Blog 14

January 28,2017

Survival Guide for Living in the Era of Trump

Terry Gross on Fresh Air this week interviewed Evan Osnos. who has written about the rich in Silicon Valley who are preparing for the Armageddon they believe will come.  http://www.npr.org/2017/01/25/511507434/why-some-silicon-valley-tech-executives-are-bunkering-down-for-doomsday. This survival movement has been around before Donald Trump, but it is getting a fair amount of attention right now.  The reasons these men, and I suppose some women, are stocking up and building protective underground shelters are far-ranging, from natural disasters to a belief that there will be an assault on technologists by large numbers of  workers  when they realize that they have been replaced by robots with artificial intelligence far surpassing their own. For those of us with less resources and perhaps less paranoia, I’m recommending less dramatic survival strategies.

Ellen’s Survival Kit

Step one:  Set daily and weekly goals - activist, other life essentials, relaxation.

Step two:   Set up a daily schedule for when and for how much time I will spend on the internet, facebook and my phone.  

I give myself an hour in the morning, an hour mid-day and then an hour in the early evening.  When I go into the studio to sculpt I leave my phone in the car.  At night when I go down to our bedroom, my phone and computer are upstairs in the kitchen.  On the internet, I read almost nothing about what Trump has said, but focus on what he has done.  I keep my eye out for what seems like unsubstantiated proposals or outright lies. Examples: Trump proposes  20% tax on all imports.  30,000 people in California told Dianne Feinstein to vote yes on Sessions.  5,000 said no. Now really??

Step three:  Work with others, but limit conversations about Trump at all times.   

Step four:    when  despondence crept in this week because:

—Senator  Warren caved in and voted yes for Ben Carson. 

—Trump blocked money to any International program providing abortions, 

—My seven year old granddaughter asked: ”Did you know that the president touches women’s  private parts?” Gleaned from the playground 

— I began  to believe that the Congress will be unmoved.

I told myself that anxiety is inevitable right now.  It can either overwhelm me or be a signal to do more and not to forget the other parts of my life so I…..

—- sculpted, played with my grandchildren, spent time with  my husband and friends , read poetry and a good novel,  listened to music, and took long walks watching for spring. In other words remembered that for now we are free to enjoy our lives as we fight for our freedom and the freedom of others.

And,  I thought about all the people who are working right now to resist Trump. I reminded  myself that I am not alone in this dilemma and history tells me that we can make a difference.

  I ask you to think of a plan for yourself so that you can live through these hard times and stay involved.  Please share your plan with others.  Post it here. 

Wise Words

Governor Brown in his state of the state address said his two greatest concerns were nuclear disaster and climate change.  He exhorted us to speak about those issues that may be getting lost in the morass of all that is happening.

Similar  concerns were  echoed by  journalist Masha Gessen  in a recent interview. Frightening perspective, but crucial if we are going to stay awake

http://jezebel.com/sam-bees-interview-with-journalist-masha-gessen-is-abso-1791376170

Excerpt:

On Wednesday’s episode of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Gessen destroys every one of Sam Bee’s hopes for the future fight one by one. After leading Gessen to her underground bunker hidden in a Soul Cycle, Bee asks her, “What is the recipe for successfully resisting an autocracy?” Gessen’s response is grim.

“I get asked that a lot,” she says, carefully, “You know I had to flee my country. Most efforts to successfully resist that I know of—failed.”

But wait! There’s more. Bee rallies and asks, “What are your biggest worries about the incoming Trump administration?” Gessen says, “Oh, my biggest worry is a nuclear holocaust.” Same, sister, but that’s not what anyone wants to hear right now. Gessen goes on to list all of Trump’s likely steps as an autocratic ruler, from blocking the press to challenging resistance by turning citizens against each other. When Bee questions the canniness of Trump’s mind and his ability to so cunningly manipulate us, Gessen explains that his tactics are the instinctual act of a bully, who knows that denying your reality robs you of the things you know and believe in, which is how you fight.

After the inevitability of America’s decline is so clearly outlined, Bee wonders if there’s anything we can do to resist. Gessen answers, “The thing I think to do, and this is my recipe, is to actually continue panicking, to be the hysteric in the room who says, ‘This is not normal.’

“Remember why you’re panicking. Write a note to yourself about what you would never do. And when you come to the line, don’t cross it.”

How to read the news forwarded message from Talia at Resist provided by my friend Louise.

https://tinyletter.com/resist  Raise your hand if you are gonna fight

 Excerpt:

Part II:

In the interest of being an informed and therefore empowered resistance, I want to talk for a second about informational literacy. I want to reiterate that in an era in which the Presidency has declared open war against facts, it's important to keep our eyes on the ball when it comes to facts. Not just when it comes to statements about abhorrent actions from the administration, but also when it comes to statements from "our side" -- things that fill you with hope or rage or both. In my non-Resistance life I work with facts, and I want to impart some lessons that I've learned in that work.

