Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Dystopia


They say what you focus on multiplies, so I am trying to focus on the decent, the loving, the good. But where do you draw the line between focusing on the good and keeping what is dangerous in sight?

My friend Brittany is bearing witness on Facebook in a powerful way. Last night she posted this:

"I hope everyone is paying attention. The National Park Service had their freedom of speech revoked for tweeting a fact the president didn't like. Then they had to apologize for tweeting that fact to have their freedom of speech reinstated. Then the account for the Badlands park tweeted facts about climate change--a simple act that was understood to be an act of rebellion under Trump's regime. And now those tweets have disappeared. Meanwhile, the EPA has been banned from speaking to the press and their grants have been frozen, and four journalists are facing felony charges after being arrested while covering inauguration protests. This is what I feared would happen, but not even I thought it would happen so quickly."

I'm putting it here so we can keep what is happening in plain sight.

Also in the news, President Snow plans to authorize building a wall along our Southern border with Mexico, to keep all those brown people out. Because let's face it, his immigration reform really only applies to brown people. It definitely doesn't apply to Slovenian lingerie models who may or may not be legal but can find work in America anyway.

For those who don't get the President Snow reference, suffice it to say I sometimes feel as if we've been plunged into the dystopian reality of The Hunger Games.

I was talking to my cousin this morning, about the fact that everything is coming at us so fast and furious, we have no time to oppose it by conventional means—through the courts, at the ballot box—and we don't even know quite where to focus our attention. I think this is President Snow's plan. What do we do, Mary Moon asked yesterday. What is our best move now? Because surely, as a nation we cannot afford to go numb. This is how fascism puts down roots in our throats. I can barely focus on doing my daily life. I keep thinking I'm letting the moment for critical action slip by. But what is the critical action we need to take now? I'm sincerely asking. 


8 comments:

  1. As I was sincerely asking last night. What CAN we do? Can the small ripples we send out actually have any effect on the tsunami of wrongness which has already begun with such force?
    Why did we never see this coming? I keep asking that. I suppose that I truly believed that with the election of Obama (twice!) we had moved forward into an era of so much greater things. And perhaps this is why I still can't believe the ugly reality of what is.
    Let us hold on together. At least we can do that. Here's my hand. Once again.

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  2. Let your fingers do the walking---I now have my senate and congresspersons on speed dial and I'm sending in letters and petitions and doing whatever else I can think of not to let this shit show get to me...




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  3. I agree with e. First line every day is to call and email Senators and Congressmen/women. Congress comes up for election in two years; what their constituents think matters more immediately to them. As to second and third line actions, I'm still working that out, but bottom line, will resist at every opportunity.

    Thank you. Consistently, you express my feelings so eloquently. Mary

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  4. I think you need to choose one or two things that are really important to you and your family. And every person needs to do the same. And be very good to yourself and accept that you can't do all of it. One thing. Maybe two.
    I continue to have nothing for you except holding space. I'm holding space for all of you.

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  5. A blogger I know posted this link recently to a website which has information, actions, contact info, etc.; maybe you've seen it, maybe it might be of interest ... http://jenniferhofmann.com/home/weekly-action-checklist-democrats-independents-republicans-conscience/

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  6. Yes, I agree with your brilliant friends above. I think we all need to find our actions and make sure we communicate to cover our bases. Our legislators right now are really important and they need to hear from us. Some can be swayed, and all can feel held to account.

    Also, building community. I'm co-hosting a "Postcard Party" with a woman I don't even know in person yet. She's good with some parts, I'm good with others, and together we'll get a few dozen people to write postcards to their legislators, and we'll talk and build up for good fight. I need to do research, for that is one of my strengths, and stay on top of things as much as possible.

    And self-care. I tried to join three book groups to discuss books about this time and to meet like-minded people to help, and I don't have time for all that. I need to find what I do have time for.

    We absolutely must organize and mobilize. Not all of us are marchers, but we all have our ways to contribute.

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  7. I'm asking too! Maybe this is merely a brief period of backsliding before we continue moving forward. Who knows what's happening. I like the advice to choose a few things and fight for them passionately, but it's hard not to be pessimistic overall.

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