Times Are Tough; The World Is a Mess: But Here's What We're Grateful For and Why We Need Your Help

Times are tough. The world is a mess. American politics is very scary. Yet we can't let all the bad news overwhelm us. It's important to connect with our often forgotten drive to honor our blessings and share them, both personally and in the big picture.

Here's a baker's dozen of some of the people and movements—and there are many more—that we are thankful for in 2015: 

1. Elizabeth Warren, for fighting the big banks and the student loan industry.
2. Bernie Sanders, for ensuring that there is a national debate about inequality.
3. Black Lives Matter, for reminding us about the truths of racism. 
4. Amy Goodman and Laura Flanders, for banging the truth drums every day on the air at Democracy Now! and Telesur.
5. Drug Policy Alliance, for fighting on behalf of the thousands rotting in jail for using pot.
6. Pope Francis in the Vatican, not perfect, but telling the truth about climate change. 
7. President Obama, for rejecting the Keystone Pipeline. 
8. The Missouri Football team and its coach, for standing up to racism.
9. Amy Schumer, for taking risks with her feminism and making us laugh. 
10. Robert Reich, for being AlterNet readers' favorite writer with huge insights every time. 
11. John Oliver, for brilliantly making a difference every Sunday night. 
12. Brave Muslim Americans like Rula Jebreal, for standing up to Bill Maher and the Islamophobes.
13. Noam Chomsky for being Noam. No need to say more. 

And finally, for donors like you who understand that independent media depends on generous contributions.

Please support us so we can continue working with all of the above for a sane and caring world.