NYT’s Got the ‘Guide to Courage’ Behind a Paywall and Rosie O’Donnell’s our Current ‘Enforcer’? Jesus H. Where’s Taz?

You seen this crap? The New York Times puts out a Guide to Courage in the Fight for Democracy, but it’s behind a paywall. Because nothing says “stand up for freedom” like “click here and give us $12.99/month.” Meanwhile, Rosie O’Donnell is the only one dropping her gloves to fight back publicly? Don’t get me wrong, Rosie probably throws a decent punch—god knows she’s taken a few—but are we really gonna let her be the Terry O’Reilly of the resistance? Christ.

It’s time to drag your buddies off the golf course and Pornhub, wipe the Cheeto dust off your fingers, and get in this game. And BTW, it’s not republicans vs democrats, or conservatives vs liberals, this is about the protectors standing up to the bullies. Need some additional inspiration? Here’s the Boston American version of the courage guide. No paywall. No rants. No BS. Dig in:

1. We’re Down, Guys. Not Out.
Think of this moment in American history like a 2-1 game in the second. The next goal changes everything. Yeah, democracy’s under pressure—voter suppression, disinformation, corruption—but this game is far from over. Don’t act like we’re getting smoked 6-1. Act like one gritty shift can flip the momentum. Sulking by your locker ain’t a strategy. Get out there. Out-skate ’em. Out-hit ’em. The game is still on.

2. Throw Your Weight Around—Clean, Hard, Legal Hits
Time to send out the bruisers and set the tone. Not with cheap shots, but with hits that rattle the boards—lawful protest, real conversations, letters that get read. If that’s not your style, just freakin’ speak up! Challenge lies. Back your best players. Show your kids how to lean in and push back with purpose. Truth is our hip check. Decency is our forecheck. And if we keep hitting hard and often, they’ll cough it up.

3. Let’s Adjust the Lines—Use Our Depth Chart
It’s time to quit waiting for another Obama or Taylor Swift TikTok to “save democracy.” It’s not about the stars. It’s the grinders who make the difference—teachers, veterans, nurses, dads in flannel who know how to fix a furnace and call a congressman. If you’ve got a voice, a vote, or a pair of shoes, you’re on the team.

4. Let's Play With a Full Bench—Build Coalitions
We don’t win with one superstar line. We win when everyone’s covering for each other. We need cross-aisle, cross-class, cross-race line changes. You don’t have to love each other, but you’ve gotta move in the same direction. Forget purity tests. If someone wants to skate with us toward truth and stability, let ’em in.

5. Own the Crowd—Get the Barn Loud
Crowds change games. Same with towns, classrooms, bars, bakeries, and community centers. Apathy is silence, and silence is surrender. Support local news. Show up. Get informed. Get loud in ways that matter. This isn’t about echo chambers—it’s about volume. Let the other side know the Garden is rockin’.

6. Outsmart the Opponent—Not Just Out-Hit Them
Anyone can throw an elbow. What wins in the end is the grit combined with a playbook. Strategy. Coaching. Systems. Don’t just scream at the TV—fund media literacy, teach your kids civics, write a blog that attempts to relate a hockey game to the fight for democracy.... . Every time the bullies go full chaos clown, we respond with focus. Out-organize. Outlast. Outthink. And win.

7. Protect the Stars—But Don’t Worship Them
We need to protect the people who do the hard stuff—journalists, whistleblowers, judges, elected officials. But they still have to deliver. Nobody’s above scrutiny. That’s the whole point of the damn game. Cheer 'em on, sure. But don’t kneel at their altar. You wouldn’t let your top line skate lazy just because they’ve got name recognition.

8. Kill the Penalty, Then Make Them Pay
Sometimes we get screwed. Bad calls. Voter suppression. Court rulings that make your blood boil. Fine. Kill the penalty. Stay out of the box. Stay confident and locked in. Then respond by scoring where it counts. Organize better. Vote harder. Flip the next shift. Show the bastards you’re not broken—you’re coming back twice as sharp.

9. Finish the Game Strong
You don’t coast through two periods and hope for a miracle. Every election matters. Every town hall. Every school board. This isn’t preseason. It’s game time. If you’re breathing, you’re playing. Stop thinking someone else is gonna take the last shift for you. They’re not. It’s your turn.

10. Never Judge
Your hedge fund neighbor might be an ass around the grill, but he’s probably just as worried as you are about whether his kids and grandkids are gonna need to know where the nearest bomb shelter is someday. This ain’t about left or right. It’s about whether we’re gonna work together and save what we’ve ALL worked so damn hard for.

It’s your shift. Get on the ice.

—The Boston American