. “It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick.”

Reading these comments should hurt our hearts. They should make us feel something heavy in our spirits. Over 33,000 innocent civilians including almost 14,000 children have already died at the hands of unspeakable violence in a neighboring land where Jesus preached the words, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” 

These aren’t comments from godly men. These comments are the rotten fruit that yields from Christian Zionism. The comments are sick and twisted nails in the coffin of an ideology that the world needs to abandon to die like a fruitless fig tree.

I condemn it. 

Waiting on the world to do the same. 

In case you missed it:

An Ex-Evangelical’s Perspective on Israel/Gaza and Christian Zionism

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For the past week, I have been learning about the Israeli/Palestine conflict. I feel inadequate to speak on this incredibly complicated topic. However, I do feel a responsibility to offer my perspective as an ex-evangelical American raised in Christian Zionism.

What is Christian Zionism?

Christian Zionism is a belief held by some Christians that supports the establishment and preservation of a Jewish homeland in Israel, primarily because of their interpretation of certain biblical prophecies.

Read more

Happy Tuesday! This is the fourth edition of “weekly sinopsis” where I highlight last week’s news, politics, and anything I find interesting to share with you.

Read

U.S. signs off on more bombs, and warplanes for Israel

Cash-strapped Trump is now selling $60 Bibles, U.S. Constitution included

Half a million California fast food workers will now earn $20 per hour

Furious millennial moms would rather make their own cereal than buy Kellogg’s after CEO’s ‘cereal for dinner’ comment spurs boycott

Religious Right Turns Holy Week Into Festival of Lies, False Persecution Propaganda

Watch

Have a laugh with this SNL Easter skit that brilliantly showcases the hypocrisy and absurdity of Trump selling Bibles.

Watch this new documentary series about our future and how we can remagine it. It’s categorized as a protopia, which is welcomed in an entertainment arena filled with dystopias. Streaming now on PBS.

"A Brief History of the Future" is a unique six-part PBS documentary series about our futures and how we can reimagine them. Hosted by renowned futurist Ari Wallach, the show invites viewers on a journey around the world that is filled with discovery, hope, and possibility about where we find ourselves today and what could come next.

…And now for some Good News

Shipping emissions tax plan backed by some 20 countries at Paris summit

In bid to protect whales, Polynesian indigenous groups give them ‘personhood’

Croatia Passes Law Making Femicide A Specific Crime

Coffee Grounds Show Potential to Clean Up Common Water Contamination from Agriculture

Human brains are growing in size, possibly lowering dementia risk

Have a great week everyone!

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I haven't been to church on Easter Sunday in over a decade. My children are unfamiliar with the religious celebration, and instead associate Easter with baskets, egg hunts, brunch, and my talk of new beginnings, springtime, gratitude, and abundance. However, not attending church on Easter Sunday feels strange, since it used to be such a significant part of my upbringing. Easter Sunday was just as important as Christmas, and it was always a busy day, not very relaxing.

I have always enjoyed my Easter Sundays in my life after church. With no pressure to dress up or meet expectations, it's a free day to celebrate with my family in any way we choose. This year, I decided to attend a secular punk-reggae concert by an amazing band called "Bumpin’ Uglies". The lead singer, Brandon Hardesty, asked the crowd if anyone had gone to church that morning, but not a single person raised their hand. Although this wasn't a crowd that would mock someone for attending church, it made me wonder about the divide between church-goers and non-churchgoers.

I understand that there are Christians who attend secular concerts and do not believe it is a sin. However, in this essay, I will be addressing the Christians who have grown up believing that secular music and concerts are sinful. I was also raised to believe this way. In the past, I would have felt guilty attending a concert like this. Though I would have gone anyway, I would have felt false guilt for no reason.

Unfortunately, people who hold the belief that secular music is demonic are missing out on a great time, a happy community, and amazing lyrics. Brandon Hardesty, the lead singer of Bumpin' Uglies, is a lyrical poet, and often the songs contain real, beautiful, and spiritual truths.

He wrote the line, “The struggle is divine.” That is a prophetic WORD.

He also wrote the line, “I might die a poor poet but I’ll live a free man.” Also, a WORD.

Or the line, “Slowly learning what the cost is of trying to monetize a soul.” PREACH.

