How Close Are We to Criminalizing Kindness?

What terrifies me more than any authoritarian regime? The influencers and public figures with millions of followers... who choose silence while democracy unravels.

In this episode, I’m launching my activist era with an unfiltered look at the chilling case of Ksenia Karlina—a dual citizen sentenced to 12.5 years in a Russian prison for donating $50 to Ukrainian children. While America isn’t there yet, the signs are hard to ignore:
🚫 Book bans
🚫 Diversity rollbacks
🚫 Black history censored
🚫 The word "woke" turned into an insult for simply caring

This episode is not about politics—it’s about humanity, compassion, and courage. If you’ve been feeling like you’re the only one noticing this shift... you’re not alone. You’re just awake.

✨ In this episode:

• Why influencers staying silent is more dangerous than trolls being loud
• The real reason Ksenia Karlina’s story matters to Americans
• How “neutrality” has become complicity
• What YOU can do—no platform or political degree required

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Chapters

• 0:00 Silence of Influencers
• 1:07 What Being Woke Really Means
• 1:36 Russian Imprisonment for Charity
• 2:34 American Censorship Reality Check
• 4:09 Why Neutrality Equals Complicity
• 5:28 Call to Action: Stay Disruptive

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

You know what scares me more than Trump? Silence, the influencers with millions of followers that say nothing, the people that are just acting like. This is politics as usual. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here thinking I'm the crazy one, because if you're watching Fox News, I look like I've lost my mind, but if you're paying attention or if you have even a shred of empathy in your body, you know something's off. You know it. You know it. I'm Christy Chanel, and this is Sassy Politics.

Speaker 1: 1:07

This isn't about being woke or being a leftist or whatever word you're trying to make dirty this week. Being woke, that means my eyes are open. It means I care about people more than I care about profit. It means I stand against anything that is morally corrupt more than powerful and popular. If that's dangerous, then maybe we should all get a little bit more dangerous.

Speaker 1: 1:24

Today's episode is about fear, silence and the very real threat of living here in America today. Not Russia, america. Let's start with something that hit me big. Recently, a woman named Ksenia Karlina, a dual US and Russian citizen, was just sentenced to 12 and a half years in a Russian prison. Her crime Donating $50, $50 to a Ukraine children's charity in 2022. That's not a justice system. That's authoritarianism control, that's the criminalization of compassion. Now, what does that have to do with us? It's a mirror. It's a warning, because authoritarianism doesn't just show up waving red flags. It sneaks in while we're all busy doom scrolling, while we watch influencers sell skincare, while democracy dies in the comments.

Speaker 1: 2:34

Let's be honest. Are we really that different? In Florida, they have banned schools from teaching systematic racism. Museums are censoring exhibits on black history. Websites are scrubbing DEI like it's a virus. They're not just banning books, they're banning truth. The Smithsonian faced backlash for educating people about white privilege and racism. Right-wing groups demanded they tone it down. They're trying to silence facts, just like Russia silenced dissent. It just looks prettier. Here and don't get me started on online censorship Red states are trying to pass laws that make it harder to moderate hate speech, but easier to punish people who speak out against their agenda.

Speaker 1: 3:28

So no, we're not Russia yet, but the silence, the fear, the rewriting of history. That's the same playbook. And if you think I'm being dramatic, ask the rest of the world. Countries like Canada, new Zealand and Australia have issued travel advisories for the US, citing gun violence, hate crimes and political unrest. Yes, we are the country they are being warned about. We used to be the place people ran to. Now we're the country that your cousin gets afraid to visit. So tell me again who's crazy.

Speaker 1: 4:09

Let's talk about influencers, the ones with the millions of followers, the ones with brand deals and check marks. You've got all this visibility and you won't say anything. While Trump promises revenge, book bans explode and entire communities are being targeted. Why? Why? Because we might lose a deal Because it's not on brand. If your brand can't handle morality, maybe it's not a brand at all. It's simply a business built on cowardice.

Speaker 1: 4:41

Here's the truth. Staying neutral in moments of injustice is not neutrality, it's complicity. And your silence is a choice, and a privileged one. I'm not saying this to scare you. I'm saying it because we have to stop pretending that it's not happening. We can still fight back, but we need to show up and speak out, take real steps. This means using your platform, no matter how small, calling your elected officials, supporting organizations like ACLU, sharing content that empowers and educates and yes, unfollowing people that stay silent while our democracy burns to the ground.

Speaker 1: 5:25

You don't need to be perfect, you just need to participate. This is the first episode of my activism era. I don't have a degree in political science. I'm sure you figured that one out and I definitely do not have all the answers, but I've got a mic and a voice and the willingness to speak even when it's uncomfortable. So if you've ever felt like the crazy one, just know you're not, you're awake, you're paying attention and I hope you'll walk with me as I learn to fight, protect and disrupt. Follow me at Christy Chanel on Instagram. New episodes every Monday, stay loud, stay feminist and stay disruptive.