I’ll have more to say about this in the coming days, but it’s worth pausing to take stock of the moment you and I are living through.
First, though, a quick note of gratitude:
My weekly conversations with Charlie Sykes have been a genuine blessing for me, and I hope, for you, too.
Not because we meticulously check every news-of-the-day box or chase every headline, but because, occasionally, we stumble into something more meaningful — those unscripted moments where the conversation finds its own gravity.
Last week’s livestream offered one of those moments. We found ourselves wrestling with a deceptively simple question:
What does meaningful resistance to Trumpism actually require?
Yes, protests matter — and they must remain peaceful. Yes, elections are indispensable; the ballot box is still the ultimate arbiter in a free society. None of that is controversial.
But it’s not sufficient.
This is also a test of courage — particularly for people in positions of influence and for the institutions that shape public life. It’s one thing to recognize the stakes; it’s another to act accordingly.
And when individuals step up — when they stick their necks out and demonstrate that kind of resolve — the rest of us have an obligation to notice, to support them, and, frankly, to have their backs.
Take a moment to watch or listen. It’s short. But we try to explain why this matters. And why your support matters.
And if you think Charlie and I are engaging in hyperbole, don’t forget the fact that Donald Trump literally said reporters should be “Charges for TREASON” for airing what he calls “LIES” about the war with Iran.
More about that here:
“I think that, as life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time at peril of being judged not to have lived.”
―Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
Charlie and I aren’t shrinking from this moment. We’re not intimidated. We’re not willing to be bullied into silence.
More from our recent convo:
SYKES: If we are talking about the First Amendment and free speech, then one of the best things we can do is what we are doing right now.
You and I right now. We are engaging in free speech. We are not cowering before this. We are not being intimidated. We are not being bullied.
And we need that from all of those institutions that have sheltered under the First Amendment for decades. And I’m talking about you, Barry Weiss and CBS. I’m talking about CNN. I’m talking about ABC, NBC.
It is more important than ever for people to say ‘I’m going to stand up, so if you’re going to throw me in jail, throw me in jail.”
… Is it dangerous? Yes, it’s extremely dangerous, but that’s why you fight. You don’t just simply say: well there’s nothing that we can do…. This is where it requires courage.
And this is what makes it so frustrating: watching the corporatization of the media, which has been pounding itself on the back for so many years….
LEWIS: That’s the thing. There are people who want to pretend everything is normal. They want to go along with tradition and the way things have always been. It’s like, no, we have an existential threat right now. It never even occurred to me, Charlie, and I know it never even occurred to you that we would stop doing what we’re doing. We will keep doing what we’re doing.
Some inspiration
LEWIS: I remember when Jimmy Kimmel showed spine….
It inspired other people to have courage. It showed that you can confront them and win. You could stare them down and win …
And so if you’re out there watching ...
I would encourage you to support people who are doing this... It doesn’t have to be us. It can be. It doesn’t have to be. But support, like, that’s something you can do. If you are a content creator, keep creating. Don’t back down. If you are someone who’s supporting content creators, please keep doing it.
If you’ve found value in these weekly conversations — and if you believe there’s still a place for independent voices willing to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may — then I hope you’ll consider becoming a paid supporter of this Substack.
Note to Readers:
We do this every day not because it’s easy — or even because it’s always rewarding — but because this is our mission.
This is the fight in front of us. In many ways, it’s the defining challenge of our time. And we’re not inclined to back down from it.
So if you’re so inclined, consider joining us. The newsletter itself is free — there’s no paywall, no barrier to entry.
But if you choose to become a paid subscriber, you’re helping to sustain voices that are at least trying to bring some measure of sanity and decency to the conversation.
It’s entirely voluntary.
At a time when too many influencers and institutions hedge or hold back, your support isn’t just appreciated; it’s essential.
And truly, thank you — for caring about free speech, and for helping sustain the kind of independent work that depends on readers like you.
Sincerely,
Matt
