America is an oligarchy organized by the hierarchy of the white supremacist patriarchy. Pancake Brain is a (free) Friday newsletter dedicated to replacing the status quo with equitable public power, and a community dedicated to building the discipline of democracy that equity requires. We move through the world committed to a daily practice of activism and critical thinking. We reject limitations and embrace the possibilities of social imagination, certain that the queer future is better than anything we’ve yet dreamed up. We insist on our right and duty to the political conversation, and empower others to join us. Out of love for ourselves and the collective, we are engaged in a sustainable practice of freedom, endlessly un-fucking our brains.
This project is based on How to Start a Revolution, which I hope you can read or listen to here.
Happy Friday, Pancake Brains!
The past two weeks have been hell, huh? Watching the demonic sweet potato be acquitted by the Republican Senate in tandem with the electoral chaos of the Democratic primary has made for a particularly cringe-worthy chapter in our reigning democratic crisis. But it is most certainly not time to give up.
After New Hampshire voted on Tuesday, awarding a win to Bernie Sanders and fifth place to Joe Biden, party leaders turned to Mike Bloomberg for answers. I wrote a piece on his candidacy, in which I consider questions like, “Do we really want to elect another racist oligarch in 2020?” and “Are establishment Democrats even pretending to believe in anything anymore?” You can read that here.
I’ve been especially frustrated to see coverage of Elizabeth Warren supposedly “receding” in a race that Bloomberg has not even been made to compete in yet. This thing is just getting started. I hope you are all making a regular commitment to the candidate who most excites you. But if you start to felt burnt out and/or party gatekeepers attempt to ram Bloomberg’s bank account down our throats, then it’s time to shift your focus. Down-ballot races are going to be critical in 2020. Are your Senate seats up for re-election? What local campaigns can you get involved in? Is there a position you can run for yourself?
I’m committed to voting for whoever the Democratic nominee is, but if that person doesn’t excite you, there are other ways to make you continued commitment to a discipline of democracy. Throughout the rest of the year, I’d urge you to set a goal on a monthly basis. Maybe it’s 15 hours. Maybe it’s just 2. Whatever is right for you, pick a number, and stick to it. You can hit your goal by volunteering for your candidate, attending local town halls, joining a protest or maybe organizing your own. The list goes on, and, indeed, this is the part where I suggest reading “How to Start a Revolution,” if you haven’t already. (If you have, I’d very much appreciate it, if you could spread the word and/or leave me a cute Amazon review — yeah, I know, gag me, Jeff Bezos.)
Keep on keepin’ on, my friends.
With earnest irreverence,
Lauren