Anti-Complacency League
A thanks to all who participated in a very big Bette week <3
I am preparing many reports for this community based on recent visits by David Pepper, Sian Norris, and RadPod’s interview with Brent Allpress. I have so many insights to offer from these truly gifted individuals and democracy warriors that I can’t wait to hit the typer for a good long write.
I shared an epiphany I had with the Bette community yesterday who joined our weekly Happy Hour, which I will share in a moment. This week we featured a special guest, feminist author Sian Norris, who answered questions about her new book, Bodies Under Siege. Her book reveals the vast dark money effort to deny global human rights, and ends with this beautiful and perfect mission statement for those in the anti-complacency league — that’s us by the way:
We don’t have to be afraid of freedom.
We have reached a crossroads between fascism and a new, progressive future with a new economic and societal model that will meet the challenges of climate crisis and the rise of artificial intelligence. This choice is urgent. Go one way, and women’s, LGBTIQ, and black and minority ethnic people’s lives will be blighted by oppression, forced to dodge hate and trying to resist genocide.
Choose the other way, and the future is ours.
Repeat it a million times like a mantra — ‘We don’t have to be afraid of freedom.’
The epiphany I shared with those who attended our Happy Hour with Sian is I realized for the first time this week that writers aren’t just people who peddle words. We are collectors of stories of the people who populate our lives — the people we seek out, and whose words and actions inspire our words.
This week my life was populated by incredible people, and I realized that I am blessed to have them in my life because I am a writer. I will forever remember author and poet turned war correspondent Zarina Zabrisky in my kitchen, having just spent 15 months in a war zone. Morning light coming through the window as she did something as simple as make breakfast. I will never forget that image — and forever be grateful she shared the experience of hosting the US premiere of The Eastern Front with me.
Anti-Putin cartoonist Dan Brown flew in from Canada to attend the film premiere, and it gave me an opportunity to share my favorite places with him — the Huntington Gardens, the Norton Simon, Amoeba Music. We also wound up at Canter’s Deli with a Lucid and Bette friend who joined us not only for The Eastern Front screening but also my friend Levy Lee Simon’s play on Saturday.
IRL
Meeting people in real life is good for the soul and good for the fight ahead. I recommend as many of you as possible start connecting irl with those who are meaningful to you and who inspire you.
A quick thank you to those who purchased ‘Fox Undercover — Four Lovers, One Husband, and a Really Bad Breakup. The reviews are coming in on a book that I wrote in the depths of despair during a bad breakup with TV news. As I noted, I was inspired to write it by Hedy Lamarr, whose sex book, ‘Ecstasy and Me’, was published in her early 50s when she was dead broke. I had just quit corporate life and thought why not take a crack at a roman à clef. I wrote it a decade ago with no plans to publish it. I’m glad I did. Thank you to everyone buying it, and if you feel so inclined, please drop me a note at bettedangerous@gmail.com with your reviews.
Anti-Complacency League
Blame it on the Cure at the Hollywood Bowl, but I am building a playlist of 80s punk and goth that is bringing me exquisite joy. I am currently on a Paul Weller bender, and while watching the music video to The Jam’s ‘Town Called Malice’ I saw the band flash a sign that read ‘Anti-Complacency League, baby.’
I realized that’s who we are. We are the un-complacent, eager to participate in the strengthening of our democracy — eager to commit to doing the labor of democracy. You guys showed up on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and other holidays to hear from experts on what we can all do.
And isn’t doing the labor of democracy together such fun? Yes, it’s work, and yes it’s hours of volunteerism, but we do this together, and that makes it awesome. And to think, I get to write about it. 😍
Love you people xo
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Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members. Thank you as well to all those who support my work with your generous coffee tips and who buy my ebooks. I am offering special discounts on my ebooks here. Some of you prefer making subsidizing donations via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated.
A private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous@gmail.com. 🥹
Our next Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom for paid members is Sunday, July 2; Paid members also receive invites to our weekly Bette’s Happy Hour, a wellness checkin every Tuesday. This Tuesday, our checkin is at 5 pm PT.
🤍
“I say a silent prayer of thanksgiving as I walk upon the earth.”-Audrey Peterman.
“May the viral hope for truth and humanity wash away the chaos of these years.”-S.C., Bette community member
“Something Sacred never dies in almost all of us, who can hear the invitation of Truth…”-words from a Bette Dangerous community member
“Nothing but blue skies from now on…”-Irving Berlin
🤍
xo