Both the New York Times and the Washington Post today ran op-eds from Republicans or former Republicans urging members of their party who still value democracy to vote Democratic until the authoritarian faction that has taken over their party is bled out of it.
At 74 years old, I dearly wish not to have to hit the streets once again—-yet I increasingly feel compelled by this current, terrifying, slow rolling coup to do my bit once more to push things forward because this is the worst American crisis I’ve witnessed, of many in my life—McCarthyism up close as a child; Mississippi Summer; the Vietnam protests; and, for me through it all always, the fight for Women’s Rights. But, sigh, here we go again, this time, astonishingly, for the preservation of our basic democracy and for fundamental Voting Rights in the ever-evolving American battlefield over such things since before our founding as a republic—-the roiling history of which HCR so beautifully clarifies for us in her brilliant letters every day.
For myself, and for all of us willing to go forward yet once again to fight and organize in whatever way we’re each best suited to, I invoke the blazing, inspirational spirit of John Lewis who never gave up. Onward: it truly feels like now or never this time.
Same age. Same rage. This is the most frightening time I have ever experienced. All my past furies are dwarfed by the horrors of the day. There is a deadly disease of fascistic thinking sweeping the nation. It's as if the principles of reality and truly fair elections were just inconveniences to be tossed aside in favor of hate.
We need to make some noise. Good noise. Good trouble...
I’m of your generation as well and will march in front of Manchins’s home if asked to! Just tell me when and where! I have my marching shoes on and ready to make some GOOD TROUBLE!
I’m older than you and agree with every word. Not able to do things I used to do, and I don’t have Soros’ money, but a little fight is left, and will give it all for my grands.
I will write, march, sign petitions and more for democracy and for climate action on behalf of my 3 cherished grandchildren and their future grandchildren. I also only make investments that are in line with those goals! When I was first buying my own toilet paper many years ago, I refused to buy Charmin because of their ads demeaning women as simpletons... just a little research shows which products to avoid. Hurt them in their bottom lines!
I'm all for taking peaceful action on helping to save the democracy (words are not enough). The same applies to the climate crisis: Washington Post Live, 10 am Eastern today on "Protecting Our Planet: Role of Business & Investing". I'm always impressed by how many of us read Dr. Richardson's Letters here and on FB, I hope we can make a difference!
Exposure and action make a difference. Several of us have mentioned the Lincoln Project and how their ads expose these companies, the latest of which are the AT&T funding of OAN. They made a great ad, and lo and behold, AT&T stock has dropped: https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1447655122889236488
Saw it as well. Very effective. Why the Democratic Party hasn't hired a firm equally skilled at such ads is baffling. The Lincoln Project work cuts through the noise and delivers the essence of what's wrong.
I've said the same thing in another chat group. Why the Democrats haven't hired a marketing firm for messaging is baffling! They seriously need to in order to push back against all of the horrible Republican noise.
Right there with all commenters above. We must go once again into the breach! Re: Charmin, glad you boycott them for demeaning women. I boycott Charmin and all t.p. brands not made from 100% recycled paper. I don't want anyone cutting down trees just so I can....
And don’t buy Georgia Pacific brands. Some of them include Angel Soft and Quilted Northern toilet paper and Brawny paper towels plus lots more. They’re owned by Koch Industries.
Thanks heaps for the tip Laura. I'll write directly to the remaining Koch, bless the load, and suggest he can serve the environment by making it a policy to use his toilet paper on both sides.
Wow. I didn’t realize Koch was involved there. I buy the Costco brand of TP. It’s the only one for the last 20 years or so. Now I will have to check it out on a different level.
Never thought I'd say this here but..........washable reusable flannel squares are very soft and absorbent on the tushy. Rinse off with a bidet or a peri bottle first and pat dry, no paper needed. I have a little lidded trashcan next to the toilet for depositing used squares and just through them in with my regular laundry. We could save entire forests....
I have canvassed and will for the midterms. I've written hundreds of letters via Vote Forward to potential voters, currently I'm in the VA campaign. I hope others will do phone banking, I'm hopeless with that. We all do the best we can!
I've been doing the VA letters for Vote Forward as well-mailing a second batch later this week. I like that it allows one to put forward more ideas as to why voting is important. I did some post cards for another group but it only allowed one script. (Not as satisfying for me nor as informative for the voters.)
I agree… I was not happy with the script of “thanks for being a voter”! for the NJ election! I felt I did some good when I wrote in 2020 for GA and specifically mentioned Warnick and Ossoff!
I knocked on doors in 2016 but since my area is so rural and trumpian we were advised to mail postcards as knocking on doors could become rather dicey.
Ditto for me. I will hit the streets again, go to jail if necessary. Nonviolent protest will be my pitchfork and chopping ax. Eugene Robinson is the first commentator I've seen who has called it like it is. Civil War. It is here; it is upon us. He urges us to start thinking now how democracy lovers need to respond. With nonviolence. The Civil War proved as all wars do that it never settles anything, except of course it freed the slaves. We must never forget that. But the perpetrators are still with us; the big mistake was not dividing the country into North and South. We must figure out a better way. I don't now how to do it but we must.
