MSNBC host Chris Hayes has encouragement for anyone who feels anxious or overwhelmed by what’s transpired so far during Trump’s second presidency. “Can’t emphasize this enough: if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the debased assault on our country, the antidote is connecting with other people in the flesh who are feeling the same way,” Hayes wrote on BlueSky Saturday
“There are millions of us,” he added.
The message was immediately met with gratitude from the host and author’s followers on the platform, many of whom took an opportunity to express their concerns.
“I’m overwhelmed by how normal everyone is acting when I flip in the television,” wrote one person on the platform.” I sometimes watch a couple of minutes of the morning shows. It’s just like in ‘Don’t Look Up.’ I feel like I’m going crazy… Or, for that matter, when I actually force myself outside. The normalcy of everything makes me anxious. Nothing is normal about all of this.”
Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the 2021 movie “Don’t Look Up” — the pair played two unknown astronomers who launched a media tour to warn the public of impending disaster.
“I really feel that. Like even just going to the grocery store makes me anxious,” wrote a second person in reply. “And thats not to say everyone should be flailing their arms and screaming in panic, but this whole ‘everything is normal’ vibe in public is beyond concerning and disheartening.”
A third person said they’re doing what they can to speak to others about the political situation in the United States. “I drive in LA; drove visiting Dutch guys last night,” they explained. “The topic came up, and I explained: there’s a fascist coup takeover happening here, and the majority of the country is AGAINST it, against THEM, and that HE does not represent US! And they thanked me, ‘cuz they honestly weren’t sure of the truth!”
The Trump Administration has sparked fear, confusion and frustration for many. Trump has made several announcements that seem implausible, such as his insistence that Canada will become the 51st state or that the United States wants to buy Greenland. He has also signed executive orders that threaten the rights and health of US citizens, like a ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
This week, hundreds of Jewish protesters filled the lobby of Trump Tower to protest the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist who led protesters against the Israel-Hamas war at Columbia.
Trump has also sought to end federal agencies including the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
