Confession - I Should Have Done More
I admit I’m more worked up now — trying to understand why
Mea Culpa — I’m sorry
I was more active trying to get rid of T in 2020, than I was trying to get Harris elected this year. I have been wondering why. Was it because of Covid and we had so much more time on our hands? Was it because T was so horribly bad in office that there seemed to be more at stake. Was it because it seemed so obvious that Harris was the better candidate, that the American people would not let this awful man back into office, after all the corruption in which he has been implicated. Insurrection? Rape? Stealing classified documents? Tax fraud? Not to mention his character, especially his constant lying.
My 2020 Activism vs. 2024
I should have done more. In 2020, I wrote more, posted more, did more political art. I even posted myself singing a protest song that I wrote, which was a huge step out of my comfort zone. But would it have made a difference? I honestly don’t think so. Their propaganda was so well-funded, strong and pervasive.
The only thing that could possibly break the MAGA spell at this point is for his supporters to actually feel the consequences. The “Find Out” part of FAFO. Will they finally get rid of ACA? Will they actually cut Social Security and Medicare? Will they push forward a nationwide abortion ban? Will they be able to outlaw marriage equality for all? Will the tariffs cause inflation? Will mass deportation lead to food shortages, labor shortages? Economic collapse? By the way, I would prefer if none of this happens. But we must be alert and aware. Like hurrican prep — hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
Is Chaos Necessary for Creativity and Action?
On a recent episode of Living Myth, a podcast by storyteller mythologist Michael Meade, he answered questions posed to him at a forum. Referring to someone he had a conversation with who said he was interested in creativity but not in chaos. Meade responded saying that chaos is from which creativity occurs. That resonated with me. I recall feeling chaos when T was president last time. The mishandling of Covid was just one of his many contributions to this chaos, but there was also his racism, his appointments to the Supreme Court, his impeachments that did not result in removal because of the Republican Senate majority.
A Sense of Normalcy Under Biden — Not for MAGA though
Since Biden became president, there was a sense of normalcy. Because Dems were in power in the first two years, he got a lot done, including the Infrastructure Act. Having to deal with wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and others have made Biden’s presidency even more challenging. Yet, I didn’t have this feeling that our country was in chaos that I did in 2020.
But from the point of view of Trump supporters, the Biden term was the worst ever, for whatever reasons. Immigration, the economy, abortion, gender issues. Their focus on one or two problematic issues overrode a consideration of T’s crimes, his ethics and morality, whether or not he is worthy and to be believed. It may have been that misogyny or racism were the real reasons they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Harris, but few will openly admit to that. (But the misogynistic “Your Body, My Choice” trend is evidence that it did play a role.) Whatever their reasons, the country was chaotic for them under Biden and they believed it would be worse under Harris, and better under T.
The Need to Escape Chaos, Maintain Sanity, Contribute
It is hard to lose. To be let down. To be disappointed. To know that people you know voted for him. That there is so much hatred in this country, that many can’t even identify when they are being hateful, or seem to find ways to justify it. It is disheartening to think that it will forever be one step forward and two steps back. How can you go forward knowing that eventually you’ll be pushed back, yet again? And that the only thing that will energize you again is to escape chaos that came from being pushed back.
We really don’t know how the story ends, how the future unfolds. But we can game it out, make sensible predictions. If we give up, more and more will be taken, including reproductive rights, environmental protections, voting rights, diverse representation, books, health care, education, Social Security, Medicare. The rich will get richer and the rest of us will be pushed further down.
It’s hard but we have to make it hard for them to do what they want to do. Our power comes from bonding together en masse, supporting each other, preserving democracy.
We cannot give up.
