Of Grit and Grace and Ghost Parades
Of Grit and Grace and Ghost Parades
Tales of plucky rats, ghost floats, and entering 2024 with a full cup of gratitude
‘I’m Gonna Shine My Light’
As those who follow this work know, despair is the enemy of action. In 2024, we will need to stay into action — rising above the obvious plays designed to make democracy look unmanageable. They should be obvious by now to everyone, right? Biden has proved to be a steady hand, despite the continual disruptions stoked by Putinists delivering information warfare, designed to cause confusion, trauma, and fear.
Always zoom out, and ask, ‘Who benefits?’ The answer is always the same — not us. We are weakened as a nation when we are divided and in fear. In our weakened state, the Putinists benefit.
United, we have a shot at defending our democracy, which is good for the world. A weakened America — and the world suffers, too. A strong America, with a vibrant democracy, benefits our allies, and I dare say, our collective mental health.
If you haven’t yet, have a listen to my latest interview with Rich Logis — more clues on how to defeat MAGA, Trumpism, and Putinism in 2024.
We can do this, but it will require each of us to come from our own place of strength. And for me, strength starts with gratitude. Every morning, before I open my eyes, I think of all the things I’m grateful for, and before my feet touch the ground, I say Audrey Peterman’s prayer from Jamaica:
“I say a silent prayer of thankgsiving as I walk upon the earth.”
My feet, firmly planted on the ground, acknowledge the sacred earth, the things that are important about life — the sun, the moon, the stars, sunsets, sunrises, blue skies, pink clouds, the birds outside my window, the rhythm of nature, the love in our life.
It’s from that sacred place I start my work.
So having our first Happy Hour of the year dedicated to gratitude felt soul cleansing.
Among my favorite lines was this:
“I’m gonna shine my light.”
A Bette member resolved to shine her light in 2024, to illuminate any dark places, and be the sunlight that offers clarity and comfort.
We can all be that light — we who understand this invisible war and who understand that people are being sucked into coercive propaganda against their will — we can be the light that draws people away from the darkness.
As Rich Logis said, deep down even the most brainwashed MAGA likely has a sense of decency and goodness — not all, but most — and I believe that.
If we wear our goodness on our sleeves, it’ll make it easier to find us when the ‘truth curious’ return home.
I know the ‘truth curious’ are out there, because the most shared and read reports of mine lately are the posts on Leaving MAGA. Join me in extending grace to those who are quietly thinking of quitting.
We need a united states, not a divided states to win this.
Grit and Grace
I’ve been thinking a lot about a Norway rat I saw on the eve before Christmas Eve. I was driving up the 405 with my son, and we spotted the little bugger darting across the freeway in peak holiday traffic, crossing five lanes, and making it to safety. We marveled at the rat’s triumph.
The image of that brave creature navigating its way to safety against all odds stuck with me as some sort of metaphor for this work I do.
I feel like I’m always playing some sort of game of freeway frogger as I shine the light in dark places with a noisy mob following from behind to try to discredit the work each step of the way.
I feel like lately, however, the noise made by supporters is growing louder and that is giving me hope.
Today, my podcast partner posted evidence that scam artists take money to discredit him and our work — paid up to $500 to host a Twitter hate space when RadPod goes live. And while it offers me no comfort knowing people are willing to take cash to lie about others, it does feel like truth is seeping through the cracks to the point where more people will be less confused about who is on the right side of history. A girl can dream.
Today, I thought about that plucky rat — a survivor in a big city — as I walked through the streets of Downtown LA. I took the Metro to meet with a political pal at the City Club — treated to a magnificent view of my magnificent city.
It occurred to me that Bette’s audience is global and many of you may never see L.A. as I see it. So I wanted to share some of the beauty I’ve witnessed in the last few days.
My New Year’s Day tradition is to see the Rose Parade Floats up close after the parade has concluded. I’m gonna guess the parade looks corny on TV, but up close, these floats are objects of art. There is also a magical time at night when the floats ghost through my town on their way to be stripped, and I often catch that too. I like the ghost parade more than the real thing.
I can tell you right now, I am looking out my window at pink clouds and a blue sky. I hope wherever you are, you are taking time to marvel at nature’s beauty and saying silent prayers of thanksgiving as you walk upon the earth.
I’m gonna go enjoy more of that sunset.
****
****
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. Some of you prefer making subsidizing donations via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated.
Members access all content and receive invites to our weekly Happy Hour, and our Speakeasy guest events. Look for an invite to our January 7 Founder’s Day/Speakeasy hybrid meeting with Rich Logis of Leaving MAGA.
Also, 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. 🥹
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
“I need people to see they're on the frontline. Wherever you live, if you’re doing this work, you are the frontline.”—David Pepper
“The message should be a fair deal… fairness everywhere.”—Martin Sheil
💘
“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
🤍