Blog 17

February 14, 2017

We must do this ourselves

The predictions of where our government is headed are dire . We have an unpredictable president, and identity politics along with gross economic inequalities have swayed much of the western world to the right.  Those of us who object and wish to resist are doing this from the ground up.  Indivisible has taken from the Tea Party some of its lessons about developing local capacity and  how members of congress respond to public opinion.  The key is everyone in Congress’s first concern is about re-election.  However, Indivisible is not following the Tea Party in its extremist rhetoric or tactics  similar to our current president’s use  of rebuke, threats and criticism.  Instead ,Indivisible recommends that we come from a place of respect and civility as we stand our ground.

This has led me to think about writers  and activists who have reflected on times like these:

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” 

― James Baldwin

 Lao Tzu’s poem (sent to me by reader Patrick from Belgium):

A leader is best 

When people barely know that he exists,

Not so good when people obey and acclaim him,

Worst when they despise him.

`Fail to honor people,

They fail to honor you;’

But of a good leader, who talks little,

When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,

They will all say, “We did this ourselves.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

In South Africa, we could not have achieved our freedom and just peace without the help of people around the world, who through the use of non-violent means, such as boycotts and divestment, encouraged their governments and other corporate actors to reverse decades-long support for the Apartheid regime. 

These great writers and so many more help me remember that human beings have been through times like these before.  The lesson of history is that most people tend to be swayed by social norms and it is there that the danger lies.  Tyrants take advantage of passivity and complacency.  Only when people stand together and resist has freedom prevailed.   And I ask myself where is the Democratic party in all this.  I read that they felt relief at their retreat.  Really.  We need young vibrant progressive leaders who will reach out to good people even of different persuasions. My bet they will come from the women in Congress.  In the meantime, those of us on the sidelines will gather together into the center  of the public eye by witnessing  and speaking out about what we see and what we will not abide.

 Wise Words

from  Anne Hallinan on Facebook

Some good advice about how to constructively handle the near future: 

George Lakoff (UC Prof of Linguistics and Cognitive Science) spoke Sunday on how words matter and how 98% of our thoughts are unconscious. In terms of resistance to the new regime, he noted: 

1. Don't use the POTUS' name. 

2. This is a regime, and he's not acting alone. 

3. Do not argue with those who support him; it doesn't work.
4. Focus on his policies, not his orange-ness and mental state.
5. Keep your message positive; the administration wants the country to be angry and fearful because this is the soil from which their darkest policies will grow.
6. Minimize helpless/hopeless/apocalyptic talk.
7. Support artists and the arts.
8. Be careful not to spread fake news; check it.
9. Take care of yourselves.
10. And #Resist! 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/opinion/no-more-rules-of-the-game.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fthe-conversation&action=click&contentCollection=opinion&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection

Excerpt:

Gail: 

Well the first challenge for the Democrats is to come up with a

message somewhat more powerful than “the cabinet nominees   

 are terrible.

And instead of just letting the Republicans flop around over 

health care, I’d like to see the Democrats chart out a vision of 

their own for improving what is obviously an imperfect cure

ent system. “Medicare for all” sounds good to me.

 ……….

Gail:

The real message of the post-Trump Democratic Party will probably be hammered out by the next generation of presidential candidates. But there are spectacular numbers of people out there organizing right now, and I hope they’ll be looking for smart, progressive candidates to run for the state legislatures. That’s where the Republicans really won the game. When the next census is done and it’s time to redraw congressional districts again, the Democrats should be ready to go to war against the government.

Action

Order Red Cards which outline peoples’ rights and give them out to immigrants and refugees. https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards

Make copies and hand out the ACLU Know Your rights. https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights

from Kaethe Weingarten’s Facebook

From a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend who had the privilege of attending a small breakfast with NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Sunday. She gave the assembled group some important tips:

1. Re-post (don't just share) on social media. It has an enormous magnifying impact that the alt-right has mastered.

2. Support women candidates. They are the only ones in congress right now who actually engage in reasoned, bi-partisan discussions. [***I want to repeat this: They are the only ones in congress right now who actually engage in reasoned, bi-partisan discussions.]
There are 25 contested senate races in 2018, including these women who need our help: Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Claire McClaskill of Missouri, Kirsten Gillibrand, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Maria Cantwell of Washington and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Some pretty important swing states! (And a friend of Jordan's suggested we all go to these women's Facebook pages and like them, follow them on Twitter, and send them even a small donation.)
3. Support your candidate early. Building a large war chest early deters