[…]
Ceasefire now. Before Thanksgiving?
By Christmas or the New Year?
On MLK day or Easter? Forever?
Before old tricks find themselves out,
and genocide is seen through, this year or the next
decade, and scholars sign off on it.
Repetition won’t guarantee wisdom,
but ceasefire now
before your wisdom is an echo.
We need to differentiate
between the dead and the not-here.
We require you to restore your mind
to your heart, its earliest version,
before the world touched it.
After the massacre
who will emerge innocent?
And I, a serf riot
in maximum-security prison
online or behind fences.
Cease now. Sure, you will
have to grant more rights
and cede new ground. Sure,
revolution shall not last.
Shall not end.
Can we count on you?
In the coming election, the fate of our democracy and fundamental civil rights are on the ballot. The conservative architects of Project 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision across all levels of government if he should win.
We’ve already seen events that fill us with both dread and cautious optimism—throughout it all, The Nation has been a bulwark against misinformation and an advocate for bold, principled perspectives. Our dedicated writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.
Stories like these and the one you just read are vital at this critical juncture in our country’s history. Now more than ever, we need clear-eyed and deeply reported independent journalism to make sense of the headlines and sort fact from fiction. Donate today and join our 160-year legacy of speaking truth to power and uplifting the voices of grassroots advocates.
Throughout 2024 and what is likely the defining election of our lifetimes, we need your support to continue publishing the insightful journalism you rely on.
Thank you,
The Editors of The Nation