Indeed. The Civil War "freed" the slaves only technically. In the aftermath, their freedom was crushed by lynchings and intimidation. That war killed people. It did not kill the hate that still thrives.
This is what concerns me the most. How do you combat county-by-county takeovers of election offices, particularly the ones which certify presidential and Congressional/Senatorial elections?
Personally, living in the South, I think the Loser’s like Trump never accepted it. If anything “The Never Forget “ thing has signaled a Perpetual ideology. One day it’s the American Flag. Some days it’s the Confederate or both. I pledge my Allegiance to our Nations Flag. You didn’t see our Military ‘Ever ‘ carry a Confederate Flag to War’s did you.
Totally agree. Another big mistake is saying whatever we do doesn't matter. We are beaten down and dispirited. We need to gather ourselves together and rise up.
Deadly serious question here. Anyone know how one organizes a MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY?
I would like to refer you to the Rev Wm Barber, who is a black Christian minister, but who is non-violent, articulate, and already has a movement of folks from all races concerned with the government and its neglect of impoverished people.
Thank you Hope for alerting us to the work of The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. He is '...the President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival; Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries; Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary; Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and the author of four books: We Are Called To Be A Movement; Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing; The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and The Rise of a New Justice Movement; and Forward Together: A Moral Message For The Nation.'
'Rev. Dr. Barber is also the architect of the Moral Movement, which began with weekly Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013 and recently relaunched again online in August 2020 under the banner of the Poor People’s Campaign. In 2018, Rev. Dr. Barber helped relaunch the Poor People’s Campaign—which was begun by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968—starting with a historic wave of protests in state capitals and in Washington, D.C., calling for a moral agenda and a moral budget to address the five interlocking injustices of systemic racism, systemic poverty, the war economy and militarism, ecological devastation and denial of healthcare, and the false moral narrative of Christian nationalism. There are currently 45 state coordinating committees across the country, mobilizing around the Poor People’s Jubilee Platform and We Must Do M.O.R.E. (mobilize, organize, register, and educate people for a movement that votes).' (Repairers of the Breach) See link below:
"We are beaten down and dispirited." I can agree with dispirited, but not with beaten down. Democrats tend to be decent people. Not easily ignited to the violence that Rumplicans find easy to do. I think because of our decency and respect for others, we just don't know what to do. We don't have investments such as guns, hate of POC, fear of immigrants, etc. to gaslight us to violently protest, threaten decent elected officials, and vote a "savior" into office. We use our intellect and do things like write emails, postcards, make phone calls, read everything we can, comment on blogs, etc. instead of showing up at school board meetings, local government meetings, and we haven't been able to plan and implement major protests. We don't have our Drump flags, hats, patriotic shirts, and carry around handguns on our hips or machine guns in our arms spewing swear words, insults, and threats at protests. We practice safeguards for ourselves and others to prevent a deadly virus from spreading. I haven't seen any group protests to push wearing a mask or getting the vaccine. No, we just don't know what to do to get our message across to the ignorant among us. (I don't mean the stupid followers of a dictator-wanna-be, but those who just aren't paying attention. There are a lot of Americans who just don't have a clue.)
Put the word out, Barbara, start making your ideas heard, friends, farmers’ market, PTA ppl, everywhere, and you’ll be surprised how and which people will come forward to help you. Good on ya….
I like your call to action. I think there are several coalitions that would join such a march including but not limited to the Women's March, SPLC, Climate Change organizations, and those who are concerned with voting rights such as Stacy Abrams, et al. See my note below, especially.
It’s moving to see how so many people in the United States are fully awake to the crisis and are willing to drag themselves to the ramparts to fight for it, through the medium of mass protest. I thrill to read those sentiments today. It’s become apparent - finally- that large segments of the country are aware (again *finally*) that the ultimate danger is breathtakingly close.
My fear is that protests will be met with counterprotests and that serious violence will then ensue. The other side is huge, far down the bizarre rabbit hole of Trumpism, and a significant number are chillingly prepared for violence. I have no trouble believing Bannon when he promises “20 000 shock troops”.
As it stands, I don’t think Biden has the proverbial snowball’s chance to get his agenda through - in any significant way. His margin for error in the House and Senate is much too small. And the Republicans are killing time.
Thus will 2022 be lost, no matter the diligence and energy of the phone bankers, and the $$$ of people desperate for democracy. And 2024 is a lost cause. Outright cheating will ensure that no Democrat becomes President.
But there is one solution to this mess. The law. Donald Trump needs/deserves/must be arrested, perp-walked, tried, convicted and jailed. There is more than ample evidence. There are investigations in New York and Georgia.
As the entire GOP is Trumpist in its orientation now, their leader being jailed would leave them rudderless. The ground would be cut away from them in one fell swoop. The cancer would be cut out and the body would recover gradually.