These lyrics are profound and full of spiritual depth, and they speak directly to the human experience. Christians who believe that secular music is demonic are missing out on the power of these words. They are depriving themselves of the opportunity to be inspired by these lyrics and to grow and evolve as individuals. Art has the power to change us, and by rejecting secular music, these Christians are cutting themselves off from an important source of inspiration. The problem is that this kind of thinking leads to a separation between different groups of people.

Fundamentalist Christians are becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, and as a result, they are losing touch with reality and the truth of the human experience. This divide is hindering human progress and the evolution of consciousness, and it is keeping us from coming together as one human family.

Art is the vehicle that humanity needs to move forward and high control religion has stolen the gasoline.

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Magic is real sometimes. Not the abracadabra kind, but the little moments of mystical divinity that show up in our little world, if we stop to notice. This type of magic can be seen all the time when observing the natural world. Trees. Mushrooms. A flower blooming alone. Animals, like coral larvae, enchant us by showing us how they select their optimal environment for successful growth. Nature is always speaking and teaching, giving us spiritual messages and universal truths. 

Animals consistently show up at just the right time in our lives to move us a little further on our healing journey. Many cultures throughout history and the present day believe that animals and nature are spiritual teachers. Even Jesus thought so and consistently used animals and nature to teach his followers lessons. 

For example: 

1. The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7): In this parable, Jesus compares the Divine’s love for humanity to a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one lost sheep, emphasizing the importance of each individual and the Divine’s relentless pursuit of those who are lost.

2. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32): Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, which is one of the smallest seeds but grows into a large tree where birds can perch in its branches. This illustrates how something seemingly insignificant can have a significant impact and how the kingdom of the Divine welcomes and shelters all.

3. The Parable of the Birds of the Air and the Lilies of the Field (Matthew 6:25-34): Jesus teaches about trust in the Divine’s provision by pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, which do not worry about their food or clothing, yet are cared for by the Divine. He encourages his followers to seek first the kingdom of the Divine and trust in the Divine's provision.

Recently, coral reef larvae crossed my path at just the right time to teach me a spiritual lesson. Maybe this lesson is for you, too. 

Imagine a vibrant coral reef, colorful and thriving in an underwater symphony. These reefs, much like healthy human communities, pulsate with energy and vitality, nurturing life and growth. However, just as coral reefs can become degraded and unhealthy, human communities can also. Both can lose their ability to nourish life and become environments where thriving is impossible. Yet, both humans and coral reef larvae need communities for survival. Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have recently made an intriguing discovery that reveals a surprising similarity between coral larvae and our human desire for connection. This discovery may also aid in our understanding of how to identify a healthy community.

What can we learn from coral larvae?

How do we find a healthy community? 

A problem that is affecting more and more of us on the healing journey, is finding a positive community. We know the consequences of being part of an unhealthy community, we’ve been there, and done that. We cannot afford to risk our progress or repeat toxic dramas by going back to such places. 

So, we don’t. We stay at home, fearful and hesitant in forming new connections. Yet, finding a positive community might be the next step in our healing process, since experts agree that humans need community.

This is especially hard for those of us who have left religion. Our foundational community failed us and hurt us. We are traumatized and are on lifelong travels unraveling the twisted knots of indoctrination hard-wired in our brains. To make matters worse, our trauma might attract us to other harmful communities after we leave the church, doubling or tripling our resistance to join another one.

When dysfunction is normal to you, more dysfunction you’ll attract. 

This is exactly what happened to me before finding the deconstruction community. I left the church and joined the bar. As it turns out, they have a lot of similarities.

I tried to fit in and establish roots in both the church and the bar. Fortunately, I was unsuccessful in both endeavors. I noticed the same harmful patterns and characteristics in the bar as in the church. I realized that the community was unsafe, and I knew that eventually, I would have to leave it, just like I left the church. Despite my predictive pattern recognition causing me to keep walls up, I still got hurt, and it was a heart-wrenching experience to walk away.

It can be difficult to leave a community, even if it is unhealthy. Not everyone in that community is unsafe. I had to say goodbye to people I loved in both communities, but ultimately I knew it was time for me to move on. I wasn't thriving. 

