“Republicans Buy Sneakers Too” — And That’s the Problem

In 1990, Michael Jordan was asked why he didn’t speak out in support of a black Democrat Senate candidate in his home state of North Carolina who was running against a racist Republican. His answer — “Republicans buy sneakers too” — has haunted me ever since. Because today, with democracy under assault, too many Americans — especially the ones who know better — are still taking that stance.

Trump’s circle isn’t just made up of insiders. It’s padded by our silence. We know people recognize the danger — but they’re scared. Scared of backlash from family or friends. Scared of losing business. Scared of being targeted by the government. So they whisper. And worse, they wait.

But people like Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Bruce Springsteen are shouting. And of course, Jane Fonda cut to the core. In a recent speech, she challenged all of us with this:

“Have any of you ever watched a documentary of one of the great social movements… and asked yourself, ‘Would you have been brave enough to walk the bridge?’ We don’t have to wonder anymore. We are in our documentary moment. This is it. It’s not a rehearsal.”

This is why Idiots & Charlatans exists. Not to tell you what to think — but to remind you: silence is complicity. If you see the fire, say something. Loudly. And if you already are — thank you. And remember, Be Like Jane…Don’t Be Like Mike!

The Flag Belongs to All of Us

The American flag is not theirs. It never was. It is not the property of one political party, one ideology, or one cultural identity. It doesn’t belong only to the people who shout the loudest, wave it the hardest, or wear it most aggressively. The flag belongs to all of us — and it always has.

This flag has been carried into battlefields and protest marches, into courtrooms and classrooms. It has been folded into coffins of soldiers and raised high by civil rights heroes. It has flown above Supreme Court decisions and been stitched onto scrubs by nurses fighting COVID in overwhelmed ERs. It is not a symbol of singular vision — it is a tapestry of our struggles and our shared hope.

People have fought and died for this flag. But they’ve also sued under it, voted under it, taught under it, and healed under it. They’ve knelt beside it. They’ve burned it in protest and hugged it in grief. All of these acts, however contradictory, are expressions of a nation striving to become its best self. And every single one of them falls under the protection of what that flag stands for: freedom, truth, inclusion, justice, and equality.

We’re angry — and we should be — that the flag has been hijacked as a tribal totem by those who want to weaponize it against difference, decency, and dissent. That it has been warped to mean “real Americans only” or “born-here-only” or “us-only.” That it’s been used to signal exclusion rather than unity, aggression rather than compassion.

So let’s take it back. Let’s reclaim it for the teachers and the nurses. For the journalists and the immigrants. For the veterans who fought overseas and the activists who fight here at home. For the students, the caretakers, the community organizers, and the everyday patriots who keep showing up, even when they’re tired, even when it’s hard. So let’s fly it high, fly it proud.

The American flag belongs to all of us. It’s time we raised it not in anger, but in unity. Not as a threat, but as a promise. And not just as a relic of who we once were, but as a beacon for who we still hope to become.

Planning for the End of This Website — As I Launch It

It might sound strange to be thinking about the end of this website while it’s just beginning. But that’s exactly the goal.

Idiots & Charlatans wasn’t built to last forever. It wasn’t launched with dreams of endless click-throughs, social growth, or ad revenue. It was launched out of urgency — out of a recognition that far too many of our leaders are misleading the public, twisting the truth, and dodging responsibility. When that changes — when truth becomes the norm and not the outlier — I’ll be thrilled to shut this thing down.

This site is not about propping up Democrats or targeting Republicans. It’s not about tribal wins. It’s about accountability to a deeper set of values — values that transcend party, race, religion, state, and ideology. That means calling out Democrats when they stay silent in the face of injustice. It also means recognizing courage when it comes from unlikely corners. If you’re defending free speech, standing up for the marginalized, and protecting democratic institutions — you’re on the right side of this project, regardless of your party label.

But if you’re undermining the truth, ignoring climate collapse, or enabling American isolationism or authoritarian cruelty — you’re going to be spotlighted here.

That’s because this site was built around a simple triage framework: focus on what matters most. It’s tempting to get distracted by performative nonsense, headline bait, and the daily outrage cycle. But none of that changes the air we breathe, the freedoms we retain, or the democracy we risk losing. Our job is to filter the noise and stay focused on the nonnegotiables:

• Climate change is real, urgent, and worsening.
• Democracy must be defended, even when it’s messy.
• A free press and free speech are foundational to our future.
• Equity, dignity, and personal decisions belong to all — across race, gender, class, and origin.
• Facts are facts. Science is real. And truth is not a debate.
• The U.S. must engage the world responsibly, not bully it into silence.
• The judiciary must remain independent, not bent to political will.

When our leaders start leading toward these goals — clearly, consistently, and courageously — Idiots & Charlatans will no longer be needed. When the charlatans are gone and the idiots crawl into the rat traps outside their apartments, we can all go back to quieter lives.

Until then, this site will shine a light, hopefully very bright. Not to divide, but to clarify. Not to punish, but to resist. Not to rage, but to remind us that we’ve built something worth defending.

And when the day comes that Idiots & Charlatans is no longer necessary, I will very gladly hit “unpublish.” That’s the finish line I’m working toward — and I hope we can all get there together.