For an astonishing six hours today, South Korea underwent an attempted self-coup by its unpopular president, Yoon Suk Yeol, only to see the South Korean people force him to back down as they reasserted the strength of their democracy.
Once again, as in Ukraine, we see ordinary citizens who recognize that democracy is "minding their own damn business." May we be as clear thinking and brave as they.
I wonder if Little Rocket Man has a finger in this pie? Great to see the rapid ascendancy of Bluesky. I liked the vision of the lawmakers climbing the wall to get in to vote. Reverse image of what happened at the Capitol.
I listen to the BBC as I'm falling asleep and on into the day, and that's where I heard about it all. "Bewildering" was the first word that I thought of when I heard the inttial news, and then "Inspiring" when I herd about the legislators showing up. Can we count on our legislators is the question that remains...
Given how many legislators acted prior,during,and after Jan 6th definitely you can't count on a significant number of them. On the other hand Betsy, there are heros among those on the other side, those not afraid of speaking up. It's a mixed answer.
I heard it on the BBC at 7 am, Eastern Australian Time. I wouldn't miss them - they are very quick with the latest, even if it is always bad news from wherever. I'm happy that you looked for me, Alexandra, but no - I've got as much on my hands as I can cope with at present. Middle-aged children!!
I keep thinking that it won’t be long before our personal troubles take a back seat to our national troubles, as they become personal. At least in the US.
Lordy, it’s too early, or late. Snooze time…. Hang in
Yep. This week, at its last session for the year, the Australian parliament unanimously passed a law banning access to social media for under-16s. Elon Musk sent the Prime Minister a message straight away saying that he couldn't do that to X, it amounted to blocking free speech not only in Australia but all over the world. Our PM told him to go jump, (short for "jump in the lake"). Not his actual words, but it's an appropriate expression, for someone given to leaping up and down.
I wonder what the final count was to WaPo of people cancelling after the refusal to endorse Harris. Legacy media is dying. We can use this as an opportunity to build other information systems such as Bluesky, Substack, Meidas Touch etc.
Heather made a pretty good argument in politics chat yesterday regarding NOT abandoning legacy media. I don’t have the time stamp but essentially she supports the writers there, and the cadre of attorneys who have their backs, and the $$$ to support all. She compared it with her small contribution with Buddy as her point man. Good stuff.
the weird thing is we voted in these incompetents yet both Trump Social Truth and Musk's X are not doing well commercially. did not one who voted for them see the signs this portends?
Imagine a world, Jim, where American students read books from all over the world.
Whole books. From South Korea, Iran (even the many in exile from there), South Africa, Egypt, Japan, various European countries, West Bank and Israel, and Central and South American countries, too.
Our many good teachers yet in American schools could venture these good human explorations. How many might prefer that to being harnessed always to teaching-to-the-next standardized test?
And our billionaires? What do you think they'd prefer? Good human stories in widely varying natural and cultural settings? Or more abstractions, neutered but logical categories, and all the unit-by-unit linearity which makes for yet more dutiful corporate packagers?
Phil, I appreciate what you offer generally and am jumping in now in defense of people (including myself) who are challenged to sit and read a book (for varied reasons). I agree that skills and habits of reading would be best set when children are young but I'd counterbalance that by saying that physical motion as it enhances brain function and cardio-vascular health plus reliable cues for physiological hunger for nutritious foods -- that ALL this needs revamping. Make less sedentary days for students and maybe sitting and reading will be a welcome outcome and add venues for conversations about what reading generates in people's world views too. But then, we'd need to question what happens in those buildings we call schools!
My way of life required so much active labor that I've finally merged well with Audible and I can listen to books while doing the manual labor and physical exercising I like to do that dovetails well with how I earn a living. I'm often blue-toothed to earphones or a portable speaker or my car but I still buy hardcopies of my favorite listens to write in (that I almost never sit with).
Joan and Phil, I agree with both of you. I too have become a fan of Audible or books read by actors and authors, at the fingertips of my phone. So I can "read" while walking the dogs or exercising. My consumption of books has doubled from pre-audible days.
The trend toward charter schools (public-private partnerships) where students in small classrooms are encouraged to actually read books is, in my view, not a bad one. Unlike fully private "Christian nationalist" schools, they seek out ethnic diversity and challenge preconceptions.
