Greetings, dearest Daily Kos Community, and welcome to another illustrious installment of Picks of the Week! The bleed from August into September is always one of my favorite times of year, because for some reason, so many of the most significant milestones of my life fall within that range. As a direct result of that constant barrage of good memories, my joy tends to be endless, unstoppable, and, if I’m lucky, contagious. I even made a new anniversary in this same time period (or so I thought)—I created my first series on Daily Kos!
Then I realized that’s not true at all! THIS is my first series! Which got me thinking—wasn’t the anniversary of POTW coming up soon? Wrong again. Picks of the Week actually turned debuted on Aug. 18, 2018!
Whoops.
That brings me to the this week’s discussion:
Tell me what inspired YOU to write your first diary or comment on Daily Kos! I know a lot of people start out as lurkers, with and without signing up. But what turns a lurker into an active participant? As someone who’d long read the site, but never signed up until I was hired (in a different time of year entirely), I’d love to hear how it happened for you.
Really looking forward to this conversation, but now it’s time for this week’s picks! There’s some great stuff here!
Trump, Mass Killings, Deaths of Despair: All Expressions of a Nihilistic Impulse?
By AndySchmookler
Many words have been written about the motivation of Trump supporters. For some, could it be something as simple (and sinister) as an affinity for chaos?
Hong Kong’s Students Come Ready for Education
By Alan Singer
It’s not just young people in the United States who are leading great movements for change—and it never has been. A look inside the Hong Kong student activist movement.
America owes Al Gore an apology
By rslack
A snackable retrospective on the former Vice President’s achievements, his failures, and ultimately, his humiliation.
California legislature sends SB276 to Governor – it eliminates the abuse of medical exemptions
By SkepticalRaptor
The Golden State continues its successful fight against the massively flawed anti-vaccine movement.
Meanwhile, in Texas…
By ajewella
Texas is almost #1 in the nation for mass gun violence, yet refuses to be a leader in gun safety. A lifelong Texan has had enough.
The Fate of a Family
By Michael Brune
A thoughtful look inside the efforts to make sure that none of the remaining six dozen orcas in Washington State becomes the last.
The "straight pride" parade isn't a laughing matter, and we must quit addressing it as such
By BoiseBlue
Homophobia is not a punchline. Homophobia is dangerous.
Climate Crisis: Action, Not Hope Needed
By stonehenge
A thorough yet accessible primer on the realities of climate change.
Want to win the next election? Stop calling farmers stupid!
By Nonlinear
Writing off farmers and other rural voters as do-or-die Trump supporters is not just a bad look for Democrats, it’s also utterly inaccurate.
New Jersey Leading the fight to Restore Prisoners' Voting Rights
By Amani Sawari
A look at yet another state’s fight to re-enfranchise ALL of its residents.
Dealing With the Trump Cult
By bobburnett
Not all Trump devotees are the same.
That’s it, friends! What did you think of this week’s list? Looking forward to hearing about your first written endeavors here on Daily Kos in the comments … and as always, feel free to submit diaries you should be on this list via my Kosmail.
Till next time, happy writing! We’re so glad you’re here.