I believe our bodies know before our mind does if we are in an unhealthy community, job, friendship, or relationship. We can feel when our survival is threatened well before we can accept it and walk away. Too many factors rooted in ego confuse us. We want to be accepted, well-liked, and feel like we belong. In the church, there are eternal consequences in leaving, which makes it even more difficult to leave. If we decide to leave a job, there are financial consequences. Those are powerful motivators that might override our instincts about a friendship, job, relationship, and/or community.

For example, as a little girl in church, I found many hymns to be scary. Whether it was the tune or the words, something about them made me feel very uncomfortable. My body rejected the sounds. When I shared my feelings with others, they didn't understand. I didn’t either, I simply knew that these songs freaked me out.

Looking back, I realize that my body was responding to the dark undertones of indoctrination present in the music. This is the same reason why hearing children reciting the pledge of allegiance at school gives me the creeps; it feels like a form of brainwashing. The lyrics of these hymns were also a factor in my discomfort. They revealed self-loathing beliefs and dark subjects rooted in a so-called "holy truth" without evidence.

I also witnessed gossip, learned racist rhetoric such as “the curse of Ham” and heard a targeted campaign against LBGTQ people. All of which let me know that love was conditional there and this place wasn’t safe. I learned very quickly to be something other than me. It's not surprising that I never wanted to go on Sunday morning.

My body knew it wasn’t a place where I could establish roots. How could anyone thrive among gossip, racist rhetoric, and bigotry? How could I blossom in an environment where I had to be something else? How would I possibly thrive by shutting down my authentic self? 

I felt the same way at the bar. I had to be something different. Every day I tried to figure out what it was I was supposed to be to fit in. This was difficult to figure out because it seemed like nobody there liked anyone else there. The gossip flowed like melting glaciers but so did the niceties and every day another friend backstabbing their bestie. And I heard it all. Sometimes I’d join in on the gossip, it becomes contagious and addicting. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the bar community was unsafe and I didn’t like who I was becoming there. I knew I had to leave. I knew I couldn’t establish roots. I knew I wasn’t thriving, I was merely surviving. 

So, back to the original questions: 

What can we learn from coral larvae?

How do we find a healthy community? 

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently discovered that coral larvae are attracted to the sounds of a healthy, thriving reef, and that is how they decide where to settle and grow. New research conducted in the US Virgin Islands found that broadcasting underwater sounds of a healthy reef near a degraded reef, resulted in coral larvae settling up to 7 times more often in areas with the enriched sound environment! This exciting research may hold the key to saving our reefs. And maybe it holds the key for humans in finding a healthy community.

The Lesson

The coral larvae choose to settle and grow in a healthy, thriving reef. This research is tricking it by using the sounds of a healthy reef, yet, the lesson remains true. The larvae choose to settle in a healthy community and do not choose a degraded community. It knows it will not thrive in the degraded community.

We know as well. We know where we will thrive and where we won’t thrive. Follow your instincts. Remain observant. Listen to the sounds and how your body reacts to them. Find communities rooted in kindness, not only to others but to self too. If a community is full of people being unkind to their bodies, that is an unhealthy place. If a community is full of people tearing others down, don’t settle there, you won’t grow. Pay attention to your nervous system and how you feel while spending time in the community. Discover the coping mechanisms of the community, are they toxic?

Your body knows. It will lead you away from degraded environments and will guide you to thriving human reefs. 

Are you able to thrive in your current environment? Is it safe to establish roots?

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Happy Tuesday! This is the third edition of “weekly sinopsis” where I highlight last week’s news, politics, and anything I find interesting to share with you.

Read

The first human to receive Elon Musk’s Neuralink computer chip in his brain can move a mouse using only his thoughts.

U.S. hits new low in World Happiness Report

Israel cancels Washington visit after US allows UN Gaza ceasefire resolution to pass

Drake Bell Says Nickelodeon’s Response to ‘Quiet on Set’ Is ‘Pretty Empty’: ‘They Still Show Our Shows’ While ‘I Have to Pay for My Own Therapy’

We have the power to end Christian nationalism’s hold on the United States. Just ask France.

Watch

The documentary exposing the dark side of children’s television, specifically Nickelodeon, is tough to watch. It is a must see however, because it speaks truth to power. Child predators/abusers are everywhere that children are. As much as we’d like the world to be different, it’s not, and we need to be way more cautious in every industry where children are present.

