Hm. I’m looking forward to seeing what the action plan points to: withdrawal; stealthier and more effective activism; some combination of both; or something else.
I read about this and it’s was dismissed, the couple were going on vacation and it was okay for them to fly, reached their designation. I believe it was Puerto Rico and their luggage didn’t arrive.
Joan, thank you for your comment on this...and I think I see what’s happening.
You’re thinking of a different incident that circulated earlier... involving a couple who were briefly questioned while traveling...were ultimately allowed to fly...reached their destination (Puerto Rico)...and later reported issues with their luggage.
That story was resolved without detention and didn’t involve subpoenas...account data...or follow-up investigation.
The case discussed here is separate and materially different.
This one involves:
*A private citizen sending an email to a DHS attorney
*DHS issuing an administrative subpoena to Google tied to that email
*And federal investigators later visiting the person’s home
No travel disruption.
No airport questioning.
No quick dismissal.
It’s understandable to conflate them...because multiple stories are circulating at once... and they all share a surface theme of “government contact.”
But...the underlying mechanisms...and the implications...are very different.
I appreciate you raising it. Sorting similar-sounding stories apart...is part of staying oriented...especially when the information environment is crowded and fast-moving.
I often sign my name to emails I get protesting something. Every time I do I wonder if all this data will be collected and used against us. (Name, address, email, zip code, etc.) I never givey phone # but it would be easy to find. In the past this would never have crossed my mind. Oh well, I do it anyway. I'm nobody. An 80 yo female Democrat.
Ramona, you’re not wrong to notice the shift. What’s changed isn’t that data can be collected...it always could be...but that people are now being made to feel watched for ordinary civic behavior.
A few grounding points that may help:
Signing issue-based emails has long been routine noise in the system; volume matters far more than individuals...and restraint (like not adding unnecessary info) is already a form of good judgment...not fear.
Most important:
Continuing to act without spiraling is exactly how people avoid being pushed out of participation. Calm...boring...consistent engagement has always been harder to misuse than silence.
You’re doing what citizens have always done...just with clearer eyes now.
By the way, knowing that you are 80...and still rolling like this...is very...and I mean very...inspiring!
I'm a fourth generation Democrat.y great grandfather was in the House, my grandfather was a district judge over five counties, his son, my uncle was the district attorney, his son, my first cousin was also the district attorney. From there he went to the state House and then to the Senate. He wrote and passed all the FOIA laws in Texas as well as the anti-SLAPP law, open meetings laws, open records laws, anything to do with transparency in government. It's in my blood. All this in good ole Jim Crow East Texas. We have always supported Civil Rights and the Women's right to vote. Another cousin marched with MLK. We've always known which side of the line we stand on.
Thank you, Jack. I hadn’t seen this particular story. I’ll read it from the link you provided? You’re right, it’s chilling. I felt it run down my spine.. still do.
Would I have sent that email? I have no doubt that I would have had it occurred to me or had I been prompted to do so. I send emails and letters regularly knowing they could have consequences. Mainly, I send emails to Congresspeople, attorney generals, governors and sometimes to private companies. I’ve never sent one directly to a DHS attorney unless it came through one of the many emails and texts requesting I do so. I get approximately 150+ texts per day and more emails than I bother to count… so they have my information… name, address, email, phone number and more.
This is concerning but it won’t stop me. We can’t go silent.. can’t hide. That’s what they want and to do so would be riskier than not in my opinion.
As always, thank you for keeping us informed. There’s so much out there that it’s easy to miss even important things like this.
Thank you for providing critical insights and information on the quiet tactics being employed and the courage others have shown to resist and protect our constitutional rights.
Engaging in resistance of any kind involves risk ... observers and bystanders are assaulted with non-lethal (and lethal) weapons, protesters are subject to facial recognition and added to a database, officials are targeted for harassment and abuse, and letters to the editor can result in threats. And now this, a letter to public official resulting in a show of force. We have fallen so far and lost so much ... heaven help us!
Yes, this definitely made me see that pattern clearly. It was as if I was watching a movie, a drama, bad guys VS good ones and the good ones are on the losing end. How do we extract ourselves and our country out of this awful X-rated (for extreme violence and sexual depravity) movie that is running in real time? They are locking the doors all around us. I wish it was only Pulp Fiction. #HoldFast
I'm so sad that so many Substack posts talk about PREVENTING this from happening.
I'm an expat.
Too sick to ever reason to return to the States. I still awaken weeping in early morning hours. Like Climate Change, it's already happened.
Maybe these things are easier to see from here
.
