Day 35.

Yesterday Sports Illustrated named LeBron James its Sportsperson of the Year. (Yes, person.) Here’s LeBron on the cover, wearing a safety pin on his lapel.

The safety pin has become a symbol of solidarity since the election, a stand against harassment and discrimination. It’s awesome that LeBron is putting it out there.

I wear a safety pin on my lapel too. But I am somewhat smaller than LeBron. I’ve written here before about wanting to be ready to stand up if I see someone being harassed. I’ll admit it – I’m scared that day isn’t far off.

My action for today is to sign up for Bystander Intervention Training.

I found a course that Hollaback! Is offering online! It’s an hour long and they’re offering it multiple times over the next month or so, on a sliding fee scale. Details about that and some in person classes in the NYC area can be found here.

Hope you will join me in finding a class in your area.

It’s Day 34, and when you’re right, you’re right.

Today Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is right.

He says the Senate will be launching a bipartisan investigation of suspected Russian interference in the election.

So I’m writing him a letter to let him know he’s right.

Not only that, if it’s true that “the Russians are not our friends,” as he says, then he should oppose the appointment of Rex Tillerson – CEO of ExxonMobil, recipient of the Russian Order of Friendship, with no government experience – as Secretary of State. I’ll be writing to ask him to oppose Tillerson too.

You can reach Leader McConnell here.

Day 33.

It’s sometimes hard to keep your mood up with everything that’s going on. That’s why I’m happy to find examples of resistance with style. Both of these How me a sense of hope for the days ahead. These acts say who we’re not, and they say who we are. I’m reading these today, and thinking about how to capture this spirit in my own life.

1. Read about how the Norwegians resisted the Nazis in World War II. Basically, the whole country said, we won’t sit with you.

2. Behold: the glory that is Mike Hot-Pence. Stay warm out there. We need you, man.

Day 32.

Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) thinks that scientists have not yet determined whether human activity causes climate change.

Representative Smith has asked people to go to his website and weigh in on what we think Congress’ priority should be in the coming year.

Today I’m going to his website, filling out the form, and clicking “Other”. In the blank space I’m writing, “Congress should prioritize climate change. The science is real and we deserve a habitable planet.”

Day 31.

This week the Ohio State House and Senate passed a bill criminalizing the termination of a pregnancy if there is a heartbeat visible on her ultrasound. This is usually around six weeks.

This bill is unconstitutional and if Governor Kasich signs it, he’s guaranteeing his state will have to bankroll a costly legal challenge. He’s opposed laws like this in the past, acknowledging they’re unconstitutional. Further, the bill doesn’t contain exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother.

Today I’m calling Ohio at (614) 466-3555 and commenting here.

It’s not none of my business.

Day 30. In a way I feel like we’re back where we started.

This morning I read that Trump does not  plan to divest himself of his real estate holdings. Some of the reasons this is a problem:

• Possible violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.
• Possible violation of the contract with the General Services Administration to lease the Old Post Office for his Washington, DC hotel. (Specifically clause 37.19 on page 103 in part 2, forbidding any “elected official” from “any benefit” arising from the lease.)
• The appearance of a conflict, which undermines public confidence in his decisions.

So today I’ll email the GSA at media@gsa.gov, and ask them to end the lease.

I’m feeling very frustrated to be back at the beginning again. It’s been a month. But I’m going to stay in this fight. It’s worth it to me because I can’t live with the thought of giving up.

I hope you’ll stay in too.

Day 29. Can’t escape the meaning of today. 75 years ago the Japanese military attacked to US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Events were set in motion. The United States entered World War II.

Beyond that, the US military and Executive made a terrible decision to imprison all people of Japanese origin living on the west coast of the United States, without due process of law. Most of them stayed imprisoned for the duration of the war.

Then 14 years ago, the Department of Justice under President Bush set up the National Security Entry-Exit Registry System (NSEERS). With a stated intent of preventing terrorist attacks, NSEERS included a system that registered males who entered the United States, mostly from majority-Muslim countries.

It cost us more than $10 million.

The data was unreliable.

13,000 people were deported without due process.

Not a single terrorism conviction was secured.

In 2011 the program was decommissioned, but not dismantled. Last week 51 members of Congress wrote to President Obama asking him to finish the job.

Today I’m joining them. I’m calling the White House comment line at 202-456-1111. I will ask the President to rescind the regulatory framework behind NSEERS so that it can’t be used to repeat the mistake of racial profiling we made 75 years ago.

Will you join me?

Day 28.

There have been a lot of terrible stories in the news here in the past couple of days. An officer was assaulted while out with her son; her assailant is being charged with a hate crime. 

Another woman was attacked in the subway after leaving school. She goes to the same school as my husband.

Both women wear hijabs. Both women were attacked because they are visibly Muslim.

This has to stop. This is our town and we all belong here. How can I defuse this if it happens on my next subway ride?

One possibility I’ve seen passed around:

I’ve heard about people successfully using more confrontational methods, but I usually travel alone, or with my kids. 

Here’s another very comprehensive guide to all kinds of different situations you can find yourself in. I found the section labeled “What can I do in public?” To be most helpful.

Yes I want to keep myself safe, and to keep my family safe. But I also need to be able to look myself, my children, and my fellow human beings, in the eye.

Today’s action: be prepared to speak up.