Thanks hugely for all the comments; I’ll hop back in after I’ve absorbed what just happened in the Oval Office with Trump yelling at and berating Zelensky. It’s a DARK DARK day in America.
I am promoting a two-pronged strategy of RESIST and ATTACK. We need both to overwhelm, divert and defeat the despot in office. Maybe call it Jam the Yam?
It is my suggestion or recommendation that to RESIST is fine and much needed but by itself insufficient. Besides defending we need to go on the offense and ATTACK. It may have been General George Washington who gets credit for “The best defense is a good offense.” To the extent that that guy can be jammed, diverted and overloaded and pushed back is fine and then the opposition moves in and defeats him, the sooner the better because 3 more years of this is hard to imagine. Jam the Yam was a feeble attempt for a slogan.
A common theme in a lot of Substacks that I follow. I’m Australian and thought I might be able to ignore what’s going on, but unfortunately this affects the whole world, so I read and learn and educate myself about things (including things that happened back in the 1930s as I see the similarities. So scary.) I’ve seen many good posts on 5Calls - definitely recommended.
I think we need to live our lives as fully as we can, while pulling together to oppose the wrongs.
There’s a quote on the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC, which states: “We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.”
Beth, I didn’t reply properly. I love that you are quoting, all the way from Down Under, the FDR Memorial in DC, my home for over three decades. That means a lot. Thank you.
I used to subscribe to them but the Comments section became pretty repulsive at one stage, so I dropped out. Didn’t want to sour my day. I’ll have a peek in case things have improved. Not that I need any more SubStack subscriptions. But it gets hard to cull them. So many amazing people.
So good, thanks for this, Debbie. As for me, I am focusing on my work, both my almost-published book Propaganda Girls, about 4 women who worked for the OSS who were about as subversive as it got during WW2, and my memoir in progress. Each work I hope will inspire other women to take small subversive actions against those who are wreaking havoc and deliberately undermining this country. Two favorite sayings these days: "Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive" from Hafez, and "We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails."
I am with you exactly - 73 and wondering what I can do proactively instead of sliding into a withering depression over the outrages coming from 47 and his clown car of allies. We grew up in the 1960s where there was so much cohesive energy over civil rights, women's rights and Anti-War. Don't feel the same organizing spirit. I am here, ready and waiting.
Absolutely it matters - think of the power and resources our generation (boomer) has and how we can be using them more effectively. Perhaps consider checking out Third Act (https://thirdact.org/). And I'm sure by now you've seen the great speech by Jane Fonda at the SAG awards. Here in Canada we are both terrified and angry - not the least because we see many Trump-wannabees in our midst and elections are looming for the country and several provinces (looks like the one in Ontario definitely went the way we didn't want with a win for the conservatives).
I think there is a huge role for art to play and though visual art may be what people think of first with the abject failure of much of the media to portray what is happening in a way that is commensurate with its threat it is obvious that independent writing is hugely important too. A friend here in Victoria is originally from California and is cousin of the wonderful Rebecca Solnit. My friend Jessica has been writing to each and every senator - her rationale being that this is a global crisis not just an American one (as the children of holocaust survivors she knows of what she speaks). I made a spreadsheet for her with a direct link to each senator's contact form as well as names of two cities and zipcodes within each state (the contact form will ask for that) - it is at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ISnd_n-1lYRWEA4A68daHv2UlYCbJUwS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109709193474094585812&rtpof=true&sd=true if people want to use it or make their own copy. So individual writing efforts can have power too. Showing up whenever elected officials give you the opportunity and voicing your opposition.
Today I will not buy from the big American companies (I am not a Whole Foods, Amazon, Wal-Mart etc shopper anyway) and many of us here have stopped buying American products wherever possible. I'm sure you've heard that government run liquor stores have pulled American products from their shelves. We are not interested in becoming the 51st state but I hope Americans know that when we boo the American anthem at sports events we are showing our displeasure about your government and individuals like Trump and Musk - not the average American.
