November 13, 2016
GIVING INTO DESPAIR
It would be so easy to simply give in to the darkness that pulls me and now all of us collectively, down into the political chasm below. Images of the ‘the dark ages’ have been raised. What do we call this unthinkable calamity that just happened and iwhat is to follow? There is no escape. It will unfold rapidly while taking on the sense, for me at least, that you sometimes see in film when disaster occurs, slow motion.
This is not an attempt to talk you out of your shock and grief but comfort derived is intended. We will emerge, if we choose, when we are ready individually. But even as you stay down, please keep the following in mind or at the ready when you feel some strength.
First, if you are stunned and fearful, you are also knowledgeable. You know enough, even with a busy life, that we are in trouble. Alan Nairin on Democracy Now, the night of the election debacle, said “it will be a national and international emergency”. I fear he is exactly correct and you know this on some level too. Further, there are those among you how are silent. I offer you my condolences especially if you must endure some who even smirks. You know without doubt, who they voted for. They know very little, but are likely to suffer along with the rest of us.
So as you know give yourself credit but face this. The election of mr trump was a big middle finger to the political establishment. In part, I couldn’t agree more. I never could get over the fury I felt and feel towards the one of the woman dictators, who headed a democratic organization! To carry out orders that would hurt Bernie Sanders and help Hillary. Yet after these revelations, Hillary immediately elevated her within her own establishment. They were outed and felt no shame. Then we were asked by Bernie to back Hillary and I burned inside. Now more of a quake with revelations that Hillary was tipped off in the primary about debate questions by DNC Donna Brazille. The greater lesson here, however, is that trump played upon emotion and disgust of many against establishment. Hillary was part of established politics all of her entire life, for good and bad. She did good but also entertained wall street and did not shrink from conflict. Her diplomacy as secretary of state was not at the table but with the direction of the military that drops only bombs. She also freely meddled in prospects of fracking worldwide. Such is the work of the world’s key diplomat and stateswoman? So emotions ran high and trump did what others who wish to lead without scruple, which is to whip emotion into action and away from rationality. There you find the trump vote. Pissed off and stupid. Add to that pile of emotional crap, all of those words and isms raised from misogyny, xenophobia, fascism, narcissism, ignorance, liar, thief and on and on. You have embedded within psychiatric diagnosis. Be sure, however, that diagnosis is separate from and does not excuse character flaw and hatred or greed. Those stand alone and can be good, like when you hate injustice. Hate and anger have an important place.
So does optimism, with a major exception. Being “positive” can be another load of garbage when it is used to explain passivity and inaction. Going along to get along? It seems like dancing on the head of a pin to say you want to reach across the aisle in congress. Congress has been unable to pass legislation due to obstruction. Now obstruction will give way to the steamroller of the republican agenda. Hopefully, stalled by a big-mouthed, violence-advocating new white house resident.
Which brings me round to my initial statement. Emotions and shutting down. You absolutely need time to grieve and heal but in short order, we are talking survival here. You must get back to the emotion, one in particular that tends to get a bad rap, anger. Anger is a scary emotion due to the actions it can inspire. But, it can also be a most important part of true and critical action. It is a source of power that can move you to do things you never imagined. Naturally, it can lead on to violence but it has the equal power to move you toward life-saving change. You need that and WE need that now. Don’t just be afraid, be alone and allow yourself to be swallowed by black hole that has stolen hope for our future. We must not be silent. This is a quiet refrain that comes through in the journalism and writing of Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. She tells of a small but committed group of Germans who decided not to be silent, knowing it would cost them their lives. They decided they would not let happen what Hitler unleashed onto the world with the heart and soul originating in Germany and allow the German people the excuse of saying they did not know. These brave souls printed and distributed small leaflets recounting the horrors as they knew them to be happening, until they were found and murdered among the millions. They were not silent. That is the point. That is what we must do now. We must gather our strength, hang on to each other, harness our anger, followed by action and voices, loud and without pause for as long as it takes.
We cannot be silent. Return to quiet and more desperate lives while calamity unfolds. Join someone, something, somewhere. Speak up, stand up, draw strength from one another and demand fairness and change. We must take leadership out of the hands of the rich without too, having a hand out for everything. Many of us have nothing financial to give and are likely to lose more. Action and words do not have to demand money. It is not the answer to all political problems, not essential for fairness, not required to know and care or to raise your voice. Do not be silent in face of this forgone election madness. We have four years to suffer it and it should not pass without healing, your voice and major fight!