My nagging suspicion is this - do Trump’s investigators have the courage to charge and try him? I am seriously beginning to wonder.
I’m 71. And I, like yourself, have seen and been involved in so many things but I wonder what good any protesting does. None of it seems to change anything. Maybe take up arms? I’m willing to die for freedom. I don’t want it to come to that but I doubt they will listen to peaceful ANYTHING!
I think our collective nonviolent protests have not gotten big enough, loud enough, and frequent enough yet. My friend who lives in DC was part of pickets at the White House every single weekend during the Dump administration. They were mostly local. What if we collectively created a permitted, peaceful, _big_ demonstration every weekend at the Capitol, fed by a standing network of rides and buses pulling from a four or five-hour ride radius of DC. Encourage everyone who wants to save democracy to attend one Saturday a month or more. Create it with a coalition of all the liberal and progressive organizations whose rights, principles, and futures that the Trumpublicans are working to crush. I don't know the nuts and bolts of how to organize such a standing wave of demonstrations, but there are people who do.
Excellent idea. One thing I noticed was that the media largely ignored the recent women's protest. Maybe in front of the White House would get more attention. Got a slogan? Maybe-- We Demand our Democracy? or Demand Democracy? Our Country. Our Vote? Democracy Now?
I was disappointed in this. The Tucson paper/tv channel never addressed it. My daughter in Iowa marched with others to the local NBC affiliate so they could not be ignored.
The best wise strategy is to work to get out the vote, to encourage good people to VOTE!! IN every election, especially local and state!! We need good people in every office. As we used to say, "Dont agonize, organize" and today organizing to get out the vote and run excellent caudates and work hard for them is what "marching" and making "good trouble" is all about.
Absolutely. The Republicans could care less about the voters. Why? Because they are setting up Laws in18 States (so far) that enable them to SUPPRESS votes and NULLIFY vote outcomes.
Politics now are big data driven. There isn’t the same fear reflex in leadership that there was in the 20th century. Leaders care, in som cases, about optics, but they now have tons of counter-protest information to wit, “The protesters are out there and they’re loud, but you sir have the country at your back solidly.” [presents cherry-picked data].
The protests against the Iraq War before it started were massive - staggeringly so. Didn’t stop it from taking place.
The “jaune gilets” protests in France did not move Macron out.
The Hong Kong protests, among the most nimble and creative ever, led in the end to a brutal crackdown in China.
How did weeks of protests work out in Belarus this year? Lukashenko appears quite comfortably in power today.
The years of protest in Russia have left Putin secure in power.
Protests are, unfortunately, passé.
Action is necessary. Boycotts. Massive strikes. Tax withholding selectively.
This is now an enemy vs enemy situation. The enemy must feel pain. I do not recommend any form of violence. Period.. But a society built on money is vulnerable to disruption of a financial nature.
Eric, Your blanket, 'Disagree' without any indication that you have differentiated between types of demonstrations that have a better chance of making an impact from anti-war, health care to civil rights, etc., indicated a rather brusque brush off. I would not be so quick to dismiss the thoughts of subscribers, for instance, to consider demonstrations in support of passage of our national voting rights acts. There are a number of strong grassroots, voting rights and civil rights organizations in the USA, such at Fair Fight, so we have resources to work with. I don't know if you are familiar with Erica Chenoweth, '... the Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment at Harvard Kennedy School and a Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Chenoweth's research focuses on political violence and its alternatives. Chenoweth was ranked among the Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013 by Foreign Policy magazine and also won the 2014 Karl Deutsch Award, given annually by the International Studies Association to the scholar under 40 who has made the most significant impact on the field of international politics or peace research. Chenoweth's forthcoming book, Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford, 2021), explores in an accessible and conversational style what civil resistance is, how it works, why it sometimes fails, how violence and repression affect it, and the long-term impacts of such resistance. Chenoweth's next book, with Zoe Marks, explores the impact of women’s participation on the outcomes of mass movements. In addition to exploring why women’s participation makes movements more likely to succeed,...' I have provided a couple of links, from which you can have a better sense of her range. In addition, you will find links to articles about fairly recent demonstrations in the USA.
Nevertheless I hold to my anecdotal observation here. I’m sure there are demonstrations in the 20th century that have effected change at the margins. But the largest ones for the most dramatic causes have been defeated or at least have not had a signal victory. I truly believe that leaders are hardened now to expect demonstrations and to either use force to grind them down or simply wait them out. Human energy peters out. And we live in the era of instant gratification. So often people don’t run the course with patience.
I know my attitude will make you mental with frustration. But I did not get the warm and fuzzies reading all of today’s promises to man the fortifications. It feels much more like whistling past the graveyard.
Six months ago we all thought Biden and Co. would do the job. Prior to that we hoped for impeachment. And the first instance of “savior syndrome” (I owe that term to Sarah Kendzior) was Mueller.
It’s beginning to look like a train wreck.
