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Public Servant's avatar

Trump ruined our week. He fired my partner, who has been a career civil servant for decades, along with thousands of others. DEI is good for the USA, but MAGA has destroyed it: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/public-servant-democracy-defender-introduction

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Rusty (Woke/DEI Commenter)'s avatar

DEI is NOT something dirty or wrong as the MAGA crowd believe. I’m proud to be woke dammit

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Kenneth Boyle's avatar

The MAGA crowd are ignorant. As far as I can see DEI used properly is to ensure minorities with relevant qualities are given the same opportunities as everyone else, how can that be wrong!!

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ellen casteel's avatar

Because in MAGA world, you do not need any expertise.....ALL you need is to be White, Male, Cisgendered, KKKristian to be qualified. Anything outside THOSE perameters means you are unqualfied no matter how intelligent or experienced you are!!!

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Cheryl Almquist's avatar

Because they don’t care about those who need assistance

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Penguin's avatar

DEI is literally "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion". Only sociopaths with low self esteem would have a problem with that, in short, MAGAs

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Lee Johnson's avatar

Me too.

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yalondacooper's avatar

I'm so scared! The only thing I can see to do is a general strike where we pull a " sit down strike", and go to work, but not do the work, or not go at all. Stop all unnecessary spending. and UNITE! https://www.courts.michigan.gov/49b04a/siteassets/msc-learning-center/scrapbook-flintsitdownstrike1937.pdf

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Linda Rey's avatar

i feel this deeply. It all feels so hopeless and I know they want us to think that. I stay connected not only here but other substacks that have sage actionable items to voice our opinion with our elected officials. I know sometimes it works and sometimes they vote on shit and I'm like WTF are you doing.

My only hope is that our bright but pissed off angry LEGAL MINDS and judges will do right by MOST OF US out here in this country. THERE ARE MORE OF US!!!!!

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Liz Tillotson's avatar

Thank goodness for the ACLU and others.

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Linda Rey's avatar

Yes, there are more groups than I'm even aware of with legal defense, like the one that's going after him for the schedule F exec order. GOOD. he's a demon felon.

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Jan 25
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Kristi Jones's avatar

Troll

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olderwoman's avatar

At the right moment I also am for a General Strike.

However I would add something to it, and i think you are going to like this.

Remember during Covid we would go outside on our front porches or balconies at a specific time (I think for us it was around 7pm) and bang pots and pans in support of the courageous healthcare workers? (never forget how many of them died serving patients with Covid). We would bang our pots and pans + whistles add whistles also for maybe 2 minutes and then that would be that, we would be done.

One time an obvious healthcare worker (based on their clothes) pulled over and got out of the car and filmed our building with many people on their balconies banging the pots and pans in gratitude. I'll never forget her body language, without even thinking about it she put her hand over her heart as she held up her phone in the other hand to film. Her facial expression was pure awe at the site and sound we made... for her and her colleagues.

I think we need to bring back the Pots and Pans Banging, add in Whistle Blowing also, but this time in opposition to Trump. It would be an excellent protest because people could do it from home they don't have to travel and it is just 2 minutes of their time. It also breeds solidarity as you can see and hear your neighbors banging away too, so you know you are not alone in your rejection fo Trump. It also makes EXCELLENT video content.

It is simply, step out onto your front porch or your balcony at exactly 7pm and bang pots and pans and blow whistles for 2 minutes. Then do it again the next day, and the next day, and the next day.

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Charmaine Webb's avatar

Instead of banging pots and pans in Colorado, we howled. Saving our pots and pans. Good idea to do something a lot of people can participate in and show our solidarity.

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Deborah Sweet-Swick's avatar

Cowbell! lol more cowbell!

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Lynda Parkhurst's avatar

Excellent. On coronation day for 🍊💩 a friend and I wore black armbands publicly. I am thinking this may also be a good thing to do for a much longer period of time.

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Deborah Sweet-Swick's avatar

Cowbell more cowbell please! lol. Michigan Cowbell 7 PM

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Scott's avatar

Not if my 2027 like they are saying AI will have 100 percent of the jobs, not just 30. We will be beholdened to whoever ends up on top when this happens..

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Jan 25
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Brian Burton's avatar

Yes, people on the streets, every weekend. Signs that say Trump is shaming America. Very large signs calling him a misogynist, a perpetrator of sexual assaults, a felon, etc. Must be non-violent protests. Eventually Trump will go nuts (more nuts). Sadly, people will get hurt. But it will demonstrate Trump's malignancy.