Here are some controversies and rumors that arose in the last week, and my take on them:

-An unsourced social-media document came out stating that Sen. Dianne Feinstein was considering voting for Sessions and prompting calls to her office.

Talia's Take: It's great to call your representatives, no matter what the impetus. But always be critical of information you can't source, especially when it's going around social media like a firestorm. Ask yourself: does this match up with what I know? Can I find the information replicated in any other source, particularly trusted media sources?

-"Rogue" Alt-Nasa, Alt-EPA, Alt-National Parks Service and other Twitter accounts were created and reported on this week by some press outlets, who said the organizations were "going rogue." 

Talia's Take: These accounts are awesome, and if you want a dose of sassy science facts, more power to ya! Just be critical and thoughtful when it comes to the idea that these are actually staffed by government scientists. Much of critical information consumption lies in reading past the headline: while the CBS story I link to above says that the EPA, for example, is "going rogue," the second paragraph states, "It’s unclear who’s behind these accounts, but their strong defense of established climate science quickly won them a big following." Keep in mind that a critical reader is one who reads to the end. Even if something seems amazing, don't trust it automatically: use the age-old journalistic adage "trust, but verify," and if something can't be verified, don't trust it.

-Several concerned folks sent me a Daily Kos article about Swingleft,  which aims to mobilize people to turn their nearby swing districts blue. The article raised concerns about the organization's lack of transparency, but it also made some weird and baseless allegations, chiefly centered around the business partner of one of the founders having a Russian last name. Since then, Swingleft has released more information about its founders.

Talia's Take: Transparency is good! But as tempting as it is, try not to fall prey to conspiratorial thinking. If you can't find information about a resource or tool, try reaching out to their contact information; see if it's been reported on in the press in a substantive way; and remember that some of the hardest-fighting dissidents on our side have Russian last names too -- like Masha Gessen!

Here's a great critical-thinking and information-consumption guide from NPR that's a good series of principles to keep in mind: http://www.npr.org/2016/12/11/505154631/a-finders-guide-to-facts

How Not to Be Afraid

By RACHEL MARIE STONE JAN. 20, 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/opinion/sunday/how-not-to-be-afraid.html

Excerpt:

When I was in elementary school, I had recurring nightmares about the Holocaust. A certainty hung around me like heavy, dust-filmed drapes — a conviction that it not only could happen again but would. I couldn’t focus on multiplication

problems or long division. I was too busy figuring out where I might hide when they came for me.

……….…

I now have two sons, a third grader and a fifth grader. They know of Hitler’s existence, though I’ve withheld the details. They know about their great-grandfather in general terms, too. They know he was a creative inventor and an illusion-loving showman, but not a very nice man. I don’t mention armbands,

portraits of Himmler and unspeakable racist jokes. I’m not sure when I’ll bring that up, or how. I know that it’s a privilege to shelter children, and it’s one I’m clinging to.

My sons also know something about the election and Mr. Trump, but again, I’ve left much unsaid. We talk about hate and disrespect but we don’t get into particulars. I turn the radio off when they enter the room. For now, I encourage their knowledge of — and love for — Ruby Bridges, Rosa

Parks and other heroes of the civil rights movement. Together, we seek out inspiring civic and cultural figures to learn about, and I try to nurture their patriotic interest in politics and government by explaining how it all works.

I know I will have to talk with them about hate and how biases form in us and others. Having a white supremacist in the family has instilled in me a painful vigilance about my child rearing, as well as a zeal for building bridges over cultural

divisions. But I don’t want them to build their lives around anger, and resistance fueled solely by fear begets only more fear. Clear eyed vigilance and action, motivated by joyful resistance, is a possibility for all of us.

Actions:

From Cynthia in West Linn, Oregon

Our community here has traditionally been conservative (with some strong elements of bigotry in the local schools and police dept). However I've discovered only one state political representative is Republican, the rest are Democrats. That's a change from the past and of course no guarantee. So far our Senators are voting against nominees. 

Right now I'm leading the Schools Committee and we are supporting activist students of color fighting bigotry in the wake Trump. Also we are in conversation with local police and city council re racial profiling and local acts of hate recently... essentially letting them know we are watching what action they are taking and then spreading the word to others.

Next meeting, the group will decide if we will join Indivisible to add a crucial layer to our work. At least some of us want to, so those of us who do can add that level of response. The fact that this community has been seen as very white and conservative makes our message all the more important. 

Indivisible Euclid, Berkeley

22 member strong.  Facebook Indivisible Euclid. This week actions call representatives and ask them to say no on Trumps cabinet appointments.

Call Senator Warren  202-224- who voted yes for Ben Carson and remind her that we count on her to resist these confirmations.

Call your representatives and tell them to resist the confirmations especially of Sessions, Pruitt, Price and De Voss.  Let them know you are watching them.

Publicize any actions you and the groups you join take.  Tell others. Go to the band edia. Keep the Resist Trump movement alive and growing.

Join Indivisible Group.  https://www.indivisibleguide.com or start a group.