Michael Pates
@mpates.bsky.social
Human rights lawyer and executive editor of cylindr — the online magazine & meetinghouse for human rights & rule of law advocacy. (Posts are personal.)
Check out cylindr!
cylindrmag.substack.com
On Bluesky
cylindrmag.bsky.social
On Instagram @cylindrmag
Check out cylindr!
cylindrmag.substack.com
On Bluesky
cylindrmag.bsky.social
On Instagram @cylindrmag
It’s a good’n.
NEW PODCAST EPISODE
Rule of Law Defenders
“The Veteran”
Subscribe
cylindrmag.substack.com
#ruleoflaw
#TreatPeopleRight
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Rule of Law Defenders
“The Veteran”
Subscribe
cylindrmag.substack.com
#ruleoflaw
#TreatPeopleRight
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
The Veteran
Andrew Solomon has helped build, promote, and defend rule of law systems all over the world for more than thirty years. He reflects on where the rule of law is today, and what to do about it.
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:53 PM
It’s a good’n.
Reposted by Michael Pates
Trump’s invasion of Venezuela is many things, a few of them good and many bad, with most of the latter yet to be realized. One of the main things it is: Yet more attempted conditioning of the American people and the world for American autocracy.
January 3, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Trump’s invasion of Venezuela is many things, a few of them good and many bad, with most of the latter yet to be realized. One of the main things it is: Yet more attempted conditioning of the American people and the world for American autocracy.
Happy to share cylindr’s year-end review of its work since formally launching in Septmember, and its resolutions for what will be a pivotal 2026 for democracy, human rights, and a just rule of law. Deep thanks to our subscribers!
Subscribe
cylindrmag.substack.com
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Subscribe
cylindrmag.substack.com
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Review '25 / Resolutions '26
'Tis the season for fightin' some treason.
open.substack.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:48 PM
#accountability overdue.
December 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
#accountability overdue.
My latest in cylindr. @cylindrmag.bsky.social
“Economies exist to serve human needs, not the other way around….”
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
The Democratic Capitalist
A capitalist. But not a dick about it.
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
My latest in cylindr. @cylindrmag.bsky.social
NEW PODCAST EPISODE (FREE): Dr. Beth Van Schaack, former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, on how post-conflict societies seek to achieve peace and accountability.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Transitional Justice
Dr. Beth Van Schaack, former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, on how post-conflict societies seek to achieve both peace and accountability.
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:39 PM
First, the descending escalator. Now, the demolished East Wing. It’s been ten years of campy, symbolic foreshadowing and actual, epic destruction.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
On a Wing and a Stair
First, the descending escalator. Now, the demolished East Wing. It's been ten years of campy, symbolic foreshadowing and actual, epic destruction.
open.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Check it out!👇
“Her adventures in human rights and rule of law work have included releasing an innocent prisoner from death row, advising Pussy Riot, getting kicked out of two countries and yelled at by several autocrats….”
The Melissa Hooper interview on Rule of Law Defenders
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
The Melissa Hooper interview on Rule of Law Defenders
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
The Advocate's Advocate
Melissa Hooper discusses her multifaceted career as a rule of law defender.
open.substack.com
October 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Check it out!👇
NEW PODCAST EPISODE!
Rule of Law Defenders
Paul Smith, one of the great national champions of LGBTQ+ rights and of voting rights, discusses Supreme Court advocacy and the rule of law in this moment.
Episode 7:
“Equal Justice Under Law”
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Rule of Law Defenders
Paul Smith, one of the great national champions of LGBTQ+ rights and of voting rights, discusses Supreme Court advocacy and the rule of law in this moment.
Episode 7:
“Equal Justice Under Law”
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Equal Justice Under Law
Paul Smith, one of the leading national champions of LGBTQ+ rights and of voting rights, discusses Supreme Court advocacy and the rule of law in this moment.
open.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 9:56 PM
“Yeah, if rule of law is just left to lawyers, then we’ve kind of lost the thread….Engage, self-educate, and volunteer with a vengeance….”
— Scott Carlson, Lawyer and Rule of Law Defender
— Scott Carlson, Lawyer and Rule of Law Defender
NEW FREE PODCAST! Rule of Law Defenders
Featuring real-life advocates advancing human rights and rule of law worldwide. Everything you care about is affected by whether people in power are held accountable. Join us to learn more—and empower yourself along the way.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Featuring real-life advocates advancing human rights and rule of law worldwide. Everything you care about is affected by whether people in power are held accountable. Join us to learn more—and empower yourself along the way.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Rule of Law Defenders
Podcast Episode 1: "State of Affairs"
open.substack.com
July 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
“Yeah, if rule of law is just left to lawyers, then we’ve kind of lost the thread….Engage, self-educate, and volunteer with a vengeance….”
— Scott Carlson, Lawyer and Rule of Law Defender
— Scott Carlson, Lawyer and Rule of Law Defender
April 11, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Out-fucking-rageous.
Adolf Hitler's “Mein Kampf” is still on U.S. Naval Academy shelves. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “Memorializing the Holocaust” are not.
An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office led to a purge of books that are critical of racism — but preserved volumes defending white power.
An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office led to a purge of books that are critical of racism — but preserved volumes defending white power.
Who’s In and Who’s Out at the Naval Academy’s Library?
An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office resulted in a purge of books critical of racism but preserved volumes defending white power.
www.nytimes.com
April 11, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Out-fucking-rageous.
Reposted by Michael Pates
“We are free to change the world and start something new in it.” — Hannah Arendt
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
So You Want to Change the World
Building an activist career amidst disruption and opportunity.
open.substack.com
April 2, 2025 at 1:14 PM
“We are free to change the world and start something new in it.” — Hannah Arendt
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Reposted by Michael Pates
Reposted by Michael Pates
“It’s surprising how often individuals and organizations who should be natural allies based on their values and interests take a long time to come to the same table….”
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Interview with Zamira Djabarova
Lawyer / Labor Rights Advocate
open.substack.com
January 13, 2025 at 1:56 PM
“It’s surprising how often individuals and organizations who should be natural allies based on their values and interests take a long time to come to the same table….”
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Reposted by Michael Pates
Reposted by Michael Pates
Reposted by Michael Pates
In a novel time of entrenched extremes, the question remains, which kind of extremist will we be—for love or hate? Justice or injustice? Ourselves alone or the common good, too? In keeping with King, our answer will determine whether we’re still fit to be free.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
"What Kind of Extremist Will We Be?"
Answering MLK today.
open.substack.com
November 18, 2024 at 1:50 AM
In a novel time of entrenched extremes, the question remains, which kind of extremist will we be—for love or hate? Justice or injustice? Ourselves alone or the common good, too? In keeping with King, our answer will determine whether we’re still fit to be free.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Reposted by Michael Pates
Americans today are locked in an existential conflict to determine whether the people elected to safeguard our republic, and the people who vote for them, and the people who inform the people, have simply left it to die.
Four years from now, we’ll know.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Four years from now, we’ll know.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
The Big If
The challenge now is not whether we can "keep" our republic, but reclaim it.
open.substack.com
November 18, 2024 at 1:55 AM
Americans today are locked in an existential conflict to determine whether the people elected to safeguard our republic, and the people who vote for them, and the people who inform the people, have simply left it to die.
Four years from now, we’ll know.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...
Four years from now, we’ll know.
open.substack.com/pub/cylindrm...