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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

Not sure how you get to "full, general Civil Disobedience" when more than half of Americans voted for Trump.

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E.C.'s avatar

Half of Americans did not vote for Trump. Only 64% of voting age adults voted. Trump won by a very narrow margin. What we need here in the USA is every Democrat voter to turn out for the midterm elections. There are more voters registered as Democrats and Independents than there are republican voters. The electoral college is a big problem here.

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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

Thank you very much for the correction. I should have included the filters about voting age adults. I appreciate you taking the time to do so. And I could not agree with you more about the electoral college. I think it is THE problem!

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Brian Burton's avatar

Yet another anti-democratic gift from the slave states.

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yalondacooper's avatar

Est 4 million were purged!

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Jan 25
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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

Sure. Conspiracy theories abound! Let's see some proof.

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ellen casteel's avatar

There was a great Article today on the Tom Hartman site about how the voter suppression is what cost Kamala the win. It goes into great detail about how valid ballots were thrown out or not counted and voter role purges, etc. that helped to defeat her. PLEASE find it and read it. VERY informative. It is NOT a conspiracy theory. It happened!!

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yalondacooper's avatar

I watch that. If if quacks like a duck...

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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

I don't know who Tom Hartman is. However, if he has convincing evidence, he can take it to court or team up with someone who will. Maybe this would be a better use of Meidas time than writing the ridiculous headlines and "having coffee."

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ellen casteel's avatar

Why are you even here?? Go AWAY!!

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Jan 26
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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

So glad to hear it. I was hoping you'd go away. Nighty night!

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ellen casteel's avatar

Sorry ...Thom Hartmann ......

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Roberta Stephan's avatar

my husband & I vote in EVERY election & have for decades. My husband is a veteran! When I checked out registration status because of all the monkey shines in our state, found he was dumped off the roles!!!!! NO reason. Voting board could give NO reason. Luckily had enough time to reregister, but if I hadn't checked he wouldn't have been able to vote. Ohio is a disgrace. There's your proof. Republicans dumping people off the voting roles just because they're registered democrats.

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Jan 25
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Katrina Billings's avatar

Amazon 👎

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Mark Zegan's avatar

Remember, there are small businesses that sell thru Amazon. Don't screw them. Look at where the product is coming from.

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Jan 25
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ellen casteel's avatar

Same here. I have only ordered from Amazon once and THAT was by mistake. I pay closer attention now. I will NEVER EVER use Amazon for anything.......IF what I need or want is not available elsewhere I do without!!

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Linda Rey's avatar

I'm so sorry to hear this. It's all so horrific and mind-numbing, but we must stay vigilant and fearless. I subscribed to your substack because I am obsessed with hearing the courageous souls who understand that we're in the fight of our lives and the steps they're taking to take on the demon.

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Jan 26
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Kristi Jones's avatar

Then why be here?

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Elizabeth Stanbro's avatar

Sorry your friend got fired. Thats awful, and sooo unfair.That means we have to fight harder!!!

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Sharon C Storm's avatar

I’m so sorry, he cares only about himself, and views other people as tools to use to hurt our country. He’s like a child with an ant farm, he doesn’t really care about the ants, he uses them for his entertainment.

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Scott Bump's avatar

there might be enough time for some to go to EEOC before it's gutted? maybe not ? I should have gone directly to a civil case when the gutted front line staff and the EEOC back in June 2017 they can offer your friend a appointed attorney if funds are not good..

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Jan 25
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Scott Bump's avatar

that's likely their future likely , Amber I'm on their mailing list

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Jan 25
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Scott Bump's avatar

I see what you mean yes the DEI component maybe your friend could get the Union to help? it's clearly a violation of both federal Unions Master Agreements SEIU and the AFGE

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Scott Bump's avatar

the head of the AFGE is a nice guy, Everett Kelly he's on face book also one of the AFGE attorney's William Wetmore is on facebook hope it helps it's a real injustice and needs to be litigated my opinion

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Jan 25
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Scott Bump's avatar

Yes! Last time Trump neutralized fed unions, certain he will try that again!