Onward together. I don't have children but I believe it is our responsibility to worry less about making our ancestors proud and instead work towards making our children proud of what we did during our lives to help ensure a better future not just for them but for everyone.
Thanks Debbie - keep your chin up and to all Americans - please keep fighting.
I’m a 63-year-old writer and artist. I believe that as artists need to be telling stories that imagine a better world so the blueprint is there for the builders to make it.
We also need to be adding joy and beauty to the world. No matter what the political scene is, life goes on and people need the tools to maintain their mental health and get as much joy as possible out of our short lives.
good morning. Ah i miss wordle. I do not read or listen to the news. At 82 i am tired of shoveling the same shit of dissent, rebellion, protesting, etc. WE won a lot.. we fought a lot. we struggled, wrote songs, went to jail, signed petitions, laid on the ground, marched, and YES I WOULD HAVE walked the bridge. Yet, now I do write checks to support groups doing the fighting back but no not read the news. And Msnbc just fired every anchor or color so anyone who watches that station is a traitor .. Anyone who reads the times and WAPO a traitor. Wapo didnt support Harris, the times normalized the rapist for far too long. OH i hear you "need to know".. Well if that comforts or spurs u into action go for it. I in the meantime, will watch the birds off my porch, eat oatmeal cuz i am a good girl, and read a book about birds by Amy Tan.
Nettie, I’m reading thrillers to take my mind off this mess. Maybe not the best way to “escape,” but it works for a few hours. I saw Amy Tan’s new book but haven’t tried it yet.
As a writer from the other side of the USA, I wish I had answers to the questions you ask. Thank you for making us think and showing us the value of the precious moments.
Sue, I can't even begin to express how much all these wise comments, including yours, mean. They remind me that I'm not alone, that there are many, many [b]old women (and others!) thinking about all this and trying to make sense of it. But for right now, in March 2025, I fear there are no clear answers, or solutions. Still, there are glimmers of hope. Scroll down to Beth Schneider's comment; she has chosen one thing she feels strongly about (lawsuits against the government) and she lists a number of specific groups she's been supporting. Once she's done that, she turns to living her life.
Debbie, I really resonate with this post. I find writing challenging with the house burning down around us. I'm 72, and I think of my father and uncles who served in WWII, wondering how horrified they'd be about the direction we are heading, a direction that so many young men lost their lives to prevent during that war.
As a long-time yoga and meditation teacher, I have returned to the stories and myths of Tantric philosophy to help me stay centered. These myths are filled with gods and goddesses who live among powerful demons that wish to take over the world. Tantric literature also reminds me of the extreme paradox in which we find ourselves living and how the darkness that feels all-pervasive must be balanced through the art of living fully—the art of seeing the extraordinary in the ordinariness of daily life—or we'll go mad. It's like walking your grandson to school and delighting in his 8-year-old view of the world. Those moments accumulate and ground us just as we call our representatives, volunteer at a food bank, and write what it means to age in a still youth-crazed world that's ignoring the fire that will one day consume them, too. If you're interested, I wrote about this in my last post, The Dark Night of the Soul.
Paulette, thanks for these supportive thoughts. I confess I am not at all familiar with Tantric philosophy, so I promise to take a look at your stack to try and learn more.
I have decided to support organizations that are involved in lawsuits against the government - ACLU, Democracy Forward, HIAS, Legal Defense Fund. I sign Common Cause petitions I am so overwhelmed with ACT BLUE requests from senators governors, etc that it is driving me crazy. My current thinking, as a 73-year-old - is not support anyone over except maybe Bernie and Elizabeth Warren. They have had their time and we need younger leaders who are invested in the future.
