by Judy Handley | Sep 18, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 261: Two Meetings and Collapse
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2025
Weather: Partly Cloudy; High Temp 70, Low 58 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Two very important meetings for me were both this afternoon, keeping me busy from 12:30 to 5:30 pm with the meetings themselves, prep work, and follow-up. The first meeting was the field trip group I co-lead with Christina Brodie. We now have a full slate of 12 months of field trip ideas. Then it was on to the Exploring Public Policy meeting I co-lead with Jon Kaufman. At that meeting, we brainstormed ideas for meeting for this coming year. So a good start.
The afternoon of meetings was a lot, but on top of that, I am dealing with a massive sinus issue. Ugh. That is sapping my energy. And I literally had 4 meetings to choose from for tonight. But I ditched them all and went to the 99 for $9.99 burger night with friends Bruce and Jane, at their invitation. Thank you, Bruce and Jane! That way more fun than any of the other meetings might have been, plus I got to catch up on what is happening in their lives.
After dinner, I came home and previewed a short film on nonviolent resistance and watched one segment of Jen Psaki’s program on MSNBC. Stacey Abrams was on promoting a “10 Steps” framework that describes a playbook for resisting autocracy and defending democracy, based on a model from Princeton Professor Kim Scheppele. Instead of a book outlining these steps, the campaign is primarily promoted through Abrams’ podcast, Assembly Required, and her Substack newsletter, Assembly Notes, as a toolkit for action. I really recommend you read it below. Nothing new here, just another way to summarize what we are living through and what we can do about it.
The framework is presented in two parts:
• 10 Steps to Autocracy: This part identifies the warning signs of a country sliding toward authoritarian rule.
• 10 Steps to Freedom and Power: This part offers solutions and actions for citizens to take to push back against these autocratic tendencies.
The 10 steps to autocracy
This framework is inspired by Professor Scheppele’s analysis of how autocrats take power, often while maintaining a facade of democratic legitimacy. The steps include:
1. Winning an election, which provides a veneer of legitimacy.
2. Expanding executive power beyond constitutional limits.
3. Making the legislature complicit and neutering the judiciary.
4. Gutting the civil service by firing competent officials.
5. Installing loyalists in key government positions, such as the FBI, Justice Department, and Defense.
6. Using loyalist institutions to go after political enemies.
7. Identifying scapegoats, such as vulnerable communities.
8. Undermining civil society by targeting universities and other civic institutions.
9. Incentivizing private violence and using federal troops against citizens to instill fear.
10. Canceling elections or making participation so difficult that no one believes it is safe or matters.
The 10 steps to freedom and power
To combat the rise of autocracy, Abrams’ campaign offers a corresponding set of actions for citizens. These steps are designed to build resilience and empower communities:
1. Connect the dots: Explain to friends and family how autocratic policies directly impact their lives, translating complex political terms into lived experiences.
2. Make democracy deliver: Show that democracy can work and solve everyday problems to prevent citizens from losing faith in the system.
3. Use mutual aid to support communities and reduce reliance on government services.
4. Speak the truth and resist propaganda.
5. Rebuild community by organizing locally and fostering connections across different groups.
6. Support a free press to combat misinformation.
7. Fight for fair elections and work to combat voter suppression.
8. Invest in civic infrastructure by supporting universities, charities, and other institutions that strengthen civil society.
9. Defend vulnerable communities targeted by autocratic leaders.
10. Challenge leaders and hold them accountable.
by Judy Handley | Sep 16, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 259: Another Working Day
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 69, Low 66 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
If I got paid for all of the hours I work volunteering for various things, I would be making good money. After walking the dogs this morning, I had a Zoom meeting about the film series I am launching in late October. This is the third meeting I have had with two women who will be helping me with this project, but up until now, I have done all of the leg work. We now have the logistics of where and when it will happen, but we are still working on the content. We are hoping by next week, we will at least have the final list of films. Then we will work on who will lead the post-film discussions. So that is a work in progress.
I then spent more time on the film series and dealt with details for tomorrow’s Encore September luncheon. As Program VP, the speaker programs throughout the year plus the luncheons are Program responsibilities. And then I changed gears and went out to complete the business canvassing I started on Friday for the Falmouth Immigrant Rights Coalition. And after that, it was on to a Board of Library Trustees special meeting. Except for that meeting and the canvassing, I was sitting at this computer all day. It is time to turn this critter off and get some sleep. I’ll continue on tomorrow.
by Judy Handley | Sep 15, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 258: Working Monday
Date: Monday, September 15, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 72, Low 54 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
After walking Archie and Shadow early this morning and attending a Falmouth Immigrant Rights Coalition Zoom meeting for the rest of the morning, I basically spent the entire afternoon and evening on my computer. I was working on the nonviolent resistance film festival, the Encore luncheon on Wednesday, writing and sending program promos to the Encore newsletter, dealing with other Encore business, and doing some Indivisible Falmouth work. And I made soup and canned chicken broth. Tomorrow looks very much the same. A long morning Zoom meeting with follow up on the phone and computer in the afternoon, ending the day with Board of Library Trustees meeting. That’s the story of my life these days. But I keep telling myself that you can only do so much organizing and then you get to enjoy the results of all the planning. At least that’s the hope.
by Judy Handley | Sep 14, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 257: Happy Birthday to Justin
Date: Sunday, September 14, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 72, Low 55 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Justice, like in ”indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” That is how my son Justin got his name. Mark and I searched and searched for a boy’s name and all we could come up with were two names: Erin, an Irish unisex name meaning “peace”, and Justice because Mark and I both believed that “justice for all” was critical for the survival of our democracy. Yes, it was 1977 when both peace and justice were being celebrated. Justice was Mark’s favorite, but I said it was too hard to say. I countered with Justin. When I was in late grade school, I came home from school every single day to watch American Bandstand. My favorite dancer was Justine. That led us from Justice to Justin. Not until after he was born and we took our first look at him did we settle on Justin. That is how Justin Bryant Handley, 48 years ago today at home in Jenkins, Minnesota, got his name. I honestly don’t know if he knows this story. If not, let this be his special birthday gift. In any case, Happy Birthday, Justin!