Available on HBO MAX

In the video below, Lance Wallnau, a famous Christian nationalist who popularized the “seven mountain mandate” says the left is loaded with demons:

Unfortunately these people are very serious and this rhetoric is dangerous. We cannot allow Christian nationalism to gain power in this country. Currently, Lance Wallnau is on a tour in the United States called “the Courage Tour” where he is campaigning at churches for Trump (which is illegal, but they don’t care, their god gives them the right).

…And now for some Good News

9 Out Of 10 Americans Support Psilocybin For Therapeutic Use

California tribe becomes the first to manage land with National Park Service

The E.U. Has Passed the World’s First Comprehensive AI Law

AstraZeneca will cap inhaler costs at $35 per month

Have a great week everyone!

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Happy Tuesday Everyone! This is the second edition of Weekly Sinopsis where I recap the previous week and share cool content that I think is important and that you would enjoy.

~ Kimberly

Read

Check out these hilarious cartoons regarding the TikTok ban:

Editorial cartoons for March 17, 2024: TikTok ban, RNC shakeup, Biden’s health

Banning TikTok would be both ineffective and harmful

The Kate Middleton Photo Scandal Is an Important Warning for Anyone Who Uses Social Media, Experts Insist

Abortion Funds at Olivia Rodrigo Concerts No Longer Allowed to Distribute Contraceptives: ‘Sexual Health Tools’ Are Seen as ‘Promiscuous’

Abortion rights groups have noted they will still hand them out on the sidewalk across the street from venues :)

Watch

“One Love” is an inspiring film about Bob Marley and his fight to liberate his country from oppression. His music transcends traditional barriers and helps us all to imagine and fight for collective liberation. I enjoyed this film! I could’ve waited to stream it, yet, I went to the theatre. Put it on your list!

Defamation is also a must see:

From Youtube: Intent on shaking up the ultimate ‘sacred cow’ for Jews, Israeli director Yoav Shamir embarks on a provocative – and at times irreverent – quest to answer the question, “What is anti-Semitism today?”

Does it remain a dangerous and immediate threat? Or is it a scare tactic used by right-wing Zionists to discredit their critics?

Speaking with an array of people from across the political spectrum (including the head of the Anti-Defamation League and its fiercest critic, author Norman Finkelstein) and traveling to places like Auschwitz (alongside Israeli school kids) and Brooklyn (to explore reports of violence against Jews), Shamir discovers the realities of anti-Semitism today. His findings are shocking, enlightening and - surprisingly - often wryly funny.

Good News

A Japanese court says denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and calls for urgent change

Cancer deaths plummet in middle-aged people in the UK

Broadcasting Audio of Healthy Reef Sounds Can Spur Degraded Coral to New Life

The 2024 Solar Eclipse is almost here! April 8th!

Don’t forget your glasses!

These are $7.97 for six of them so you can share with those that don’t have them!

This was me during the last solar eclipse in 2017. I highly recommend going to the beach to watch it while listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon! One of the best times I can remember :)

Have a great week!

It’s no secret that the government wants to ban TikTok, or at the very least, take control of it. A TikTok ban has been in the works for several years using different avenues each time to try and gain legislative approval. On March 13th, the agenda to ban TikTok succeeded in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support (352-65). The latest avenue dubbed “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” now moves to the US Senate.

The Official Narrative

The official narrative that we are supposed to believe is that TikTok is a danger to Americans because Bytedance (TikTok’s Parent Company) is a Chinese company, and hypothetically could steal our data or manipulate the content. There is no evidence that China has stolen any data, nor has manipulated any content.

We are also supposed to believe that this bill does not outright ban TikTok, but pressures TikTok to divest from Bytedance. Yet, TikTok has stated they will not divest, which will result in a ban. This is simply a hostile takeover attempt and digital imperialism.

The United States government has done nothing to protect our data from being stolen on Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Instagram. Yet, TikTok is their only concern. Also, if TikTok is such a danger, why are Congress members like Jeff Jackson-NC still posting there? Why is the Biden campaign posting on TikTok?

The official narrative isn’t convincing.