Living in Texas, with Cruz and Cornyn and having been redistricted into a heavily red congressional district (Rep Wesley Hunt), I send emails and make calls but don't think it matters much here. The Texas chapter of the Religious Action Center (Reform Judaism) is involved with many coalitions in Texas to support progressive - or just not radically right legislation - in the Texas House and Senate. I have written postcard to encourage voting every two years.
My consolation in these days is spending time with family and friends, especially my granddaughter, walking outside and appreciating nature, leading museum tours for 3rd and 4th graders - the best thing I do - and immersing myself in books, movies, music and art.
Beth, thanks for all your specifics - very interesting and helpful. My small dilemma is splitting our time between Maine and CT; doing something “locally” is harder to figure out. But now that I say that, I guess my heart lies with Maine!
Debbie, as an old woman (78) and a fellow creative I feel a deep kinship to what you just wrote. I too am painfully addicted to the news these days. An almost animal like being on alert. To answer some of your questions. I’m old but not too old to participate in society, I have time. Where most younger people don’t. Like you do with your grandson, I pitch in where I can without losing track of caring for this aging body, keeping it strong, avoiding being a burden to others/family. I share my insights on living life well. That’s the task of the older person as I see it. I hope you read some of my substacks and get inspired.
Dami, I checked out your stack and I like it very much! This is from one of your recent posts and it hit me hard: “We may live in a free country but we can no longer be sure of what is true.” Thank you.
I also feel the compulsion to stay informed as citizen and former newspaper reporter. I read many of the excellent political Substack voices you mention here. And while I have recently made a permanent move to Spain (decided long before the return of 47), for personal reasons (my daughters live in Spain & France, I am very much feeling the pain, worry, rage that so many Americans back home are feeling. Of course I am at a blissful remove, and am grateful for my ability to make a life here through my second EU citizenship. But I still have a voice, and a heart that cares deeply, and will do what I can from afar. We elders and b(old) women must raise our voices. Thank you for doing that Debbie.
thank you Amy for these lovely and uplifting words! what a week it has been here in the U.S. I believe that a "Democracy movement" by the people is slowly growing...
I'm feeling the same. I watch the news at night. And since you posted this it's gotten so bad it's unfathomable. What can I do? The scary thing is I don't know what anyone can do. That's what seems to be emerging as the reality of the situation. We're watching a House of Cards tumble.
Nancy, I can’t get over the coincidence: I posted this “what matters to write about” riff the same day that Trump sullied the Oval Office by baiting and yelling at Zelensky. So the question becomes how to contain and understand my disgust, whilst continuing to explore [b]old age. I need a little time to think about that!
Thank you for this! I have shunned the news but am slowly getting back to it, although I find it kind of ruins my day. Wordle definitely helps (especially when I get it!) as do other pursuits like adult coloring books, which allow me to empty my mind for a bit. I do appreciate your take on things and your suggestions on how to let our voices be heard. Sometimes it feels so hopeless, but I am happy there are others who feel the same way. Perhaps together, we can make a difference.
Sheryl, that's my hope; your words capture it: "together, we can make a difference." As to how exactly, that's to be figured out... by Americans who fervently believe in what have historically been America's values.
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb1d7636-a0e5-44ef-846d-a6df558eff16_1280x1280.png)
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/e_trim:10:white/e_trim:10:transparent/h_72,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb939748d-5d80-4d0f-867c-2ed252ac633c_1344x256.png)
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_36,h_36,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdb1d7636-a0e5-44ef-846d-a6df558eff16_1280x1280.png)
Thanks hugely for all the comments; I’ll hop back in after I’ve absorbed what just happened in the Oval Office with Trump yelling at and berating Zelensky. It’s a DARK DARK day in America.
I am promoting a two-pronged strategy of RESIST and ATTACK. We need both to overwhelm, divert and defeat the despot in office. Maybe call it Jam the Yam?
Gary, when you have more details, please tell us. (Not sure about your name for it - ?!)
