I'm writing a new sermon, "Coming Back to Life": When despair threatens to overwhelm us, we recall that the well of spirit is infinite, bubbling up from the depths of the soul to slake our thirst & quicken our courage. I'll preach it tomorrow in Boston & next Sun. in Reading. linktr.ee/revfredsmall
Rev. Fred Small
Rev. Fred Small
@revfredsmall.bsky.social
Minister for Climate Justice, Arlington Street Church, singer-songwriter, author @nosycrowus.bsky.social, Cambridge, MA (Massachusett land). He/him. Info & events: https://linktr.ee/revfredsmall
1.7K followers304 following269 posts
As usual, the cruelty of this administration is in a tight race with its incompetence. The words "mechanically issuing deportation orders" should never describe #immigration proceedings in a democracy. Thank you @bostonglobe.com for this horrifying report. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/19/m...
A lifelong Democrat, I'm both a leftist & a pragmatist. We've got to win elections. But I'm appalled by @thirdway.bsky.social's declaration of "war" ($15M of negativity) on @demsocialists.bsky.social. To stop Trump & Co. we need more unity & less infighting. #bigtent www.nytimes.com/2026/08/06/u...
Of all the lies & distortions of Trumpism, "DEI bike lanes" is among the nastiest. It goes like this: 1. Bike lanes support transportation equity. 2. Equity helps people of color. 3. Helping people of color is woke. 4. Bike lanes must be destroyed. @massbike.bsky.social @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social
It's not just advocates who say this. Researchers, studies, and data say it. That's why advocates say it. Reporters can just say it, too!
Rev. Fred Small reposted
“Children who are just celebrating . . . just children enjoying themselves, seeing their families, singing. For him to go after those children, it’s awful, it’s dangerous, it’s inhumane, it’s wrong.” Khalid Omar, Isaiah and Faith, St. Paul. #freedomofreligion www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/u...
#BlackHistory isn't "woke." Black history is the truth, discomfiting to some. As Dr. King said, "unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant." @agordonreed.bsky.social @profjeffries.bsky.social
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation had spent a decade shifting the center of gravity away from solely Jefferson-as-genius and toward the full world that existed on that mountain. My job was to help communicate the shift.
Join me this Sunday for a multifaith conversation on spirituality, social justice & faith-grounded advocacy. Our panel will highlight building coalitions across differences when the climate crisis, authoritarianism & weaponized bigotry threaten us all. Registration: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Honored to lead singing today at #NoKings Worcester! Thansks to the great organizers, the boisterous crowd & Ellie McGowan for video. 🙏 #SingingResistance @50501movement.bsky.social @indivisible.org @worcountyindivalli.bsky.social @billmckibben.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNjE...
Truth. #endfossilfuels @billmckibben.bsky.social @katharinehayhoe.com @ayanaeliza.bsky.social @jamiehenn.bsky.social @revyearwood.bsky.social @climatebrad.hillheat.com @ienearth.bsky.social @thebtscenter.bsky.social @greenfaith.bsky.social @oilchange.bsky.social @350.org
Fossil fuels push the world towards autocracy. Were we less dependent on them, there might have been no President Trump, no President Putin, no ayatollahs, no Netanyahu, no perpetual Middle East wars. Democracy depends on unhooking ourselves. This week's column. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"President Trump has taken on many ancillary roles in Washington: Chm of the Kennedy Center. De facto chief architect of the city’s landmark properties. And now, the nation’s chief intelligence analyst." @sangernyt.bsky.social @julianbarnes.bsky.social God help us. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/18/u...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
"This is chemical warfare, as inhumane in its way as the attacks on the girl’s school . . . " Chemical warfare is a #warcrime strictly forbidden by international law. Shame on Trump, Hegseth, and their enablers. #NoWarOnIran
America and Israel are in essence waging chemical war in Iran, filling the air above its metropolis with toxic smoke after lighting its oil storage depots on fire. How is anyone supposed to "rise up" when they can't breathe? open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
These ghouls act like they've discovered some novel secret: "Hey, guys, GUYS! Did you know that we can just kill people whenever we want?" Yes, you absolute idiot, that's ALWAYS been true. We just chose not to, for good and self-interested reasons which the entire world is about to learn yet again.
Lindsey Graham: "If we get in a fight, I want to win it quick. I'm in Miami. You see this hat? 'Free Cuba.' Stay tuned. The liberation of Cuba is upon us. We're marching through the world. We're clearing out the bad guys. Cuba is next."
Kristi Noem's firing, though richly deserved, won't end the abuse. #AbolishICE #JusticeForEmmanuelDamas #BoycottCitizens
Emmanuel Damas, 56, died in ICE custody on Monday. Damas came to the U.S. from Haiti seeking asylum. After six months in ICE custody—the last four at CoreCivic's Florence Correctional Center—he died from complications from a tooth infection. A tooth infection. 1/3 tucson.com/news/local/b...
