It’s a Witch Hunt!

It’s a Witch Hunt!

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Some witchlike people have disguises that

May cover up a black and pointy hat.

The one nabbed first of all, to Trump’s chagrin,
Was “Lock Her Up” adviser Michael Flynn.
Then Manafort and Gates, Paul’s former pal,
Were eased into the Mueller team’s corral.
And then—surprise!—indictments were announced
Of Russian guys whose names can’t be pronounced.
And Papadopoulos then upped the score.
It’s now a coven and a half or more.

Who circles there, despite the curling smoke,
Around a cauldron full of Diet Coke?
Who waves his broomstick with a practiced ease
To conjure up a hamburger with cheese?
Who gives a guiding light to Robert Mueller
By being, for the most, bright orange in color?
His curses, maybe dozens at a clip,
May do no good if other witches flip.

Complaints about a witch hunt are for naught
If now and then some witches do get caught.

We cannot back down

We now confront a second Trump presidency.

There’s not a moment to lose. We must harness our fears, our grief, and yes, our anger, to resist the dangerous policies Donald Trump will unleash on our country. We rededicate ourselves to our role as journalists and writers of principle and conscience.

Today, we also steel ourselves for the fight ahead. It will demand a fearless spirit, an informed mind, wise analysis, and humane resistance. We face the enactment of Project 2025, a far-right supreme court, political authoritarianism, increasing inequality and record homelessness, a looming climate crisis, and conflicts abroad. The Nation will expose and propose, nurture investigative reporting, and stand together as a community to keep hope and possibility alive. The Nation’s work will continue—as it has in good and not-so-good times—to develop alternative ideas and visions, to deepen our mission of truth-telling and deep reporting, and to further solidarity in a nation divided.

Armed with a remarkable 160 years of bold, independent journalism, our mandate today remains the same as when abolitionists first founded The Nation—to uphold the principles of democracy and freedom, serve as a beacon through the darkest days of resistance, and to envision and struggle for a brighter future.

The day is dark, the forces arrayed are tenacious, but as the late Nation editorial board member Toni Morrison wrote “No! This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

I urge you to stand with The Nation and donate today.

Onwards,

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

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