It is my suggestion or recommendation that to RESIST is fine and much needed but by itself insufficient. Besides defending we need to go on the offense and ATTACK. It may have been General George Washington who gets credit for “The best defense is a good offense.” To the extent that that guy can be jammed, diverted and overloaded and pushed back is fine and then the opposition moves in and defeats him, the sooner the better because 3 more years of this is hard to imagine. Jam the Yam was a feeble attempt for a slogan.
What Tom Friedman wrote shortly after the shocking scene in the Oval Office really resonated: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/opinion/trump-zelensky.html
A common theme in a lot of Substacks that I follow. I’m Australian and thought I might be able to ignore what’s going on, but unfortunately this affects the whole world, so I read and learn and educate myself about things (including things that happened back in the 1930s as I see the similarities. So scary.) I’ve seen many good posts on 5Calls - definitely recommended.
I think we need to live our lives as fully as we can, while pulling together to oppose the wrongs.
There’s a quote on the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC, which states: “We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.”
Wishing you all the best dear Americans.
Beth, I didn’t reply properly. I love that you are quoting, all the way from Down Under, the FDR Memorial in DC, my home for over three decades. That means a lot. Thank you.
I’d recommend The Free Press on Substack. It’s the most unbiased reporting I’ve found here.
I used to subscribe to them but the Comments section became pretty repulsive at one stage, so I dropped out. Didn’t want to sour my day. I’ll have a peek in case things have improved. Not that I need any more SubStack subscriptions. But it gets hard to cull them. So many amazing people.
I’ve found any unbiased news source will piss off the far right and far left. Some comments are nasty but others are useful.
So good, thanks for this, Debbie. As for me, I am focusing on my work, both my almost-published book Propaganda Girls, about 4 women who worked for the OSS who were about as subversive as it got during WW2, and my memoir in progress. Each work I hope will inspire other women to take small subversive actions against those who are wreaking havoc and deliberately undermining this country. Two favorite sayings these days: "Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive" from Hafez, and "We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails."
Lisa, I agree that "small subversive actions" are a good idea. I'll be looking for those which will have some impact.
I am with you exactly - 73 and wondering what I can do proactively instead of sliding into a withering depression over the outrages coming from 47 and his clown car of allies. We grew up in the 1960s where there was so much cohesive energy over civil rights, women's rights and Anti-War. Don't feel the same organizing spirit. I am here, ready and waiting.
Liza, you put it perfectly: "cohesive energy." Let's stay alert; we're only five weeks in and I suspect it's building.
Absolutely it matters - think of the power and resources our generation (boomer) has and how we can be using them more effectively. Perhaps consider checking out Third Act (https://thirdact.org/). And I'm sure by now you've seen the great speech by Jane Fonda at the SAG awards. Here in Canada we are both terrified and angry - not the least because we see many Trump-wannabees in our midst and elections are looming for the country and several provinces (looks like the one in Ontario definitely went the way we didn't want with a win for the conservatives).
I think there is a huge role for art to play and though visual art may be what people think of first with the abject failure of much of the media to portray what is happening in a way that is commensurate with its threat it is obvious that independent writing is hugely important too. A friend here in Victoria is originally from California and is cousin of the wonderful Rebecca Solnit. My friend Jessica has been writing to each and every senator - her rationale being that this is a global crisis not just an American one (as the children of holocaust survivors she knows of what she speaks). I made a spreadsheet for her with a direct link to each senator's contact form as well as names of two cities and zipcodes within each state (the contact form will ask for that) - it is at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ISnd_n-1lYRWEA4A68daHv2UlYCbJUwS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109709193474094585812&rtpof=true&sd=true if people want to use it or make their own copy. So individual writing efforts can have power too. Showing up whenever elected officials give you the opportunity and voicing your opposition.
Today I will not buy from the big American companies (I am not a Whole Foods, Amazon, Wal-Mart etc shopper anyway) and many of us here have stopped buying American products wherever possible. I'm sure you've heard that government run liquor stores have pulled American products from their shelves. We are not interested in becoming the 51st state but I hope Americans know that when we boo the American anthem at sports events we are showing our displeasure about your government and individuals like Trump and Musk - not the average American.
Onward together. I don't have children but I believe it is our responsibility to worry less about making our ancestors proud and instead work towards making our children proud of what we did during our lives to help ensure a better future not just for them but for everyone.
Thanks Debbie - keep your chin up and to all Americans - please keep fighting.
PS. Do you follow Timothy Snyder? Great Substack and excellent books.
I’m a 63-year-old writer and artist. I believe that as artists need to be telling stories that imagine a better world so the blueprint is there for the builders to make it.
We also need to be adding joy and beauty to the world. No matter what the political scene is, life goes on and people need the tools to maintain their mental health and get as much joy as possible out of our short lives.
Donna, I like your bundling of "mental health" and "joy;" yes, so important in this uncertain time.
So many mental health issues cycle around sadness, depression, anxiety and non-joyous emotions!
good morning. Ah i miss wordle. I do not read or listen to the news. At 82 i am tired of shoveling the same shit of dissent, rebellion, protesting, etc. WE won a lot.. we fought a lot. we struggled, wrote songs, went to jail, signed petitions, laid on the ground, marched, and YES I WOULD HAVE walked the bridge. Yet, now I do write checks to support groups doing the fighting back but no not read the news. And Msnbc just fired every anchor or color so anyone who watches that station is a traitor .. Anyone who reads the times and WAPO a traitor. Wapo didnt support Harris, the times normalized the rapist for far too long. OH i hear you "need to know".. Well if that comforts or spurs u into action go for it. I in the meantime, will watch the birds off my porch, eat oatmeal cuz i am a good girl, and read a book about birds by Amy Tan.
Nettie, I’m reading thrillers to take my mind off this mess. Maybe not the best way to “escape,” but it works for a few hours. I saw Amy Tan’s new book but haven’t tried it yet.
i am not watching news.. that helps.. but not standing idly by.. mysteries are the best.
I agree about MSNBC and WaPo. But the resistance, at least for now, is on Substack. Lots of non-traitorous reading to do there.
Debbie, I love your position and reading today's substack. What is 47? I am Canadian and I am an online creator of the same age.
ha ha, 47 is shorthand for our current 47th President (I can't stand typing his name!)
I feel your pain!
As a writer from the other side of the USA, I wish I had answers to the questions you ask. Thank you for making us think and showing us the value of the precious moments.
Sue, I can't even begin to express how much all these wise comments, including yours, mean. They remind me that I'm not alone, that there are many, many [b]old women (and others!) thinking about all this and trying to make sense of it. But for right now, in March 2025, I fear there are no clear answers, or solutions. Still, there are glimmers of hope. Scroll down to Beth Schneider's comment; she has chosen one thing she feels strongly about (lawsuits against the government) and she lists a number of specific groups she's been supporting. Once she's done that, she turns to living her life.
Debbie, I really resonate with this post. I find writing challenging with the house burning down around us. I'm 72, and I think of my father and uncles who served in WWII, wondering how horrified they'd be about the direction we are heading, a direction that so many young men lost their lives to prevent during that war.
As a long-time yoga and meditation teacher, I have returned to the stories and myths of Tantric philosophy to help me stay centered. These myths are filled with gods and goddesses who live among powerful demons that wish to take over the world. Tantric literature also reminds me of the extreme paradox in which we find ourselves living and how the darkness that feels all-pervasive must be balanced through the art of living fully—the art of seeing the extraordinary in the ordinariness of daily life—or we'll go mad. It's like walking your grandson to school and delighting in his 8-year-old view of the world. Those moments accumulate and ground us just as we call our representatives, volunteer at a food bank, and write what it means to age in a still youth-crazed world that's ignoring the fire that will one day consume them, too. If you're interested, I wrote about this in my last post, The Dark Night of the Soul.