I fully believe in the sincerity of those who pledged undying fealty to democracy in today’s posts. I’m on their side and some of what was written was deeply eloquent - most notably the gentleman who kicked it off.
But I am getting very cynical.
Fear must be struck into the hearts of those who would do America harm. They have the upper hand in almost every conceivable way now.
It might provoke violence, but I think the sight of a DJT perp walk would concentrate some minds wonderfully.
'Nevertheless I hold to my anecdotal observation here...' Eric, you haven't done your homework, but, nevertheless, you held on to your standpoint. The most annoying aspect of this exchange, from my point of view, is that you maintained an uneducated stance to adamantly throw cold water on a group of very concerned Americans, searching for a way to make an impact. There are plenty of holes in your argument, but I am done. You repeated your adamant stand without seeking more knowledge. I tried to influence what I thought was your ill considered communication with a very caring group of engaged Americans. As you can see in some situations I don't play nice with someone shooting from a slim store.
I'm 75 and feel precisely what you are feeling. We really have no choice but to be involved. The moral obscenity that McConnell and the Trumpsters are committing against our democratic heritage simply cannot go unchallenged.
To not challenge them would be a betrayal of all those who gave our generation growing up so much support -- education, a relatively intact social safety net, employment possibilities, opportunities for personal growth.
I look forward to better times. In the interim, work to be done.
Same age and on the same page, Toni! I have not stopped marching and will continue to do so for as long as I am able. With the spirit of John Lewis leading us, we cannot fail.
I took your comment out to Rosy the Riveter, and I want to report that she says, "Yes." It's the same life-driven word groan-uttered by Molly Boom (I felt the prsence of James Joyce everywhere in the room) which was the last word of Ulysses.
To me, this is one of the most significant Letters you've written, Heather. To include this quote by Miles Taylor and Christine Todd Whitman is of the utmost importance. Republicans who follow Taylor.and Whitman must be "courted and wooed" to see that there is something far better than MAGA on offer.
"The only way to stop Trumpism “is for us to form an alliance with Democrats to defend American institutions, defeat far-right candidates, and elect honorable representatives next year—including a strong contingent of moderate Democrats.” To defend democracy, they write, “concerned conservatives must join forces with Democrats on the most essential near-term imperative: blocking Republican leaders from regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives” and the Senate. – New York Times, Miles Taylor and Christine Todd Whitman"
“It is institutionsThat help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. do not speak of ‘our institutions’ unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other and less each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union, and take its side. -Tim Snyder, On Tyranny
Yes, but More than tik tok. Then this … suspiciously from Wisconsin. Devos territory.
I knew this would come. The exacerbated uncertainly of the pandemic and politicizing it, has divided people more. Both institutions of PH & PE are under attack. It’s been taken advantaged of all along. A goal of the Libertarian far right has always been to shutter public education and privatize education. Authoritarians need two things ( thanks Lenin): Media control and indoctrination control. Which could be FB and private schools. This lawsuit seems suspicious to me. The parents should be suing fox for misinformation and their Wisconsin R party for meddling in PH and bullying WI school boards.
At 74 years old, I dearly wish not to have to hit the streets once again—-yet I increasingly feel compelled by this current, terrifying, slow rolling coup to do my bit once more to push things forward because this is the worst American crisis I’ve witnessed, of many in my life—McCarthyism up close as a child; Mississippi Summer; the Vietnam protests; and, for me through it all always, the fight for Women’s Rights. But, sigh, here we go again, this time, astonishingly, for the preservation of our basic democracy and for fundamental Voting Rights in the ever-evolving American battlefield over such things since before our founding as a republic—-the roiling history of which HCR so beautifully clarifies for us in her brilliant letters every day.
For myself, and for all of us willing to go forward yet once again to fight and organize in whatever way we’re each best suited to, I invoke the blazing, inspirational spirit of John Lewis who never gave up. Onward: it truly feels like now or never this time.
Same age. Same rage. This is the most frightening time I have ever experienced. All my past furies are dwarfed by the horrors of the day. There is a deadly disease of fascistic thinking sweeping the nation. It's as if the principles of reality and truly fair elections were just inconveniences to be tossed aside in favor of hate.
We need to make some noise. Good noise. Good trouble...
I’m of your generation as well and will march in front of Manchins’s home if asked to! Just tell me when and where! I have my marching shoes on and ready to make some GOOD TROUBLE!
Ditto
Especially in Flori-dah!
I’m older than you and agree with every word. Not able to do things I used to do, and I don’t have Soros’ money, but a little fight is left, and will give it all for my grands.
I will write, march, sign petitions and more for democracy and for climate action on behalf of my 3 cherished grandchildren and their future grandchildren. I also only make investments that are in line with those goals! When I was first buying my own toilet paper many years ago, I refused to buy Charmin because of their ads demeaning women as simpletons... just a little research shows which products to avoid. Hurt them in their bottom lines!
