Trump spent part of his address to the CIA today claiming that the "media" purposely under-reported the crowds at the inauguration yesterday. He also reiterated that "we should taken the oil" from Iraq, while musing that "maybe we'll have another chance".
Pissed off I couldn't participate today.* There was an event in State College. Hopefully one of many. On the other hand, it probably met some frat-dude resistance. Not sure I could follow the example of Dr King when faced with that. I have a lot of rage squeezed deep down just waiting for the proverbial referee/whiskey bottle scenario.
*Sadly I've spent all day traveling from San Diego and am now stuck in PHL hoping I will get in the 8:55 home. I was supposed to be on the 4:10 but the flight out of SAN was delayed a long time because a flight attendant got very ill and for reasons known only to American Airlines, it takes two hours to find another one to fill the slot. You'd think that at a major airport they could just shuffle people around - like every other business in the world does when somebody gets sick - but no.
Then AA cancelled my flight and wanted to rebook me for tomorrow so I just spent the money to rent a car and drive the four hours home and now I'm home.
The Trumpkins are pushing a bizarre counter-factual narrative about yesterday's marches having been characterised by outrageous behaviour and violence.
Frank Luntz (a well known GOP pollster and talking head) posted this photo with the following caption
Marriott Marquis lobby is full of drunk, angry protesters harassing paying customers.
If you're still in DC, avoid this area. #WomensMarch – at Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
There were at least half a million people marching in DC. There wasn't a single arrest.
Trains were so crowded in LA that on the subway and light rail lines that run east/west, people were having to go west, away from Downtown LA, in order to get to the end of the line so they could get on a train before it was full.
It will seem rather pointless though unless this anger and motivation is funneled into political activism - Sanders is presumably too old to go again in 2020, so who will be the new standard-bearer of the Dem Socialists?
That is bullshit, DR. The whole idea that this only means something if it creates significant change in the future is lazy liberal take that partners the conservative male "I don't know what they feel they have to march about" (the response being "People like you. That is why").
A March cannot fix the fact that the Democrats have screwed up their bench for the next decade. It can't fix gerrymandering. It can be a very eye-catching protest to help people realize they aren't alone and will stand up for each other.
Marches make the people that go on them feel less alone, more confident, less afraid, more alert to other causes. Even if they fail in short-term aims, they're worth it for those reasons alone.
It seems like yesterday's demos brought out a whole load of people who hardly ever normally go on demos. Good. It's also brought out the odd snarky comment from left purists, which is nothing but self-righteous "I hate it now other people like my favourite band that I first saw at the Bull & Gate in 88" rubbish.
I hope this encourages more people to back Black Lives Matter, and other more "difficult" causes. And there's a better chance that more people will if demos like yesterday's happen than if they didn't.
Massive gatherings that bring people together and encourage a positive attitude do infinitely more than the self-appointed revolutionaries that said they'd "shut down the city" on Friday.
That shit doesn't shut down the small part of the city that does all the damage. The assholes in $3000 suits still find a way to do what they're going to do. It just screws life up for all the regular people who do all the real work and have an absurd commute on normal days because we have underfunded transit and no affordable housing policy.
My strongly pro-Trump Florida city had a march so I assume that there was one in every urban centre of some description. If mobilization via social media gave Trump his win, it can bring him down. The one thing it lacks presently is a leader, which in these times of personality politics could be crucial.
I've struggled with mental illness for many years, and this past year has been a tough one. The day before yesterday was an especially difficult day. However seeing millions of people on the Women's Marches the following day rise up and be counted - the creativity, the power, the solidarity was a beautiful, hopeful, inspiring sight.
While there is much work to do, do not dismiss the importance of such events - not only for the sheer magnificence of this public display of resistance - but for those of us weighed down by the daily grim tidings that can sometimes overwhelm us into despair. Thank you to all the re-sisters for stepping up!
"Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a fine act of insurrection." - Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark
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