In the years following Hitler's installation, William Shirer, author of Rise and Fall 3rd Reich, wrote that in Berlin, only the International Press Corps and the Nazis themselves, knew that Germany had already fallen.
I agree with your statements about "not panicking."
Like Jack said, if one route is blocked they just take another. Long ago, when most people in government at least pretended to have some honesty and honor, this might have been a way to get data on an actual criminal. Back then, we forgot that evil can arise and turn all the tools of investigation against the citizens 👹
Jack, as I read your newsletter and the replies, I am wondering how we can allow ourselves to simmer down instead of getting louder as the fascism multiplies over and over in our government. The fight for Democracy has been sidelined by all the distractions and pure BS our so called free press is pushing down our throats. I am tired of hearing about tantrums. I want to know where Democracy is bleeding most. It needs our immediate attention. We must continue the fight with forceful speak. It is not time to slow the march. Be careful, be peaceful but continue to challenge our government on every level, local, state and especially national. We have too much to lose!
Jack, for anyone else who ends up in similar circumstances, can there be an assurance that the ACLU will be there to provide representation or will there need to be a new group of “public defenders” on call?
I really appreciate the approach you take in your articles! Be calm, understand the underlying systemic approaches used by authoritarian agencies. You are teaching us how to effectively respond rather than panic or withdraw. Thank you!!!
Thanks Jack! I had an actual panic attack, my first ever, night before last. Not because of events triggered by the Trump regime, but because of my upcoming pause in my cancer immunotherapy treatments. It was really awful, by the time I recognized what was happening and what was the cause, I was able to climb back down the wall. I refuse to go through that ever again….. there is nothing worse than cancer, even Trump. Holdfast has a very special meaning for me. #HOLDFAST
Elizabeth, I am sorry this happened to you; both the pause in your therapy and the panic attack. I just lost my 80-yr-old twin sister to cancer. I understand exactly what you and Jack are saying here. Panic attacks rob you of your self control and joy. And I agree there is nothing worse than cancer! Prayers for you.🙏
Hm. I’m looking forward to seeing what the action plan points to: withdrawal; stealthier and more effective activism; some combination of both; or something else.
You were and are one of my favorite bands….💯👍🎶🎼🎵
I read about this and it’s was dismissed, the couple were going on vacation and it was okay for them to fly, reached their designation. I believe it was Puerto Rico and their luggage didn’t arrive.
Joan, thank you for your comment on this...and I think I see what’s happening.
You’re thinking of a different incident that circulated earlier... involving a couple who were briefly questioned while traveling...were ultimately allowed to fly...reached their destination (Puerto Rico)...and later reported issues with their luggage.
That story was resolved without detention and didn’t involve subpoenas...account data...or follow-up investigation.
The case discussed here is separate and materially different.
This one involves:
*A private citizen sending an email to a DHS attorney
*DHS issuing an administrative subpoena to Google tied to that email
*And federal investigators later visiting the person’s home
No travel disruption.
No airport questioning.
No quick dismissal.
It’s understandable to conflate them...because multiple stories are circulating at once... and they all share a surface theme of “government contact.”
But...the underlying mechanisms...and the implications...are very different.
I appreciate you raising it. Sorting similar-sounding stories apart...is part of staying oriented...especially when the information environment is crowded and fast-moving.
-Jack
I understand, thank you Jack. Wish I had the article I read to share.
I often sign my name to emails I get protesting something. Every time I do I wonder if all this data will be collected and used against us. (Name, address, email, zip code, etc.) I never givey phone # but it would be easy to find. In the past this would never have crossed my mind. Oh well, I do it anyway. I'm nobody. An 80 yo female Democrat.
Ramona, you’re not wrong to notice the shift. What’s changed isn’t that data can be collected...it always could be...but that people are now being made to feel watched for ordinary civic behavior.
A few grounding points that may help:
Signing issue-based emails has long been routine noise in the system; volume matters far more than individuals...and restraint (like not adding unnecessary info) is already a form of good judgment...not fear.
Most important:
Continuing to act without spiraling is exactly how people avoid being pushed out of participation. Calm...boring...consistent engagement has always been harder to misuse than silence.
You’re doing what citizens have always done...just with clearer eyes now.
By the way, knowing that you are 80...and still rolling like this...is very...and I mean very...inspiring!
I'm glad you're here.
-Jack
Jack, thank you
I'm a fourth generation Democrat.y great grandfather was in the House, my grandfather was a district judge over five counties, his son, my uncle was the district attorney, his son, my first cousin was also the district attorney. From there he went to the state House and then to the Senate. He wrote and passed all the FOIA laws in Texas as well as the anti-SLAPP law, open meetings laws, open records laws, anything to do with transparency in government. It's in my blood. All this in good ole Jim Crow East Texas. We have always supported Civil Rights and the Women's right to vote. Another cousin marched with MLK. We've always known which side of the line we stand on.
