A firsthand reflection on protest, pain, and principle in the face of rising extremism. From the Chicago streets to a chilling political assassination, this piece is a powerful call to action against normalization of fascism and GOP-led authoritarianism.
alanlake
500 Words #58 – Creating Conflicts
Federal overreach, ICE militarization, surveillance, and economic collapse mark a growing authoritarian threat disguised as national security.
500 words #57-
The Authoritarian Script
Authoritarians don’t seize power overnight—they dismantle democracy piece by piece. From pardons to court defiance, silence enables the slow undoing of freedom.
500 Words –
Apathy Is Not An Option
A searing indictment of democratic backsliding, corruption, and institutional decay in America—Senator Slotkin and others raise alarms as billionaires, lobbyists, and political elites dismantle oversight and suppress dissent. A must-read call to vigilance.
500 Words – Morality is for Suckers
“If there is an underlying philosophy driving Trump, it is this:Morality is for suckers. The strong do what they want and theweak suffer what they must…Trumpism has become a form ofnihilism that is devouring everything in its path” writes DavidBrooks of the Atlantic recently. George Orwell’s 1984 spelled it out as well, this written in […]
500 Words #54 Good Things
Last week’s news cycle cesspool put me off my game. I couldn’t even write 500 Words watching it unfold. It leaves me shaking my head in disbelief how so many unalienable rights, the very framework of what was American democracy- are being pissed on. From leader of the free world to pariah state with longtime […]
500 Words #53 –
Insanity is the Strategy
Reckless tariffs, market instability, and erratic policies are driving the U.S. toward a self-inflicted recession, jeopardizing retirement savings, Social Security, and Medicare. As financial uncertainty grows, democracy erodes under political corruption, corporate greed, and constitutional violations. With global allies losing trust and economic confidence crumbling, America faces a crisis fueled by entitlement, grift, and authoritarian overreach
500 Words #52 – The Hollowing Out Of Our Democracy
“The Damage Will Be Generational” is a stark warning about the rapid erosion of democratic values and institutions under a leader seemingly intent on dismantling them. Examining recent political upheavals—from foreign policy shifts to mass government purges—it highlights the deliberate chaos designed to overwhelm and disengage the public. With historical echoes and urgent calls to resist, this piece underscores the importance of sustained focus in the face of an unprecedented assault on democracy.
500 words #51- Enemies Both Foreign and Domestic
“As democracy crumbles under a kleptocratic regime, watchdogs, military leaders, and regulators are purged, while billionaires and dictators shape America’s future. From preferential citizenship for the wealthy to blatant cronyism, corruption reigns. Markets reel, institutions collapse, and basic rights vanish—welcome to the great unraveling. Is this a coup, corruption, or just an ‘everything must go’ sale?”
500 Words #50 – Do You Like Art?
In turbulent times, art becomes a powerful form of resistance. This piece explores Kate Turner’s “Your Playground is Cursed” and delves into the unraveling of U.S. diplomacy, systemic failures, and the urgent need for creative activism in the face of political chaos and global crises.