I'm all for taking peaceful action on helping to save the democracy (words are not enough). The same applies to the climate crisis: Washington Post Live, 10 am Eastern today on "Protecting Our Planet: Role of Business & Investing". I'm always impressed by how many of us read Dr. Richardson's Letters here and on FB, I hope we can make a difference!
Exposure and action make a difference. Several of us have mentioned the Lincoln Project and how their ads expose these companies, the latest of which are the AT&T funding of OAN. They made a great ad, and lo and behold, AT&T stock has dropped: https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1447655122889236488
I'm a supporter of the Lincoln Project (and Adam Kinzinger) in their work. The AT&T ad is great and I posted it on FB.
Saw it as well. Very effective. Why the Democratic Party hasn't hired a firm equally skilled at such ads is baffling. The Lincoln Project work cuts through the noise and delivers the essence of what's wrong.
I've said the same thing in another chat group. Why the Democrats haven't hired a marketing firm for messaging is baffling! They seriously need to in order to push back against all of the horrible Republican noise.
Great point!
Me too! I loved it!
Right there with all commenters above. We must go once again into the breach! Re: Charmin, glad you boycott them for demeaning women. I boycott Charmin and all t.p. brands not made from 100% recycled paper. I don't want anyone cutting down trees just so I can....
And don’t buy Georgia Pacific brands. Some of them include Angel Soft and Quilted Northern toilet paper and Brawny paper towels plus lots more. They’re owned by Koch Industries.
Thanks heaps for the tip Laura. I'll write directly to the remaining Koch, bless the load, and suggest he can serve the environment by making it a policy to use his toilet paper on both sides.
When I lived in Italy, they used the yellow pages of their phone books for to!
TP
Wow. I didn’t realize Koch was involved there. I buy the Costco brand of TP. It’s the only one for the last 20 years or so. Now I will have to check it out on a different level.
Never thought I'd say this here but..........washable reusable flannel squares are very soft and absorbent on the tushy. Rinse off with a bidet or a peri bottle first and pat dry, no paper needed. I have a little lidded trashcan next to the toilet for depositing used squares and just through them in with my regular laundry. We could save entire forests....
Not much different from cloth diapers and I used those for years with 3 kids. Something to consider.
Me too. And actually a lot cleaner and easier than diapers.
Bamboo TP works for me, Charmin has been a destroyer for years
Will you virtual phone bank and knock on doors to get out the vote for Democratic candidates?
I have canvassed and will for the midterms. I've written hundreds of letters via Vote Forward to potential voters, currently I'm in the VA campaign. I hope others will do phone banking, I'm hopeless with that. We all do the best we can!
I've been doing the VA letters for Vote Forward as well-mailing a second batch later this week. I like that it allows one to put forward more ideas as to why voting is important. I did some post cards for another group but it only allowed one script. (Not as satisfying for me nor as informative for the voters.)
I agree… I was not happy with the script of “thanks for being a voter”! for the NJ election! I felt I did some good when I wrote in 2020 for GA and specifically mentioned Warnick and Ossoff!
I knocked on doors in 2016 but since my area is so rural and trumpian we were advised to mail postcards as knocking on doors could become rather dicey.
It might be better to leave a famous tract from the Bible: "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do."
Boy, I sure will. Love writing postcards, and will continue with marches.
Ohhh… but I do love Charmin’s softness. I guess I’ll have to hurt my bottom to hurt their bottom line! 😉
Thank you
Ditto for me. I will hit the streets again, go to jail if necessary. Nonviolent protest will be my pitchfork and chopping ax. Eugene Robinson is the first commentator I've seen who has called it like it is. Civil War. It is here; it is upon us. He urges us to start thinking now how democracy lovers need to respond. With nonviolence. The Civil War proved as all wars do that it never settles anything, except of course it freed the slaves. We must never forget that. But the perpetrators are still with us; the big mistake was not dividing the country into North and South. We must figure out a better way. I don't now how to do it but we must.
Indeed. The Civil War "freed" the slaves only technically. In the aftermath, their freedom was crushed by lynchings and intimidation. That war killed people. It did not kill the hate that still thrives.
So thought we had gotten beyond Jim Crow but he is alive and well in Tx. And in NC.
And lots of other places. NFL coaches.
And he resigned! Which means we are making a difference! I wish it wasn’t in baby steps!
And all the Jim Crow 2.0 legislation by states to suppress and/or override votes.
This is what concerns me the most. How do you combat county-by-county takeovers of election offices, particularly the ones which certify presidential and Congressional/Senatorial elections?
Personally, living in the South, I think the Loser’s like Trump never accepted it. If anything “The Never Forget “ thing has signaled a Perpetual ideology. One day it’s the American Flag. Some days it’s the Confederate or both. I pledge my Allegiance to our Nations Flag. You didn’t see our Military ‘Ever ‘ carry a Confederate Flag to War’s did you.
It’s good for progressives to support democracy by claiming the American flag and calling ourselves the patriots.