Paulette, thanks for these supportive thoughts. I confess I am not at all familiar with Tantric philosophy, so I promise to take a look at your stack to try and learn more.
I hope you do get a moment to take a look. That would be lovely. Thank you.
I have decided to support organizations that are involved in lawsuits against the government - ACLU, Democracy Forward, HIAS, Legal Defense Fund. I sign Common Cause petitions I am so overwhelmed with ACT BLUE requests from senators governors, etc that it is driving me crazy. My current thinking, as a 73-year-old - is not support anyone over except maybe Bernie and Elizabeth Warren. They have had their time and we need younger leaders who are invested in the future.
Living in Texas, with Cruz and Cornyn and having been redistricted into a heavily red congressional district (Rep Wesley Hunt), I send emails and make calls but don't think it matters much here. The Texas chapter of the Religious Action Center (Reform Judaism) is involved with many coalitions in Texas to support progressive - or just not radically right legislation - in the Texas House and Senate. I have written postcard to encourage voting every two years.
My consolation in these days is spending time with family and friends, especially my granddaughter, walking outside and appreciating nature, leading museum tours for 3rd and 4th graders - the best thing I do - and immersing myself in books, movies, music and art.
Beth, thanks for all your specifics - very interesting and helpful. My small dilemma is splitting our time between Maine and CT; doing something “locally” is harder to figure out. But now that I say that, I guess my heart lies with Maine!
Debbie, as an old woman (78) and a fellow creative I feel a deep kinship to what you just wrote. I too am painfully addicted to the news these days. An almost animal like being on alert. To answer some of your questions. I’m old but not too old to participate in society, I have time. Where most younger people don’t. Like you do with your grandson, I pitch in where I can without losing track of caring for this aging body, keeping it strong, avoiding being a burden to others/family. I share my insights on living life well. That’s the task of the older person as I see it. I hope you read some of my substacks and get inspired.
Dami, I checked out your stack and I like it very much! This is from one of your recent posts and it hit me hard: “We may live in a free country but we can no longer be sure of what is true.” Thank you.
I also feel the compulsion to stay informed as citizen and former newspaper reporter. I read many of the excellent political Substack voices you mention here. And while I have recently made a permanent move to Spain (decided long before the return of 47), for personal reasons (my daughters live in Spain & France, I am very much feeling the pain, worry, rage that so many Americans back home are feeling. Of course I am at a blissful remove, and am grateful for my ability to make a life here through my second EU citizenship. But I still have a voice, and a heart that cares deeply, and will do what I can from afar. We elders and b(old) women must raise our voices. Thank you for doing that Debbie.
thank you Amy for these lovely and uplifting words! what a week it has been here in the U.S. I believe that a "Democracy movement" by the people is slowly growing...
I'm feeling the same. I watch the news at night. And since you posted this it's gotten so bad it's unfathomable. What can I do? The scary thing is I don't know what anyone can do. That's what seems to be emerging as the reality of the situation. We're watching a House of Cards tumble.
Nancy, I can’t get over the coincidence: I posted this “what matters to write about” riff the same day that Trump sullied the Oval Office by baiting and yelling at Zelensky. So the question becomes how to contain and understand my disgust, whilst continuing to explore [b]old age. I need a little time to think about that!
Thank you for this! I have shunned the news but am slowly getting back to it, although I find it kind of ruins my day. Wordle definitely helps (especially when I get it!) as do other pursuits like adult coloring books, which allow me to empty my mind for a bit. I do appreciate your take on things and your suggestions on how to let our voices be heard. Sometimes it feels so hopeless, but I am happy there are others who feel the same way. Perhaps together, we can make a difference.
Sheryl, that's my hope; your words capture it: "together, we can make a difference." As to how exactly, that's to be figured out... by Americans who fervently believe in what have historically been America's values.