A small collective of Los Angeles Kossacks met in L.A. on December 17th...not an easy thing to pull off since L.A. includes 4,058 square miles, 4,751 if we include bodies of landlocked water (no, not the swimming pools) and one of the crappiest public transportation systems in any major Metropolis. The date was still too close to the election nightmare not to gnash some teeth, tear some hair, and rend some garments (modestly). We did meet a few “newbies”, bandchoirmom brought Salvadoran tamales, susans treated us to Mac n Cheese, Joe Bacon had Langer’s pastrami (ooooh) and everyone contributed tasty comestibles — we could’ve fed another 40 people with delectable goodies. We schmoozed over food and then got down to business, what do we target in the upcoming resistance? (a seemingly infinite slate of possibilities there) I want you all to keep quiet about the fact that nobody took photos, navajo need never know that that’s why I tossed in the iconic sign although it’s about 20 miles from here (I was lucky to know someone who knows someone who took the picture from their Beachwood Canyon abode) it is very L.A.! I also took a picture of the furniture after the meet before I put all things back in their rightful place — come on now, it’s something! And a little less desperate than the images of my daughters’ dog and cat.
Bandchoirmom would like us to help her develop a strategy to knock down the spawn of disinformation that Faux News is; can’t disagree that they did start the avalanche, murphy gave us a glimpse of inside track party heel-dragging, suggesting we have to be the prime movers for a winning populist push. Just Saying is pulling for universal health coverage and is meeting with legislative reps (she has crunched numbers, ergo working with the unfashionable facts) and we hope to help her at some juncture. Joe Bacon and Otoelbc discussed the right’s attempt at fostering labels that we should immediately jettison — “right-to-life” isn’t that at all, is it? nor is “alt-right” an appropriate alternative for white supremacist or Nazi, nor “false news” anything but flat out propaganda. We’ll speak English and see if that doesn’t work a superior angle, progressives do have large vocabularies as a rule; we’ll manage. gmats, susans, and I proposed that we march as a group in the Women's March L.A. on January 21st. Zack from the SFV wasn’t aware there was to be one but happily agreed, as did we all. We hope more will join us. The March would be more correctly called the People’s March since the objective is inclusiveness for all citizens but particularly for groups that are already marginalized or disenfranchised. The new crowd needs to see that we will organize and mobilize. For those of us who have living memory of the Civil Rights protests in the midst of the last century or the Anti-Viet Nam war movement, we know for sure that massive protest against the unconscionable status quo does work. It is neither pretty, quick, nor easy, but it does work to influence and CHANGE the course of events.
So, we will be in Pershing Square the day after the inauguration, after a round-up at Union Station. We will all make the effort to use public transportation to give a hug to the planet now in peril which the incoming crowd appears to want to immolate as quickly as possible. (Do keep that 4,058 mi. in mind, not everyone will be able to manage public transport and you won’t be chided for facing reality.)
The hyperlink above will direct you to the web page for the Women’s March in L.A., but please don’t feel a need to “register” via Eventbrite or get a “ticket”. Neither action is required. There will be room for you. Just go. I am also including a link to the Facebook page for the event if you’re interested.
There will be more coming regarding particulars for our meet at Union Station that Saturday, so please stay tuned.
This is a sad diary but it’s going to have to do. My laptop crashed after the stunningly witty one with thought provoking sagacity was nearly complete and I’ve ‘saved’ this draft about every 20 seconds, so this’s going up, kids. See you soon…
Afterthought brings me back to the keyboard. I am including a list of those who have already committed to join us for Women's March Los Angeles.
1. 714day
2. susans
3. gmats
4. Joe Bacon
5. Just Saying
6. bandchoirmom
7. murphy
8. otoelbc
9. Zack from the San Fernando Valley
10.Mereed3929
11.Mereed3929’s daughter
12.Mereed3929’s sister