I picked Ollie up from his Scout camping trip this morning and picked Heather and Jed up in Woods Hole when they returned from their sailing trip to Padanarum and took them to their car in Quissett. Then tonight, I had dinner with my Dining-In group tonight. It was a good day.
I’ll end with a Sunday Thought from Robert Reich about things that hold us together as a country … shared commitments.
“Dear Friends,
After a horrifying week — horrifying not just because of a politically motivated assassination but also the brutish and angry response from people who should be pulling the nation together rather than adding fuel to its divisions — many of you are understandably worried about America’s future.
As I travel around the United States, I hear concerns that America is losing its identity.
But what is that identity? If you examine our history, you’ll see that the core of that identity has not been the whiteness of our skin, or the uniformity of our ethnicity, or agreement on religion, or like-mindedness about sexual preference or orientation.
The core of our national identity has been the ideals we share: our commitments to the rule of law, to democratic institutions of government, to truth, to tolerance of our differences, to equal political rights, and to equal opportunity.
We have not always achieved these ideals, to be sure, but most of us have been committed to seeking to achieve them. Indeed, generations of Americans have been willing to sacrifice their lives for these ideals.
These shared commitments inform our judgments about right and wrong. They constitute America. Without them, there is no “we” in We the People.
Trump and his lackeys want us to forget these shared commitments. He is using every tool at his disposal — even this past week’s heinous murder — to subvert them.
But We the People will not — must not — let him.”
by Judy Handley | Sep 13, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 256: Massachusetts Democratic Party State Convention
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Weather: Cloudy in Springfield; High Temp 67, Low 58 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
I traveled to Springfield in western Massachusetts today as a delegate to the Massachusetts Democratic Party State Convention. I was a registered Independent that mostly voted for Democrats until George W was President. After four years of his administration, I became a registered Democrat. But I have never before been involved in the inner workings. I drove to Springfield with friend, Judy Fenwick, Rosemary Carey who is the head of Falmouth Dems, and Jason Cullinane who has helped with Indivisible Falmouth.The Markey breakfast was fun.
But when we went into the exhibit center to get to work, things got interesting. The people who prepared that Party Platform appeared to have made it less progressive than in 2021, and the delegates rebelled. At the end of the day, the 2021 Platform was adopted. So there was some division, but there was also a lot of total group (about 2,000 people) enthusiasm. US Senator Ed Markey was the star of the day, along with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.
Markey encouraged everyone to become activists. “This is the time. This (Massachusetts) is the place. We ARE the people.” Governor Healey made it very clear that Donald Trump with his ICE and miliary troops are not welcome here, stating that the Massachusetts National Guard is under her jurisdiction. Unfortunately, Senator Elizabeth Warren, my personal favorite, was not able to attend today. But I have to say that Markey, who is going to be 80 if re-elected in 2026, is moving up to #1 on my list. All you have to do is watch what he does to know that age should not be an issue for him. He gets things done! Boston Mayor Michele Wuu was also not in attendance, but when a video was played that she prepared ahead of time, there was a standing ovation. Another standing ovation that was most notable was when Markey referred to the struggle in Gaza. When he mentioned the horrific situation of starvation, the crowd burst into a very long standing ovation in support of the people of Gaza.
Even though things didn’t go as smoothly as I am sure the organizers hoped, making the whole process a little messy today, I would like to return next year as a Delegate. But since it is a mid-term year, I am sure I will have a lot of competition.
Even though it was cloudy north of the Cape today, it was sunny here. Heather sent a photo of Jed at the wheel of Ardena as they sailed from Quissett to Padanarum this afternoon, and there was a deep blue sky.
by Judy Handley | Sep 12, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 255: Eye-Opening Experience
Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
Weather: Mix of Sun and Clouds; High Temp 70, Low 50 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
This morning, Christina Brodie and I canvassed local businesses offering folders from the Falmouth Immigrant Rights Coalition filled with helpful information for immigrant families and businesses where they might work or frequent. One of the things in the packet is a small sign businesses can put in their window. It simply says, “We stand with immigrant families.” Anticipating that some businesses might say that the sign would offend people who are not sympathetic to immigrants, the direction sheet for people canvassing even has talking points that can be used to counter that thinking. But the eye-opening thing I experienced were the places we visited where managers seemed to indicate immigrants should be taken by ICE and deported. When we would point out that the people taken are often not illegal immigrants, the response is that they do not want to get into a discussion about this. One guy simply told us, “You’re talking to the wrong person. I believe in getting rid of ‘em.” We have a lot of work to do!
This evening, I attended a mis and mingle affair with Newcomers and Encore Board members. This gave us a chance to meet the people from the other club that hold the same position. It was a lovely backyard garden party, and it was great to have the opportunity to share information with our counterparts..
Tomorrow morning at 5:10 am, I am being picked up to carpool to the Massachusetts State Democratic Convention. It is in Springfield which is a good two and half plus hours from here in the western end of the state. I’ll have to get up at 4:30 am to get ready and walk Shadow. So, it is time for me to head to bed.