You're welcome, Joan. It should be in the resource list at the end of the article.
-Jack
I saw this. Yes, it’s creepy. Exactly as creepy as they want it to be.
Thank you, Jack. I hadn’t seen this particular story. I’ll read it from the link you provided? You’re right, it’s chilling. I felt it run down my spine.. still do.
Would I have sent that email? I have no doubt that I would have had it occurred to me or had I been prompted to do so. I send emails and letters regularly knowing they could have consequences. Mainly, I send emails to Congresspeople, attorney generals, governors and sometimes to private companies. I’ve never sent one directly to a DHS attorney unless it came through one of the many emails and texts requesting I do so. I get approximately 150+ texts per day and more emails than I bother to count… so they have my information… name, address, email, phone number and more.
This is concerning but it won’t stop me. We can’t go silent.. can’t hide. That’s what they want and to do so would be riskier than not in my opinion.
As always, thank you for keeping us informed. There’s so much out there that it’s easy to miss even important things like this.
#HOLDFAST
~Susan
Thank you for providing critical insights and information on the quiet tactics being employed and the courage others have shown to resist and protect our constitutional rights.
Engaging in resistance of any kind involves risk ... observers and bystanders are assaulted with non-lethal (and lethal) weapons, protesters are subject to facial recognition and added to a database, officials are targeted for harassment and abuse, and letters to the editor can result in threats. And now this, a letter to public official resulting in a show of force. We have fallen so far and lost so much ... heaven help us!
Shocking they use these subpoenas routinely. This one is especially frightening. The actions they are taking is 100% fascist.
Yes, this definitely made me see that pattern clearly. It was as if I was watching a movie, a drama, bad guys VS good ones and the good ones are on the losing end. How do we extract ourselves and our country out of this awful X-rated (for extreme violence and sexual depravity) movie that is running in real time? They are locking the doors all around us. I wish it was only Pulp Fiction. #HoldFast
I'm so sad that so many Substack posts talk about PREVENTING this from happening.
I'm an expat.
Too sick to ever reason to return to the States. I still awaken weeping in early morning hours. Like Climate Change, it's already happened.
Maybe these things are easier to see from here
.
In the years following Hitler's installation, William Shirer, author of Rise and Fall 3rd Reich, wrote that in Berlin, only the International Press Corps and the Nazis themselves, knew that Germany had already fallen.
I agree with your statements about "not panicking."
How is an administrative subpoena even legal? Any searches should be under judicial subpoena and review.
Like Jack said, if one route is blocked they just take another. Long ago, when most people in government at least pretended to have some honesty and honor, this might have been a way to get data on an actual criminal. Back then, we forgot that evil can arise and turn all the tools of investigation against the citizens 👹
Jack, as I read your newsletter and the replies, I am wondering how we can allow ourselves to simmer down instead of getting louder as the fascism multiplies over and over in our government. The fight for Democracy has been sidelined by all the distractions and pure BS our so called free press is pushing down our throats. I am tired of hearing about tantrums. I want to know where Democracy is bleeding most. It needs our immediate attention. We must continue the fight with forceful speak. It is not time to slow the march. Be careful, be peaceful but continue to challenge our government on every level, local, state and especially national. We have too much to lose!
Jack, for anyone else who ends up in similar circumstances, can there be an assurance that the ACLU will be there to provide representation or will there need to be a new group of “public defenders” on call?
I really appreciate the approach you take in your articles! Be calm, understand the underlying systemic approaches used by authoritarian agencies. You are teaching us how to effectively respond rather than panic or withdraw. Thank you!!!
Im glad you wrote about this @Jack Hopkins. I also appreciate your lead-up with orientation being key, rather than jumping to panic. Great insight.
We need a USAID for ourselves
Thanks Jack! I had an actual panic attack, my first ever, night before last. Not because of events triggered by the Trump regime, but because of my upcoming pause in my cancer immunotherapy treatments. It was really awful, by the time I recognized what was happening and what was the cause, I was able to climb back down the wall. I refuse to go through that ever again….. there is nothing worse than cancer, even Trump. Holdfast has a very special meaning for me. #HOLDFAST
Elizabeth, I am sorry this happened to you; both the pause in your therapy and the panic attack. I just lost my 80-yr-old twin sister to cancer. I understand exactly what you and Jack are saying here. Panic attacks rob you of your self control and joy. And I agree there is nothing worse than cancer! Prayers for you.🙏