Yes, Ellie💙 🇺🇸💙!!
😞
Totally agree. Another big mistake is saying whatever we do doesn't matter. We are beaten down and dispirited. We need to gather ourselves together and rise up.
Deadly serious question here. Anyone know how one organizes a MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY?
I would like to refer you to the Rev Wm Barber, who is a black Christian minister, but who is non-violent, articulate, and already has a movement of folks from all races concerned with the government and its neglect of impoverished people.
Thank you Hope for alerting us to the work of The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. He is '...the President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival; Bishop with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries; Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary; Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Goldsboro, North Carolina, and the author of four books: We Are Called To Be A Movement; Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing; The Third Reconstruction: Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics, and The Rise of a New Justice Movement; and Forward Together: A Moral Message For The Nation.'
'Rev. Dr. Barber is also the architect of the Moral Movement, which began with weekly Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013 and recently relaunched again online in August 2020 under the banner of the Poor People’s Campaign. In 2018, Rev. Dr. Barber helped relaunch the Poor People’s Campaign—which was begun by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968—starting with a historic wave of protests in state capitals and in Washington, D.C., calling for a moral agenda and a moral budget to address the five interlocking injustices of systemic racism, systemic poverty, the war economy and militarism, ecological devastation and denial of healthcare, and the false moral narrative of Christian nationalism. There are currently 45 state coordinating committees across the country, mobilizing around the Poor People’s Jubilee Platform and We Must Do M.O.R.E. (mobilize, organize, register, and educate people for a movement that votes).' (Repairers of the Breach) See link below:
https://www.breachrepairers.org/williambarber
You ROCK, Fern! Thank you from my heart!
You inspired me, Hope. Thank you!
This is a huge undertaking for sure that the Reverend is doing. Very admirable. What we are proposing is a laser focused March for Democracy.
"We are beaten down and dispirited." I can agree with dispirited, but not with beaten down. Democrats tend to be decent people. Not easily ignited to the violence that Rumplicans find easy to do. I think because of our decency and respect for others, we just don't know what to do. We don't have investments such as guns, hate of POC, fear of immigrants, etc. to gaslight us to violently protest, threaten decent elected officials, and vote a "savior" into office. We use our intellect and do things like write emails, postcards, make phone calls, read everything we can, comment on blogs, etc. instead of showing up at school board meetings, local government meetings, and we haven't been able to plan and implement major protests. We don't have our Drump flags, hats, patriotic shirts, and carry around handguns on our hips or machine guns in our arms spewing swear words, insults, and threats at protests. We practice safeguards for ourselves and others to prevent a deadly virus from spreading. I haven't seen any group protests to push wearing a mask or getting the vaccine. No, we just don't know what to do to get our message across to the ignorant among us. (I don't mean the stupid followers of a dictator-wanna-be, but those who just aren't paying attention. There are a lot of Americans who just don't have a clue.)
Put the word out, Barbara, start making your ideas heard, friends, farmers’ market, PTA ppl, everywhere, and you’ll be surprised how and which people will come forward to help you. Good on ya….
Start with your local Democratic Party Headquarters and the local NAACP!
I like your call to action. I think there are several coalitions that would join such a march including but not limited to the Women's March, SPLC, Climate Change organizations, and those who are concerned with voting rights such as Stacy Abrams, et al. See my note below, especially.
No, but I want to help. Ready to organize
It’s moving to see how so many people in the United States are fully awake to the crisis and are willing to drag themselves to the ramparts to fight for it, through the medium of mass protest. I thrill to read those sentiments today. It’s become apparent - finally- that large segments of the country are aware (again *finally*) that the ultimate danger is breathtakingly close.
My fear is that protests will be met with counterprotests and that serious violence will then ensue. The other side is huge, far down the bizarre rabbit hole of Trumpism, and a significant number are chillingly prepared for violence. I have no trouble believing Bannon when he promises “20 000 shock troops”.
As it stands, I don’t think Biden has the proverbial snowball’s chance to get his agenda through - in any significant way. His margin for error in the House and Senate is much too small. And the Republicans are killing time.
Thus will 2022 be lost, no matter the diligence and energy of the phone bankers, and the $$$ of people desperate for democracy. And 2024 is a lost cause. Outright cheating will ensure that no Democrat becomes President.
But there is one solution to this mess. The law. Donald Trump needs/deserves/must be arrested, perp-walked, tried, convicted and jailed. There is more than ample evidence. There are investigations in New York and Georgia.
As the entire GOP is Trumpist in its orientation now, their leader being jailed would leave them rudderless. The ground would be cut away from them in one fell swoop. The cancer would be cut out and the body would recover gradually.
My nagging suspicion is this - do Trump’s investigators have the courage to charge and try him? I am seriously beginning to wonder.
Agreed. That's the big question now in my mind -- do they have the will or courage to charge & try him.
I'm praying a higher power will remove him from the scene if the justice departments don't.