What’s really behind banning TikTok?

We can follow the money, expose politicians' stock investments in Meta, and analyze politician’s corporate donors. We can also examine systems of oppression and why TikTok is a threat to them. TikTok is a powerful tool for collective/individual liberation.

Here are 6 undeniable ways that TikTok contributes to collective and

individual liberation:

1. Expression and Creativity: TikTok is a social media platform that provides individuals with an opportunity to showcase their creativity and talents without the traditional gatekeeping of mainstream media. It allows people to freely express themselves and rise in their careers, even if they lack personal connections. The freedom that comes with TikTok allows individuals to explore and celebrate their identities, cultures, and experiences.

2. Community Building and Solidarity: TikTok is a social media platform that allows individuals to connect with like-minded people around shared interests, identities, and causes. It offers a sense of belonging and solidarity to marginalized groups and provides a platform for them to amplify their voices, advocate for their rights, and mobilize for social change. TikTok has the power to bring people together from different nationalities, cultures, and religions, and promotes the idea of shared humanity, which is a threat to systems that aim to divide us.

3. Education and Awareness: TikTok is an online platform that provides a space for people to share knowledge and raise awareness on various topics such as social, political, and environmental issues. By making information and diverse perspectives accessible to everyone, TikTok can help individuals become more informed, critical thinkers, and active participants in societal debates and activism. The platform allows people to easily organize and connect with others, which can lead to the creation of movements that can spread, grow in power, and create change.

4. Representation and Visibility: TikTok provides a platform for underrepresented groups to share their stories and experiences, challenge stereotypes, and increase visibility in mainstream media. By doing so, they can counteract erasure and promote greater inclusivity, understanding, and empathy in society.

5. Financial Freedom: TikTok provides a platform for creators to monetize their content, while also empowering small businesses to make sales and create jobs. When Americans have financial freedom they are liberated from oppressive labor systems.

6. Empowerment and Self-Advocacy: TikTok is a platform that enables individuals to stand up for themselves, assert their rights, and hold institutions and authorities accountable. Whether they're addressing personal challenges, systemic injustices, or advocating for changes in policies, TikTok can be used as a tool for self-empowerment, agency, and collective action.

TikTok is a powerful social media app that has a unique ability to spread information quickly and widely. No other app comes close when it comes to how far-reaching and quickly important information can be shared. This ensures that Americans are always aware of important legislative changes that may affect us. In a democracy, an educated population is a crucial component, and TikTok helps to keep people informed, making them more engaged and active in the democratic process.

TikTok is also instrumental in the deconstruction process, which we must collectively go through if we are to achieve collective liberation.

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Hello Everyone! Welcome to the first edition of the “weekly sinopsis” which will be going out every Tuesday. It’s my curated recap of last week’s news, politics, viral videos, all things noteworthy. Other topics may include mental health, recipes you have to try, inspiring quotes, perhaps even a playlist.

Watch

If you haven’t seen Scarlett Johansson’s hilarious SNL imitating Katie Britt’s Gileadish rebuttal to Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, this is a must see! This is a classic comedy moment. Begin clip at 2:20.

Lindsay, a mutual of mine in the deconstruction community posted an amazing response to Katie Britt. Watch below:

@bhambluedotI’m sure @Katie Britt will be avoiding the internet forever, but just in case…

Tiktok failed to load.

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Read

Sex Trafficking Survivor Calls Out Katie Britt for Misrepresenting Her Story

Kellogg's faces a backlash after encouraging cash-strapped shoppers to eat cereal for dinner: 'What the hell kind of dystopian hellscape is this?'

The U.S. considers another TikTok ban. Here’s what the bill would do.

Try

There are so many junk food products that we buy from corporations like Kellogg’s, that we can make at home. We can make these products without the chemicals and without being overcharged.

We can enjoy our sweet little homemade treats knowing that we are sticking it to the man while doing so.

Homemade Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts

Homemade Cheez-Its

Homemade Eggo Waffles Recipe

Encouragement

Settlement in Florida ‘don’t say gay’ lawsuit says it’s okay to say gay

France makes abortion a constitutional right

Global Protests for a Free Palestine: Photo Essay

Food Forests Aren’t Just Nourishing. They’re Cool.

Have a great week everyone!

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