Resist and with love

 

Namaste

Mitakuye Oyasin

#Resist & with love ~

I got to thinkin' Tomorrow is the biggest election I have ever witnessed in 63 & ¾ years’ of experience. WE have seen as a society, violence –on both sides, yes- but particularly egged on by a man who has ALWAYS been pathologically ill-prepared for a position which requires empathy & self-sacrifice & compromise, who has ALWAYS reacted with violence & disdain towards all others but those more powerful than he.

That’s his cross to bear, but his tenure has tainted much of the foundations of which we base our very Democracy: Trust in the Goodness of our fellow Humans.

We have seen our fellow Americans devolve into the rankest of isms; from disregard of others’ suffering; dragging babies from their Families & kenneling them in cages in the name of *dissuading illegal immigration*; mocking others’ infirmities or cautions; schoolyard bullying & disparaging nicknames; inciting violence. All of these. From our neighbors. Because #Trumpery has given them permission and justification to exact their fears and anger against anyone who doesn’t look, love, pray or believe as they do. Some of these egregious transgressions have been enacted in the name of Christianity. I can’t even express how deeply disturbing this is for me, personally. I just cannot even. How can you read and follow the Sermon on the Mount and still approve of #Trumpery’s actions? How do you not go crazy with such cognitive dissonance?

But these reactionary “isms” are kneejerk reactions. They can be viewed as a typical, yet uneducated and un-self-aware reaction to change, and the uncertainty which inevitably comes from such accelerated change. They can be viewed this way, even sympathized with this way… But it shouldn’t be normalized. This is not what feeds our better angels. AND WE KNOW IT.

And we also know that it will take ALL OF US ~ Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, & Republicans, ALL OF US who genuinely care for America, its shining example of diversity & freedom of expression, of justice for all – ALL OF US to stop this rollercoaster ride to a GOP-ruled one party kleptocratic oligarchy. Unless we re-learn the art of compromise, the ability to reach consensus, to be able to overcome  this toxic distrustful partisanship that our Governance has become, unless we re-learn how to actively listen to one another, to shut off the TV 📺  and the fox entertainment disinformation channel, to stop being so darned scared… That’s how we get manipulated, is when we are made to be afraid of some nefarious “other”. We have met the enemy and he is us.

So why do I hear some Democrats all sorts of upset about the Lincoln Project? Do any of you realize how traumatic it must feel to virtually abandon their Party and work against the GOP itself? To advocate supporting their “political rivals” ?? And to do this not for financial or personal gain but DESPITE the certain knowledge that their work will destroy their careers? THEY ARE DOING IT BECAUSE IT’S THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR COUNTRY. Why is that suspect? It feels to me that we are stumbling over the same pitfalls which led Republicans to lose their soul: unwarranted fear & suspicion. We need to get a grip on ourselves for goodness sake! Snap out of it!!

So what comes next?  

If we are VERY VERY FORTUNATE and we manage to Vote this lunatic out of office and block all his efforts at voter disenfranchisement and suppression, we at least will be voting in a President who truly values his fellow Congressional  representatives from across the aisle - one who does NOT believe that unless you are registered in the same party you are an “adversary”. Joe Biden has said it clearly :

“But while I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn’t support me as I will for those who did.

That’s the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.

It’s a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another. 

America isn’t just a collection of clashing interests of Red States or Blue States.

We’re so much bigger than that. 

We’re so much better than that.”

I’m pretty progressive, and I Voted for Bernie in the primaries in 2016, and Elizabeth Warren for this election’s primaries. I was raised very conservative, but in an era of great social change: the 60’s. Great change brought great conflict yet out of that conflict –often bloody and violent – yet out of that conflict we crafted a beginning to Civil Rights – not yet for all, that is before us still- broke sexual stereotypes, and started inroads to marriage equality. Only beginnings. And many are under attack under this current Administration. Sometimes I despair of battling these same common-decency human rights arguments. But more often I just feel more determined. This is our Battle. This is the Hill to Die On. This is the vote of a lifetime. And it will take ALL OF US working together to get the job done.

So how will we begin? I am praying that after #Trumpery leaves office & Joe Biden begins his Presidency that we can ALL OF US start to try to heal the little hurts between us which has led to these huge gaping wounds which divide us. I am praying that we can start healing the hate which has led neighbors to bear arms against neighbors purely because they are peacefully supporting or protesting an idea which we disagree on.

It’s going to take a LOT of healing. It’s going to take a LOT of taking a deep breath and trying to reach out to those we have had to alienate in order to protect ourselves. It’s going to take a LOT of forgiveness. As a member of the Party who is trying to redefine itself as the Party of Compassion, or Justice for All, for Inclusivity, I expect us to have to bear the brunt of outreach .. but that may be because I’ve yet to threaten a Republican for supporting #Trumpery, and have yet to see any of my fellow #Resisters offer violence against others and I have repeatedly seen supporters of #Trumpery threaten and enact violence against liberals and have been a recipient of armed threats myself. So yeah, I have some hurt here too to mend. I expected better of all of us.

So I am urging all of us who did not Vote for #Trumpery no matter your temptations, to start the healing now & that begins with InterWeb memes & snipes. Even when we think they or we are being clever. OH I am going to have a hard time with this, but honestly, I think if we all just resisted the temptation to snipe at least twice per day, it would maybe set a precedent. We NEED to re-establish common decency precedents. I hope we will not taunt or belittle any of our fellow Americans for their vote if Trumpery does not win. I hope we can feed the good wolf, to embrace our better angels because it is going to take a United America to fix what’s been broke.