My late husband, some decades ago, had business in S Korea. He said it was his favorite Asian country, and had great admiration for the his friends/colleagues and the Korean people overall. During one trip, there were protest/riots over some government action: there were riot police of course. He heard noises in the middle of the night and, looking out his window, saw the police using their riot shields as “dust pans” while the protesters were using brooms to sweep up debris. In the morning, no trace of the protests. Given that incident, I’m not at all surprised at the response to a declaration of martial law. I am inspired by the example!
Heather, you wrote this with a smile on your face, I bet! I was surely grinning while reading this historic day’s recap. Bravo for the people in South Korea and for their legislators for speaking out forcefully, but doing so without violence! Our country has a lot to learn. We can do this, y’all. YES WE CAN
Unfortunately, American citizens have guns that do the talking. A coup would be a blood bath, as the small assault on the Capitol proved. Bluntly speaking, South Korea does not allow the general public to be armed, hence a bloodless coup.
sadly true. and people who supported this mad man who I broke acquaintance with all said they 'welcomed the revolution'. without any intelligence that it will be their children's blood that will be spilled.
Theres the reason why the govt wants you to keep an arsenal of guns. That is until they declare martial law..then that very same govt will take them away except for their own Gestapo
A lesson for the US ... "it illustrates that for all the claims that autocracy can react to events more quickly than democracy can, in fact autocrats are brittle. It is democracy that is determined and resilient."
Inasmuch a coup frightens people, the stalwart surge of South Koreans citizens to shut down the phoney martial law reflects how precious is a new and thriving democracy to its citizens. 🙏Perhaps we in The United States have taken our republic for granted for so long, we simply do not know how -- or why -- to fight for it any more. 😱 But fight we shall, if necessary. ✌🏽
Ned, I had the same response about the temporal exigency of defending something relatively recently achieved against the odds. They also live with a northerly shadow of extreme repression whilst the US have democracies at both poles.
Good point, K.S.C. North Korea has been aggressive; the move by Mr Yoon, however, was using the gangster régime in Pyongyang as a pretext for usurpation.
they stopped him quietly before -but now risk censure and court-martial. and he will now have control of the football again. he might even store it in a bathroom at Mira.....
You are so right. He and Putin have a plan, one wonders if Putin and the Heritage nuts will have a battle for the soul of chump…. Just kidding. Many players in this game.
I was browsing through BlueSky when Sarah Jeong started talking about what was happening. She was just amazing, and she made me smile. We CAN resist Trump’s thugs. I’m more convinced than ever.
Later today, Lawrence Tribe posted an incredible article here on Substack called “How to be Sand in the Gears of Tyranny.”
A book coming out in February - "The Flu and the Fed" - charts a history of pandemics followed by takeovers of various places since the time of the Roman Republic. It apparently takes a long time to get over all the disruption that a pandemic causes, and here we have another example. Incredible. I wonder if pandemic viruses cause brain disease in some people who are power hungry and they lose the ability to regulate their emotions. Trump would be a super example.
Trump never learned to regulate his emotions, and power corrupts. I wonder what the authors have to say about the collective amnesia that has come over us - at least those who are not still suffering with long covid. That amnesia is a sign of collective trauma. Not to mention the lingering Mass Delusion. . .
Heather, your Letters help cut through the fog of our minds. Thank you!
It has been said that Trump's handling of the Covid pandemic helped to sink his chances of re-election in 2020. First there was Trump, then Covid, and now Trump again. Can we draw any conclusions? whether consonant with or contrary to the thesis of this book.
I hope the Americans will exhibit the same strength and bravery to oppose the new dictator in our country when he pulls the trigger.
It was mentioned that members of his own party stood to oppose him. We won't see that here. Republicans will abandon our country to promote the new dictatorship. NOTE: the correct term is dictatorship - not autocracy.
Here the dictator won't call it martial law. He'll probably call it a patriotic rebirth.
They spent 4 years promoting us being at each other's throats, angry and divided, in order to advance political careers and win elections. I will never forget that. I hope history speaks their names.
Forgive me for being off topic, but I have to share what was just in the inbox (from the NYT):
California Democrat Flips Seat in the Last House Race to Be Decided
The final House race was won by Adam Gray after Representative John Duarte, the Republican incumbent, conceded in California’s 13th District. Mr. Gray’s victory means that Democrats will have 215 House seats compared with 220 for Republicans.
Well, given how close the race was, I'm just relieved that the margin went in our favor. It's time now to start thinking about the seats that we can flip back in 2026.
Congratulations South Koreans! This is such a strong moment for struggling Democracies everywhere. We needed this boost.
I ask again. Where are the Leaders of the Democratic Party? President Biden goes to Africa. VP Harris has effectively disappeared. Hakeem Jeffries is not gaining national traction. We need help here!
