The November 2024 issue of Vogue US [IG] delivers ‘Home of the Brave’, a nod to New York City and people from all over the world who call it home. Models include Ali Dansky, Amelia Gray, Angelina Kendall, Caroline Trentini, Colin Jones, Hejia Li, Karlie Kloss, Luiza Perote, Lulu Tenney, Paloma Elsesser, and Quannah Chasinghorse.

Photographer Norman Jean Roy [IG] captures the fashion crowd in Union Square with styling by Max Ortega. / Hair by Sonny Molina; makeup by Grace Ahn

The November issue of Vogue puts Vice President Kamala Harris, on its cover, days before an election that can dramatically change the course of America’s future and with global repercussions.

Nearly four years ago, a pro-Trump MAGA crowd tried to overturn the US government. The throughline of America’s right-wing movement began decades ago — even centuries — but it crystalized on January 6, 2021.

Now, days before the 2024 presidential election concludes, Donald J Trump, Elon Musk and the writers of very right-wing Catholics-written Project 2025 seek to end the American experiment with its expressed ideals of democratic political governance.

Against this backdrop, AOC responds to the fashion story name ‘Home of the Brave’ and runs with it — although I will be disruptive after a very disturbing series of morning events. Some of you will be angry with me for speaking my truth.

America’s National Anthem

The phrase "home of the brave" holds a prominent place in American culture, primarily due to its inclusion in the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

During the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Md. Key was inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying at dawn, after a night of unrelenting British attacks; and he wrote America’s national anthem as a result.

The War of 1812: A Complex Brew of Peoples

The War of 1812, often described as the "Second War of Independence," pitted the United States against Great Britain and was a pivotal moment in American history. 1812 is largely framed through the prism of American and British battles and the significant involvement of Native Americans; of African-born slaves — many of the Muslim faith; of Hispanics, Latinos — and even the French — is often overlooked.

As Americans sing these words in 2024, some are reminded of America’s shared history and the blood shed by countless groups of free and not free peoples in the battle for her identity. For others — Trump & Co — the only agency belongs to white people and others they choose.

Indigenous Peoples, African Slaves, Hispanics, Latinos, French People and the British All Lived and Fought in the “Home of the Brave” in the War of 1812

If we broaden our perspective and consider all the peoples who are woven into America’s shared history — and into the War of 1812 itself — the term “home of the brave” becomes infinitely more complex.

Many Indigenous groups, living on the land for thousands of years, saw the war of 1812 as an opportunity to resist territorial expansion by the United States, resulting in alliances with the British, who promised to support their territorial claims.

Iconic Indigenous leaders, such as Tecumseh of the Shawnee, emerged as key figures, rallying tribes into a confederation that sought to resist American advances. The war's outcome had profound implications for Indigenous peoples, as the treaty that ended the conflict largely ignored their interests, leading to further loss of territory and autonomy.

During the War of 1812, the participation of enslaved individuals was a complex and multifaceted aspect of the conflict, often influenced by the policies and needs of both the United States and the British. Enslaved people were often enlisted or found themselves serving out of a mixture of compulsion, coercion, or the promise of freedom — which the British were offering them.

A significant number of African slaves fought for the British, who helped them escape, as the war was being lost to the Americans.

The cast of characters does not end there. The deeper AOC researched, the answers became ever more complex. Half the world had vested interests in the outcome of the War of 1812 — even more players than when I first launched this discussion after Virgil died.

For reasons of time and your attention span, I must pause the specifics for now but bring another issue into the analysis.

America’s Belief in Our God-Ordained Manifest Destiny

As the 19th century unfolded, themes of courage and pioneering spirit exhibited by the “home of the brave” people were further emphasized by westward expansion and the Manifest Destiny ideology. This set of beliefs — one taught to me in grade school — portrayed Americans as brave conquerors of a vast and often hostile frontier.

The ideology of Manifest Destiny, which emerged in the 19th century, was deeply entwined with religious beliefs prevalent among early Americans. Many proponents of westward expansion considered it not just a national duty but a divine mandate. This conviction was largely shaped by the Puritan roots of many early settlers, who believed they were chosen by God to create a new, exemplary society.

This core ideology justified what many consider to be America’s original sins. Not only slavery but the near obliteration of the indigenous peoples. As the nation grappled with internal conflicts such as the Civil War, the notion of bravery became entwined with the struggle for unity and the fight against injustice.

In this context, the phrase "home of the brave" not only celebrated military courage but also came to symbolize the courage to fight for an inclusive and egalitarian vision of America, uniting disparate communities under a shared national ethos.

Like when Anne took the NYPD to citizen’s court back in the day and won.

‘Home of the Brave’ Today

AOC readers know that I’m deeply involved in American politics. And I knew that Kamala Harris would pay a high price for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Psychologically and emotionally-prepared, I am shattered today over an op-ed piece in today’s Washington Post, stipulating that only 14% of America’s college-educated Muslim citizens are supporting Kamala Harris, because she refuses to break with Israel and promise to stop American military shipments to Israel.