It’s scary to contemplate. If justice turns a blind eye…
‘W’s’ words “ You are either with US or Republican Terrorist.” Time to stop calling them Patriots.
You are so right! Hope Dems have some billionaires on the team, my retirement pay won’t do it…
I agree. In my 70's too and I will go and march for Democracy.
Ditto! Perhaps we can top the first Women's March attendance across the country; that would be great.
Same here. But I’m younger. Only 73
I’m 71. And I, like yourself, have seen and been involved in so many things but I wonder what good any protesting does. None of it seems to change anything. Maybe take up arms? I’m willing to die for freedom. I don’t want it to come to that but I doubt they will listen to peaceful ANYTHING!
I think our collective nonviolent protests have not gotten big enough, loud enough, and frequent enough yet. My friend who lives in DC was part of pickets at the White House every single weekend during the Dump administration. They were mostly local. What if we collectively created a permitted, peaceful, _big_ demonstration every weekend at the Capitol, fed by a standing network of rides and buses pulling from a four or five-hour ride radius of DC. Encourage everyone who wants to save democracy to attend one Saturday a month or more. Create it with a coalition of all the liberal and progressive organizations whose rights, principles, and futures that the Trumpublicans are working to crush. I don't know the nuts and bolts of how to organize such a standing wave of demonstrations, but there are people who do.
As an elderly full time caregiver, I can’t join in but will support in any way I can
Excellent idea. One thing I noticed was that the media largely ignored the recent women's protest. Maybe in front of the White House would get more attention. Got a slogan? Maybe-- We Demand our Democracy? or Demand Democracy? Our Country. Our Vote? Democracy Now?
I was disappointed in this. The Tucson paper/tv channel never addressed it. My daughter in Iowa marched with others to the local NBC affiliate so they could not be ignored.
I looked and looked for coverage. This was essentially a media blackout.
The best wise strategy is to work to get out the vote, to encourage good people to VOTE!! IN every election, especially local and state!! We need good people in every office. As we used to say, "Dont agonize, organize" and today organizing to get out the vote and run excellent caudates and work hard for them is what "marching" and making "good trouble" is all about.
Abbott and DeSantas sign on to Stalin’s belief that it’s who counts the votes that is important.
Absolutely. The Republicans could care less about the voters. Why? Because they are setting up Laws in18 States (so far) that enable them to SUPPRESS votes and NULLIFY vote outcomes.
I agree. Do all of these and rally. A good protest/rally is uplifting and energizing. Hence the good trouble of the past.
I think it did make a difference. And it can again.
Disagree, but sincerely wish you were right.
Politics now are big data driven. There isn’t the same fear reflex in leadership that there was in the 20th century. Leaders care, in som cases, about optics, but they now have tons of counter-protest information to wit, “The protesters are out there and they’re loud, but you sir have the country at your back solidly.” [presents cherry-picked data].
The protests against the Iraq War before it started were massive - staggeringly so. Didn’t stop it from taking place.
The “jaune gilets” protests in France did not move Macron out.
The Hong Kong protests, among the most nimble and creative ever, led in the end to a brutal crackdown in China.
How did weeks of protests work out in Belarus this year? Lukashenko appears quite comfortably in power today.
The years of protest in Russia have left Putin secure in power.
Protests are, unfortunately, passé.
Action is necessary. Boycotts. Massive strikes. Tax withholding selectively.
This is now an enemy vs enemy situation. The enemy must feel pain. I do not recommend any form of violence. Period.. But a society built on money is vulnerable to disruption of a financial nature.
Eric, Your blanket, 'Disagree' without any indication that you have differentiated between types of demonstrations that have a better chance of making an impact from anti-war, health care to civil rights, etc., indicated a rather brusque brush off. I would not be so quick to dismiss the thoughts of subscribers, for instance, to consider demonstrations in support of passage of our national voting rights acts. There are a number of strong grassroots, voting rights and civil rights organizations in the USA, such at Fair Fight, so we have resources to work with. I don't know if you are familiar with Erica Chenoweth, '... the Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment at Harvard Kennedy School and a Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Chenoweth's research focuses on political violence and its alternatives. Chenoweth was ranked among the Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2013 by Foreign Policy magazine and also won the 2014 Karl Deutsch Award, given annually by the International Studies Association to the scholar under 40 who has made the most significant impact on the field of international politics or peace research. Chenoweth's forthcoming book, Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford, 2021), explores in an accessible and conversational style what civil resistance is, how it works, why it sometimes fails, how violence and repression affect it, and the long-term impacts of such resistance. Chenoweth's next book, with Zoe Marks, explores the impact of women’s participation on the outcomes of mass movements. In addition to exploring why women’s participation makes movements more likely to succeed,...' I have provided a couple of links, from which you can have a better sense of her range. In addition, you will find links to articles about fairly recent demonstrations in the USA.
https://www.ericachenoweth.com/commentary
https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-future-of-nonviolent-resistance-2/
https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/articles/ideas-work/successful-protests-require-diversity-and-focus
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/06/why-protests-work/613420/
https://www.businessinsider.com/13-concrete-changes-sparked-by-george-floyd-protests-so-far-2020-6
https://www.livescience.com/16153-10-significant-political-protests.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/activist-muscle-gives-obamacare-a-lift/2017/02/25/d97efaca-facc-11e6-9845-576c69081518_story.html
How do you know so much???