Once again, as in Ukraine, we see ordinary citizens who recognize that democracy is "minding their own damn business." May we be as clear thinking and brave as they.
well said!
I wonder if Little Rocket Man has a finger in this pie? Great to see the rapid ascendancy of Bluesky. I liked the vision of the lawmakers climbing the wall to get in to vote. Reverse image of what happened at the Capitol.
Are you on Bsky, Anne-Louise? Searched for you with no luck. Just got on and looking to follow any LFAA people over there!
It's how I learned about the attempted SK coup yesterday. Really fast news!
I listen to the BBC as I'm falling asleep and on into the day, and that's where I heard about it all. "Bewildering" was the first word that I thought of when I heard the inttial news, and then "Inspiring" when I herd about the legislators showing up. Can we count on our legislators is the question that remains...
I was recalling just now the sight of Josh Hawley, before, and after. His hasty retreat was hilarious.
As we used to say in the old nabe, He beat feet.
Appropriate.
It's been many years since I heard that expression: "beat feet" meant RUN!
Given how many legislators acted prior,during,and after Jan 6th definitely you can't count on a significant number of them. On the other hand Betsy, there are heros among those on the other side, those not afraid of speaking up. It's a mixed answer.
I totally agree. Republican lawmakers are spineless wimps.
And the corporate media white washes everything Trump does or says.
🇰🇷 🦋
Can we count on our citizens to rise up in mass?
Maybe not in mass, since that’s a solemn event, but surely en masse. (😙)
Thanks for the correction.
MLM, thank you. I just jumped on my Martial vs. Marshall law wagon in a previous post. I'm now picturing Marshall Law in Mass...😉
p.s. Marshall Law is a man who lives in San Francisco.
We probably did have a legislator named Marshall at some point in MA's history which would give us Marshall Law in Mass...
Another English or ESL teacher? I stopped using red pen decades ago--moved from pen to pencil--but I still make corrections in my head..
English major
I heard it on the BBC at 7 am, Eastern Australian Time. I wouldn't miss them - they are very quick with the latest, even if it is always bad news from wherever. I'm happy that you looked for me, Alexandra, but no - I've got as much on my hands as I can cope with at present. Middle-aged children!!
Never gets easier, does it. Lulls come
I hope I can puncture the current crisis before "Happy Christmas".
I keep thinking that it won’t be long before our personal troubles take a back seat to our national troubles, as they become personal. At least in the US.
Lordy, it’s too early, or late. Snooze time…. Hang in
Yep. This week, at its last session for the year, the Australian parliament unanimously passed a law banning access to social media for under-16s. Elon Musk sent the Prime Minister a message straight away saying that he couldn't do that to X, it amounted to blocking free speech not only in Australia but all over the world. Our PM told him to go jump, (short for "jump in the lake"). Not his actual words, but it's an appropriate expression, for someone given to leaping up and down.
Go to Koreanist in Bluesky, also Sara Jeong.
I just followed you there. https://bsky.app/profile/stevebrant.bsky.social
Got you back, Steve! Route 66 forever!!!!
🎶If you ever plan to motor West ... 🎶
Bryan, I cannot find you on bsky. I'm 540ally
Just followed you Ally, I’m Kathy-r.bsky.social if you’d like to follow back.
@jdintx.bsky.social
I just followed you over there; I’m http://Kathy-r.bsky.social or Kathy Rizzoni if you’d like to follow back.
Will do, thanks
Found you!
Sanity on bsky
I've been trying to create a Bluesky account for days. The hCaptcha bit (are you a human) isn't working.
I'm sorry you're having trouble, Talia. There's been some pretty overwhelming traffic there - stampede of people fleeing Xitter.
Bluesky now at 24 million
That's good news Barbara, but can't wait for X to devolve to a few million alt-right nut cases worshiping Elon and Trump.
Maybe then the corporate media will ignore them. Not likely, but we can hope.
It's like the WAPO and The NY Times. WAPO offered me a 4 week subscription for $.99 good for a year or an annual subscription for $29.
How stupid do they think we are? So, it's $13.00 for a year if you pay every four weeks or $29.00 for annual. It's not worth it at $1 a year.
I wonder what the final count was to WaPo of people cancelling after the refusal to endorse Harris. Legacy media is dying. We can use this as an opportunity to build other information systems such as Bluesky, Substack, Meidas Touch etc.