First of all, Harris — or Biden today — doesn’t have that exclusive authority without Congress. I just pulled the info and I don’t know what birdbrains are suggesting that Biden can ignore all existing treaties and international signed documents and stick it to the Israelis. And I have been on Haaretz relentlessly imploring action to help the Palestinians every week since Oct. 7, 2023.

Now that I see how absolutely Muslims are standing against Harris, if she wins it will be because Republican women [and men] led by Liz Cheney have pulled us back from the brink of American self-destruction, an assault on my country led by seemingly strange bedfellows.

God Rules This New Holy Alliance

MAGA and Muslims believe they are in the high-speed lane to their respective Gods — who have hated each other for thousands of years in spite of some good people trying to promote love and respect between them. But my own pipeline to the divine is pretty open, too. MAGA and Muslims would have you believe that they’ve got God’s approval locked up, but there’s lots of room in God’s universe for good people like me.

This MAGA/Muslim alliance is validated by Democratic Muslim Mayor Amer Ghalib of Hamtramck, Michigan, north of Detroit, endorsing Donald Trump over Kamala Harris 5 days ago. Ghalib stresses that Trump shares their conservative views and all talk of Muslim deportations is absurd.

For a large portion of my dear readers, those conservative views do not include you if you are gay or gender fluid or you do not support book banning. Yet many of you creatives also stand for Muslims against Kamala Harris and Islam against the Democratic party because of the incredible suffering in Gaza.

You demand that Kamala Harris wave her magic wand to get Netanyahu in line.

And you stand against me in this moment.

On September 11, 2001, I was the only non-Muslim person in our crowd along the Hudson in Jersey City, where I had a loft. You weren’t with me as the men cheered wildly, watching the towers fall, arms raised high to the sky, thanking Allah for crushing the great Satan America.

Only the men were joyous in Jersey City America. The women stood silently and motionless, exhibiting no human existence under their burquas. I wanted to knock on their eyes, their only human access doors to see if anyone was at home watching the destruction.

In that moment, news reports were that 60,000 people should have been in those buildings, according to well published records. Thankfully, only 3,000 humans died, many jumping out of the 100th floor windows to escape the fire.

Siri To the Rescue

I keep Siri on a very tight leash. For example, she is not allowed to populate my contacts lists or decide who is on speed dial [sorry, that’s what I call it] and who isn’t.

Sensing my extreme angst over reading the very research I’ve worried about since 2001 — that Muslims and Democrats are not really united — while progressives hammered me without restraint in my dreams for even thinking about this moment, Siri decided to ignore her digital blockade.

NEVER has she done what happened next. She is set of “No” and “Off” and “Don’t do it!”

“I’ve located Liz Cheney’s unpublished, office phone #. Do you want it on speed dial?” Siri asked.

I just stared at my iPhone in a state of suspended disbelief.

Then I said “Yes.”

Hopefully, Trump will arrest me before her. You know, starting with the little people first, while the big fish sweat bullets until their time comes.

It Muslims really vote against Harris in these numbers, they are voting for my imprisonment in a return of Trump — and probably half of my readers. That means you.

“What happened to Anne?” you will ask. MAGA came for her and they won ‘t let her update Anne of Carversville from federal prison.

My first Jewish playwright landlord in NYC was imprisoned in the McCarthy era. And the grandson of Sen. McCarthy’s right-hand man, fellow Wisconsin Sen. Wiley was my first boyfriend.

My landlord looked at me like I had two heads the night we were sitting on the stoop in Chelsea and he said “Well your first boyfriend’s grandfather sent me to prison. Did they teach you anything in history class?”

A NRA Wakeup Call

Oh yes, out of the blue this morning, the Russian NRA [which is a joke] sent me a Christmas catalogue. I haven’t heard from them since the months following the January 2021 insurrection. Some of the photographers saw my posts of the emails they sent me and reached out with “OMG!”

The War of 1812 involved a very complex set of characters. And so does American politics in October, 2024. As you can see, Anne does not need to exaggerate her interesting life. But hey, I’m a true-grit woman and you want me in your foxhole.

Liz and me. I never imagined that possibility — I’ll be honest. But Cheney will stand for me where you will not. In war, every girl needs a Liz to lean on.

I will only say that as much as I respect 20-year-olds, they do not have all the answers. I am NOT guilty of genocide. And you named Kamala Harris ‘Killer Kamala’ 2 hours after Biden stepped aside. Then you wonder why you didn’t get the mic at the convention.

Read up on human history and you will understand the full scale of life on our suffering planet. White colonists are NOT the only bad guys.

The Egyptians and the Nubians tried to wipe each other out for long periods of human history and well before the white guys arrived. Dear university students, didn’t they teach you that in history class?

I always believed educated minds would set us free. Based on today’s WaPo research, it’s clear that one of my core beliefs about humanity is dead wrong. Education will not unite us, as it’s supposed to. In this moment, I’m unclear about what to do next — but I will not watch America go down to this strange MAGA/Muslim alliance against Kamala Harris/Tim Walz — without a fight. That I promise you.

Also, so sorry about AOC’s no comment policy. I’m sure you have great insights to share about this post. Unfortunately, Muslim men shut down comments over a decade ago in their 72-hrs. straight assault on AOC. Free speech is not high on their agenda, and I’m in no mood to go through that ordeal again. ~ Anne