I’m constantly astonished at your range.
Nevertheless I hold to my anecdotal observation here. I’m sure there are demonstrations in the 20th century that have effected change at the margins. But the largest ones for the most dramatic causes have been defeated or at least have not had a signal victory. I truly believe that leaders are hardened now to expect demonstrations and to either use force to grind them down or simply wait them out. Human energy peters out. And we live in the era of instant gratification. So often people don’t run the course with patience.
I know my attitude will make you mental with frustration. But I did not get the warm and fuzzies reading all of today’s promises to man the fortifications. It feels much more like whistling past the graveyard.
Six months ago we all thought Biden and Co. would do the job. Prior to that we hoped for impeachment. And the first instance of “savior syndrome” (I owe that term to Sarah Kendzior) was Mueller.
It’s beginning to look like a train wreck.
I fully believe in the sincerity of those who pledged undying fealty to democracy in today’s posts. I’m on their side and some of what was written was deeply eloquent - most notably the gentleman who kicked it off.
But I am getting very cynical.
Fear must be struck into the hearts of those who would do America harm. They have the upper hand in almost every conceivable way now.
It might provoke violence, but I think the sight of a DJT perp walk would concentrate some minds wonderfully.
'Nevertheless I hold to my anecdotal observation here...' Eric, you haven't done your homework, but, nevertheless, you held on to your standpoint. The most annoying aspect of this exchange, from my point of view, is that you maintained an uneducated stance to adamantly throw cold water on a group of very concerned Americans, searching for a way to make an impact. There are plenty of holes in your argument, but I am done. You repeated your adamant stand without seeking more knowledge. I tried to influence what I thought was your ill considered communication with a very caring group of engaged Americans. As you can see in some situations I don't play nice with someone shooting from a slim store.
Toni,
I'm 75 and feel precisely what you are feeling. We really have no choice but to be involved. The moral obscenity that McConnell and the Trumpsters are committing against our democratic heritage simply cannot go unchallenged.
To not challenge them would be a betrayal of all those who gave our generation growing up so much support -- education, a relatively intact social safety net, employment possibilities, opportunities for personal growth.
I look forward to better times. In the interim, work to be done.
John
I couldn’t agree more. The trouble is, at 89, I can’t do much.
Cheer on those who can.
Same age and on the same page, Toni! I have not stopped marching and will continue to do so for as long as I am able. With the spirit of John Lewis leading us, we cannot fail.
I took your comment out to Rosy the Riveter, and I want to report that she says, "Yes." It's the same life-driven word groan-uttered by Molly Boom (I felt the prsence of James Joyce everywhere in the room) which was the last word of Ulysses.
So is news media though.
Bill Maher was stronger in his opinion about trump never conceding.
Hadn't seen that-love it!
To me, this is one of the most significant Letters you've written, Heather. To include this quote by Miles Taylor and Christine Todd Whitman is of the utmost importance. Republicans who follow Taylor.and Whitman must be "courted and wooed" to see that there is something far better than MAGA on offer.
"The only way to stop Trumpism “is for us to form an alliance with Democrats to defend American institutions, defeat far-right candidates, and elect honorable representatives next year—including a strong contingent of moderate Democrats.” To defend democracy, they write, “concerned conservatives must join forces with Democrats on the most essential near-term imperative: blocking Republican leaders from regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives” and the Senate. – New York Times, Miles Taylor and Christine Todd Whitman"
#2. Defend institutions
“It is institutionsThat help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. do not speak of ‘our institutions’ unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other and less each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union, and take its side. -Tim Snyder, On Tyranny
Huzzah & amen!
Yes, but More than tik tok. Then this … suspiciously from Wisconsin. Devos territory.
I knew this would come. The exacerbated uncertainly of the pandemic and politicizing it, has divided people more. Both institutions of PH & PE are under attack. It’s been taken advantaged of all along. A goal of the Libertarian far right has always been to shutter public education and privatize education. Authoritarians need two things ( thanks Lenin): Media control and indoctrination control. Which could be FB and private schools. This lawsuit seems suspicious to me. The parents should be suing fox for misinformation and their Wisconsin R party for meddling in PH and bullying WI school boards.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/11/us/wisconsin-parent-lawsuit-covid-school/index.html
Strictly in the interest of accuracy, the Devos family are Michiganders. Doesn't at all detract from your point.
And by school boards.
I have been saying for years how crucial School Board Elections are.
Somewhere I recently read that there is training for far right school board campaigns.
I posted that article on this forum the other day. Very active trainings in Ohio right now.
Not surprised.