Heather made a pretty good argument in politics chat yesterday regarding NOT abandoning legacy media. I don’t have the time stamp but essentially she supports the writers there, and the cadre of attorneys who have their backs, and the $$$ to support all. She compared it with her small contribution with Buddy as her point man. Good stuff.
the weird thing is we voted in these incompetents yet both Trump Social Truth and Musk's X are not doing well commercially. did not one who voted for them see the signs this portends?
(Insert Blade Runner joke here!)
Alexandra, I'm 540ally over there.
Go to Sara Jeong in Bluesky where you can see the videos.
Thanks, everybody - I'll do it.
Very sad contrast
I'd bet on it.
Very inspiring! I never thought in the 1980s that the U.S. could learn about defending democracy from the South Koreans, but here we are! https://youtu.be/36Qx1WIiFqs?si=3G2sX7PytSf9Ni7N
I never thought in November 5th 2024" that the US could learn about defending democracy from the South Koreans, but here we are!"
Imagine a world, Jim, where American students read books from all over the world.
Whole books. From South Korea, Iran (even the many in exile from there), South Africa, Egypt, Japan, various European countries, West Bank and Israel, and Central and South American countries, too.
Our many good teachers yet in American schools could venture these good human explorations. How many might prefer that to being harnessed always to teaching-to-the-next standardized test?
And our billionaires? What do you think they'd prefer? Good human stories in widely varying natural and cultural settings? Or more abstractions, neutered but logical categories, and all the unit-by-unit linearity which makes for yet more dutiful corporate packagers?
Phil, I appreciate what you offer generally and am jumping in now in defense of people (including myself) who are challenged to sit and read a book (for varied reasons). I agree that skills and habits of reading would be best set when children are young but I'd counterbalance that by saying that physical motion as it enhances brain function and cardio-vascular health plus reliable cues for physiological hunger for nutritious foods -- that ALL this needs revamping. Make less sedentary days for students and maybe sitting and reading will be a welcome outcome and add venues for conversations about what reading generates in people's world views too. But then, we'd need to question what happens in those buildings we call schools!
My way of life required so much active labor that I've finally merged well with Audible and I can listen to books while doing the manual labor and physical exercising I like to do that dovetails well with how I earn a living. I'm often blue-toothed to earphones or a portable speaker or my car but I still buy hardcopies of my favorite listens to write in (that I almost never sit with).
Joan and Phil, I agree with both of you. I too have become a fan of Audible or books read by actors and authors, at the fingertips of my phone. So I can "read" while walking the dogs or exercising. My consumption of books has doubled from pre-audible days.
The trend toward charter schools (public-private partnerships) where students in small classrooms are encouraged to actually read books is, in my view, not a bad one. Unlike fully private "Christian nationalist" schools, they seek out ethnic diversity and challenge preconceptions.
My late husband, some decades ago, had business in S Korea. He said it was his favorite Asian country, and had great admiration for the his friends/colleagues and the Korean people overall. During one trip, there were protest/riots over some government action: there were riot police of course. He heard noises in the middle of the night and, looking out his window, saw the police using their riot shields as “dust pans” while the protesters were using brooms to sweep up debris. In the morning, no trace of the protests. Given that incident, I’m not at all surprised at the response to a declaration of martial law. I am inspired by the example!
Heather, you wrote this with a smile on your face, I bet! I was surely grinning while reading this historic day’s recap. Bravo for the people in South Korea and for their legislators for speaking out forcefully, but doing so without violence! Our country has a lot to learn. We can do this, y’all. YES WE CAN
Unfortunately, American citizens have guns that do the talking. A coup would be a blood bath, as the small assault on the Capitol proved. Bluntly speaking, South Korea does not allow the general public to be armed, hence a bloodless coup.
Oh Maureen, you sucked away my optimism, because you’re right. The guns, the dang guns.
sadly true. and people who supported this mad man who I broke acquaintance with all said they 'welcomed the revolution'. without any intelligence that it will be their children's blood that will be spilled.
Theres the reason why the govt wants you to keep an arsenal of guns. That is until they declare martial law..then that very same govt will take them away except for their own Gestapo
Si! se pueda!
A lesson for the US ... "it illustrates that for all the claims that autocracy can react to events more quickly than democracy can, in fact autocrats are brittle. It is democracy that is determined and resilient."
Hear hear!! This bears repeating!
