Dear Readers,
I had the good fortune this weekend to spend some time with friends and family and unplug my brain for a bit, so of course, I wound up thinking about work. Specifically, I wound up chewing on the fact that I have been with Truthout for nearly ten years now. In my last article, I ran through a long list of everything that has happened in the world during those years, but my list wasn’t nearly complete. Needless to say, it has been a long, hard road, and I realized this weekend that without Truthout, I very likely would have simply lost my mind.
I’m not just an employee, see. I’m a reader, too, just like you, and Truthout has kept me informed, inspired, and made me a better person. There have been quite a few changes at Truthout over the years – some new faces have come aboard to join the old salts like me, our site is now almost entirely devoted to original content rather than simply reprinting stories from other news organizations, and we recently made the near-unanimous group decision to become a Union shop – but one thing has not changed: our devotion to you, our readers, and to providing quality news reporting and commentary on the issues of the day. Our integrity in this regard is due entirely to your generosity; we have no corporate sponsorship whatsoever, and and function entirely on donations from our readership and a couple of small grants.
You, and you alone, are the glue that holds this ship together. We do what we do for you, and we could not do it without you. Independent media is vital to the health and welfare of this republic. I know times are tough right now, but a tax-deductible donation to Truthout is a donation to yourself – to your future, to your desire to see this country fulfill its promise and become that more perfect union we all know is possible. I’ve been at this for almost ten years, and I know for a fact that every little bit helps, so please give what you can.
Truthout is here for you, and so am I. With your help, we can keep doing what we do.
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From my heart, thank you so very much.
Sincerely,
William Rivers Pitt
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy