Molly Ivans is on her death bed, according to tonight's diary. Among the comments was one that really drove a bug up my ass because I know this poster speaks for many. The person asks, "What are we supposed to do without Molly?"
The answer, of course, is that we need to shake off this learned helplessness and work to compensate for her forthcoming absence.
According to the diary, Molly herself has asked that people not send her cards or flowers but instead donate money to the ACLU. I'm currently unemployed, but I had no trouble digging out $10. If every person currently praying for Molly gives $10, the religious right is going to have one hell of a bad week, and Molly can die knowing she wasn't someone who just amused a few and then passed on, but was someone who had a real impact.
It is a documented fact that termanally ill patients can hang on an extra week or month if they have something to look forward to. Patients who are religious seldom die right before an important religious holiday, but often die right after. Tom Jefferson famously hung on to life long enough to see just one more Fourth of July. If we give enough money, Molly may have reason to hang on a little longer: seeing one more progressive victory won with all the money given in her name. Let's make that possible.
No more learned helplessness here. Let's get busy.