Learn US, or relearn
Inasmuch a coup frightens people, the stalwart surge of South Koreans citizens to shut down the phoney martial law reflects how precious is a new and thriving democracy to its citizens. 🙏Perhaps we in The United States have taken our republic for granted for so long, we simply do not know how -- or why -- to fight for it any more. 😱 But fight we shall, if necessary. ✌🏽
Ned, I had the same response about the temporal exigency of defending something relatively recently achieved against the odds. They also live with a northerly shadow of extreme repression whilst the US have democracies at both poles.
Good point, K.S.C. North Korea has been aggressive; the move by Mr Yoon, however, was using the gangster régime in Pyongyang as a pretext for usurpation.
Chump would not hesitate to use the military. I hope military brass are watching
they stopped him quietly before -but now risk censure and court-martial. and he will now have control of the football again. he might even store it in a bathroom at Mira.....
You are so right. He and Putin have a plan, one wonders if Putin and the Heritage nuts will have a battle for the soul of chump…. Just kidding. Many players in this game.
What great news for South Korea. Now, let us be inspired by their people!
Morning, Lynell. Excellent news indeed!
I was browsing through BlueSky when Sarah Jeong started talking about what was happening. She was just amazing, and she made me smile. We CAN resist Trump’s thugs. I’m more convinced than ever.
Later today, Lawrence Tribe posted an incredible article here on Substack called “How to be Sand in the Gears of Tyranny.”
They will start out by dumping the Sahara into the gears of an already stressed machine.
A book coming out in February - "The Flu and the Fed" - charts a history of pandemics followed by takeovers of various places since the time of the Roman Republic. It apparently takes a long time to get over all the disruption that a pandemic causes, and here we have another example. Incredible. I wonder if pandemic viruses cause brain disease in some people who are power hungry and they lose the ability to regulate their emotions. Trump would be a super example.
Trump never learned to regulate his emotions, and power corrupts. I wonder what the authors have to say about the collective amnesia that has come over us - at least those who are not still suffering with long covid. That amnesia is a sign of collective trauma. Not to mention the lingering Mass Delusion. . .
Heather, your Letters help cut through the fog of our minds. Thank you!
He was who he is way before the pandemic.
Oops. The Fed and the Flu, had the title backwards.
Interesting thought, I look forward to seeing their data. Authors are financial industry people, not academics, FYI. Thanks.
It has been said that Trump's handling of the Covid pandemic helped to sink his chances of re-election in 2020. First there was Trump, then Covid, and now Trump again. Can we draw any conclusions? whether consonant with or contrary to the thesis of this book.
but on a positive side it also brought on the Renaissance
Inspiration for real! Meidas Touch is already rounding up supporters to be in Washington when the time comes. Keep a back pack packed.
Wish I could go. Will in spirit
I hope the Americans will exhibit the same strength and bravery to oppose the new dictator in our country when he pulls the trigger.
It was mentioned that members of his own party stood to oppose him. We won't see that here. Republicans will abandon our country to promote the new dictatorship. NOTE: the correct term is dictatorship - not autocracy.
Here the dictator won't call it martial law. He'll probably call it a patriotic rebirth.
They spent 4 years promoting us being at each other's throats, angry and divided, in order to advance political careers and win elections. I will never forget that. I hope history speaks their names.
Let’s hope we can do as well. Thank you South Koreans. Thank you Ukrainians. Thank you to all who resist tyrants and oppression.
Thanks you Gina..👋
Forgive me for being off topic, but I have to share what was just in the inbox (from the NYT):
California Democrat Flips Seat in the Last House Race to Be Decided
The final House race was won by Adam Gray after Representative John Duarte, the Republican incumbent, conceded in California’s 13th District. Mr. Gray’s victory means that Democrats will have 215 House seats compared with 220 for Republicans.
Betsy what a shame it was the last pending result of the last election....could you imagine if we had a few more....?
Well, given how close the race was, I'm just relieved that the margin went in our favor. It's time now to start thinking about the seats that we can flip back in 2026.
Congratulations South Koreans! This is such a strong moment for struggling Democracies everywhere. We needed this boost.
I ask again. Where are the Leaders of the Democratic Party? President Biden goes to Africa. VP Harris has effectively disappeared. Hakeem Jeffries is not gaining national traction. We need help here!
And soon!!!!!
Who will lead the Dems in 2028, provided you have another election
I think they should be front and center right now. The old guard needs to go. Harris needs to decide what to do now.
We can't wait until 2028. We will be lucky if we have an election in 2026.
A great article is What is the Democratic Party? by David Dayen at The American Prospect.
Thank you. I'll read it.
Thank you for an inspiring letter tonight!
These events restore some of my shaken faith in human nature.
Thanks Heather! Inspiring indeed.