Every day brings another storm of bad news.

More corruption in high places, all too often unpunished. Wars and rumors of wars. The ongoing failure of our large cities to protect their residents and of the federal government to protect our borders. Collapsing public education, collapsing morals, widespread ennui. Catastrophic declines in physical and mental health among our people.

And these are only some of the generalities. Add more, list the particulars, and the list would be endless. Just as clouds can overshadow and dim the sun, so too does bad news overshadow good.

However, good news still abounds. In case you’ve missed some of it, as I certainly have, journalist Elizabeth Nickson (with help from Instagram user kevinfernandes82) has posted an article on her Substack listing more than 100 pieces of good news—political, economic, and cultural—from a single 10 day period in November. Good people here and abroad are stepping up and standing against the lies, oppression, and delusions weaponized by those cultural and political gurus who would govern us. Here are just a few pieces from this inventory compiled by Nickson:

Libertarian Javier Milei won in Argentina, promising to strip government of many ministries.

Argentine stock market up 20% after Milei’s election.

All of Spain on the streets calling for end to Socialism. Retired Generals call for coup to get rid of socialist Prime Minister.

A Republican has just beat a Democrat in the Mayoral race in Charleston, South Carolina for the first time since 1877.

U.S. Speaker Mike Johnson releases 40,000 hours of security footage of January 6^th.

The Crown dropped charges against a pizza parlour owner for not closing down his restaurant during covid. The hearing lasted ten minutes and the verdict greeted with cheers.

A federal judge in California certified a class action lawsuit against Pornhub/MindGeek/Aylo on behalf of tens of thousands of child victims abused for profit.

Fulton County, Georgia acknowledges that 3,600 ballots from the 2020 election audit were duplicated. Discrepancy turned over to … the GA Attorney General for investigation.

By compiling this data, Nickson has done her readers a great service. Such headlines appear in bits and pieces in whatever media we follow, but bringing them together gives them the power of a solid punch.

Now, here’s some more good news, which is much closer to home than the headlines. As Nickson notes in the subtitle to her piece, “Normals Are Stepping Up All Over the World. Everything is Shifting.”

Take a look at the people around you—your family,  friends, co-workers. Put aside the personalities that dominate our daily news, Trump, Biden, DeSantis, Newsom, and all the rest. Consider instead the issues of the day, which are so often covered up by the doings of big-name notables. Are those you know, respect, and love concerned about inflation? What do they think of the ongoing invasion of our southern border? Do they view the demise of our public schools as a disaster? Do they oppose the defunding of police departments in our major cities? What do they think of our policies in regard to places like Ukraine, the Middle East, and China?

With some exceptions—abortion and climate change come to mind—my guess is that a majority of Americans, whom Nickson calls the “normals,” share similar apprehensions when confronted by the bonfire issues of our day. They may loathe Donald Trump, they may despise Joe Biden, but if they look beyond personalities to our present trials, they are likely to find themselves companions in the line of fire.

With all that is going on in the world, and with a national election headed our way, 2024 will be a wild ride. As we board that roller coaster, we should bear in mind the interests and hopes we hold in common with our fellow passengers. We should be especially wary of politicians who use fear to divide us. We have seen enough of that weapon of division and discord. Let’s look instead for leaders who offer hope, the restoration of our liberties, and a bright future. Even more importantly, let’s look to our family, friends, and neighbors who share that same vision.

Now is the time to remember that old fable from Aesop, “A Bundle of Sticks.” Upset by the incessant quarreling of his sons, a father asks one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks. He then asks each one to break the bundle, but they are powerless to do so. He then hands them each a stick and tells them to break it, which of course they handily snap in half. He then tells them that if they stick together—apologies for the pun—and help one another, they will be strong. Separately, they will be easy prey to their enemies and misfortune.

United we stand, divided we fall.

Let’s find common ground and stand together.

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