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ellen casteel's avatar

And NTEU

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Susan Raquel's avatar

I have posted this before and will continue to do so to expose the this two faced billionaire for what he is:

"check this out:

I looked up Zuch and found that he and his wife have an organization called Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. They say: "There is much work ahead to strengthen our DEI strategy within CZI. This includes building a diverse workforce, creating a thriving organizational culture, driving effectiveness in our work, offering employee resource groups that build community among our staff, and fostering a safe and inclusive environment for personal and professional growth."

https://chanzuckerberg.com/dei/workplace/ 

Since I posted this I saw an article that said Zuch denounced DEI shortly before Trump's inauguration re Facebook. I also saw an article saying Trump was going to go after private organizations that promoted DEI.

I'd like to see Zuch confronted about his CZI statement and his support of Trump's DEI ban.

If Trump goes after private organizations how will Zuch handle it in regard to CZI?

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Penguin's avatar

He ruined a lot of immigrants' weeks too, some of them legitimate citizens and at least one a combat veteran. He's going to ruin a lot more. The price of produce, construction, landscaping and any number of other dirty jobs done mainly by immigrants is going to skyrocket, hurting all of us.

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Horseface's avatar

Yes, he has ruined so many weeks for so many people. I’m afraid that Meidas spouting they ruined his week is merely wishful thinking at best. No, I’m not giving up, but I’m getting tired of the inflammatory and exaggerated headlines here.

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Nancy G Leveson's avatar

What exactly is Meidas doing? I am a paid subscriber, but I would like to see more. I love Filipkowski and will stay simply for him. But bragging about showing puppies and kittens (which only kept people from seeing the horrors of the inauguration) is not helpful while fascist nominees are being approved, 14 Inspector Generals are fired, medical research is being stopped (hopefully just temporarily until they can identify and stop research on women's health, reproductive health, and vaccines), etc. At this rate, Trump and his handlers will break Hitler's 57 day record, while you are still bragging about showing puppies and kittens.

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Jill Marie's avatar

Agreed. I'm becoming more and more exasperated with the ceaseless bragging, too. It's fine to start a video or post by briefly mentioning recent good ratings or a significant increase in subscriber numbers. But this over-the-top, juvenile mania of self-congratulations needs to stop. It's very MAGAt, it's not productive and the exaggeration is so extreme it lacks the ring of truth. It's okay to briefly call attention to small "wins," but it's ridiculous to be bragging about the alleged effects of MTN on Trump’s inauguration ratings almost a week later. I'm not interested in silliness and it should go without saying that there's nothing to celebrate right now! We're in such a horrible situation that needs to be taken seriously at all times. Humor has its place, but this light-hearted trash talk about ratings from 6 days ago isn't funny, it's juvenile and it's a waste of time. We mustn't break our arms patting ourselves on the back when our country is being badly damaged in countless ways each day under this unholy alliance of government to the corporate billionaires.*

*This is the very definition of fascism, according to Mussolini himself: the marriage of the state and the corporations.

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Dik de Bruijn's avatar

I could not agree more! What is Meidas "winning"? How does that translate to bettering our lives in a tangible way? Meidas has been leading the way in inflated expectations, and I believe that's part of the reason Trump was elected. The Dems and Meidas painted a rosy picture of Trump's base leaving him for various reasons, while the things he did are exactly what his base loves him for. Until the Blues get their heads out of the aspirational and start looking at the reality, we're going to be subject to MAGA. May even be too late, thanks to Joe and his "aspirations."

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Jan 25
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Horseface's avatar

Thanks. It’s getting tiresome.

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eve whitehead's avatar

I feel sad for you all. ❤️❤️❤️

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Patricia Williamson's avatar

Was he a DEI hire? I don't know much about that but it used to be very hard to fire a civil service employee. There had to be a justification for firing. How does anyone know that a hire was DEI?

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Jill Marie's avatar

Schedule F has been reinstituted under a different name. This scheme takes 50,000+ career civil servants and purportedly turns them into political appointees. This means they're stripped of civil service job protections and can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. Trump can and surely will fire anybody thought to support Democrats plus any Republicans or independents who will not put loyalty to Trump above all else.

In other words, we're back to the spoils system. As in, "to the victor goes the spoils (of war.") The federal government will lose countless career employees, many with decades of experience in their departments and areas of expertise. Idiocracy coming soon.

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Annie Ball's avatar

I’m so sorry. Friends in public health in the same situation

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