Re Pete Hegseth's manic rants, @polgreen.bsky.social's trenchant analysis quotes Aimé Césaire in 1950: “The hour of the barbarian is at hand. The modern barbarian. The American hour. Violence, excess, waste, mercantilism, bluff, conformism, stupidity, vulgarity, disorder.” #NoKings #NoWarOnIran
I wrote about Trump's fantasy of omnipotence and invulnerability crashing against the material reality of a interdependent world. This insane, heedless war will ruin us all. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/o...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Rev. Fred Small reposted
"The Constitution could not be more clear. When launching wars of choice, especially with American lives in the balance, the president goes to Congress and Congress authorizes it. That did not happen, and these operations are blatantly unconstitutional."--Maj. Gen. (Ret) Paul D. Eaton #NoWarOnIran
VoteVets Senior Advisor Max Rose spoke to Maj Gen (Ret) Paul Eaton about his Substack article, "War in Iran Will Cost American Lives." They emphasized that Congress should have debated military actions before risking American lives. www.youtube.com/watch?v=to4z...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Scout law demands bravery: "Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid. Do what you think is right despite what others might be doing or saying." Selling out #trans kids & #DEI to Hegseth, @scoutingamerica.bsky.social shows it's as lawless as the Trump administration. @erininthemorning.com
The Pentagon says Scouting America will alter policies to maintain military support, including requiring members to use sex assigned at birth.
Rev. Fred Small reposted
In solidarity with #SingingResistance in Minnesota, BVOCAL-Chorus et al. will host a Singing Resistance Community Sing this Sunday to learn new songs in community. 2-4pm 3/1, SEIU 32BJ Union Hall, 26 West St., Boston. No RSVP--all are welcome. I hope you'll join us! www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jzn...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
This left me sobbing. Last week I joined hundreds of faith leaders in the frigid streets of Minneapolis. I'll never forget the brutality of the occupation & the courageous love of Minnesotans. The poignant harmonies of the Marsh Family offer another powerful rebuttal to ICE's cruelty & callousness.
We hope the good people of #SanFrancisco will forgive us for adapting a song about their city in 1967 to address the shocking and tragic events in #Minnesota in recent weeks. This is dedicated to Renée Good and Alex Pretti, and in solidarity. Our version is called "Minnesota" ❤️ youtu.be/BRHxXHZmVAM
Rev. Fred Small reposted
#ReneeNicoleGood was not the first. Justice for #KeithPorter, too. @colorofchange.bsky.social campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/na...
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Walz: "What's happening in MN defies belief. News reports simply don't do justice to the level of chaos & disruption & trauma the federal govt is raining down... This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. Instead, it's a campaign of organized brutality against the people of MN"
Honored to be interviewed with fellow activists Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor & Eric Segal on Boston Public Radio @wgbh.org about our arrests at Burlington ICE HQ for attempting to deliver food & essentials to detainees. Watch the interview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWQ... (Starts 2:08:31, ends 2:29:27)
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Stephen Miller's views are archaic, alarming, and loathsome. They must be roundly denounced and effectively opposed. #NoNeoimperialism #HandsOffVenezuela #HandsOffColombia #HandsOffCuba #HandsOffGreenland www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/u...
This Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 1 pm Boston Public Radio will interview Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor, Eric Segal & me about our arrests at Burlington ICE HQ for trying to deliver food & other essentials to detainees. Please join us in person @bpl.boston.gov or @wgbh.org 89.7 FM! www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
@wgbh.org will also livestream our interview on video at youtube.com/GBHNews. This Sunday, January 11, I'll preach on "The Peace of Trees" at firstparishweston.org. I'll also lead the congregation in singing. All are welcome at the @uua.org service, which begins at 10:30 am.
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Rev. Fred Small reposted
Closing NCAR because it produces "climate alarmism" is like closing the fire department because it produces "fire alarmism" billmckibben.substack.com/p/a-low-poin...
Last March 25 masked ICE agents abducted Tufts grad student Rümeysa Öztürk less than 1 mi. from my home. @bostonglobe.com's podcast gave me chills & brought tears for Öztürk, her family & friends & our country. @aclum.bsky.social @acluvermont.bsky.social @aclu.org www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/12/m...
I was honored to be arrested and charged with "disturbing the peace" with three others seeking to deliver food, clothing & toiletries to detainees at Burlington MA ICE HQ. ICE is rarely held accountable for violently disturbing the peace of every community it enters. www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
This is, of course, piracy. #VenezuelanTanker www.reuters.com/world/americ...
Trump and Hegseth have been committing murder on the high seas. They must be held accountable. The Medina family and all others devastated by these lawless #boatkillings deserve justice. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
I could get used to good news. #DefendDemocracy #NoKings www.cnn.com/2025/11/24/p...
With all the problems facing our country, Congress shouldn't have time to delist wolves from US safeguards. It should focus on REAL issues like jobs, health & climate. Wolves support healthy ecosystems and local tourism. #NoHR845 #ProtectEndangeredSpecies @pressley.house.gov app.sosha.ai/s/z6P9zEkM
Tell your MA legislators: Rep. Cusack's attempt to "adjust to reality" by rolling back #climate standards would surrender to Trump & harm & dishonor our state. @theclf.bsky.social @mothersoutfront.org @votesteveowens.bsky.social @senatormikebarrett.bsky.social commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
Rev. Fred Small reposted