On Self-care, Healing, and Protesting: a second response

"If you're a Trump voter who is tired of being called a bigot, if you say you voted for him based on gun rights or economic issues, or because you think Hillary really was that awful, and in spite of his rhetoric, rather than because of it, I believe you. If you're in my life, I clearly don't think you're a vile hateful person. But if you're now watching protests across the country and you don't understand why, or think they are just being sore losers, let me break something down for you. These people aren't just angry or sad that someone they didn't support won the election, they're scared. 

They're black Americans who hear talk of law and order and remember a racially charged stop and frisk program, or see an emboldened KKK holding a celebratory parade.  

They're Muslim Americans who worry that spitting in their face is now okay and violations of their rights to assemble and their rights to privacy are about to come. 

They're LGBT Americans who fear not just of the loss of marriage rights or restaurants gaining the right not to serve them, but of an administration that thinks it's more important to research electrocuting the gay out of them than AIDS. 

They're Hispanic and Latino Americans who are scared their children will be bullied in schools, and their families ripped apart while their culture is mocked. 

They're women who are wondering if we've normalized groping, and if their career endeavors will be judged by their face and body, and not their minds

I believe you when you say you didn't vote for any of these things. Most of America wasn't thrilled with the choices we had in this election. But If you didn't know that this is why they're protesting, if you think it's really just about free tuition or more government giveaways, then you, like the elite liberals you love to castigate, have also not been listening. If you're tired of being called a bigot, then you need to use the same voice you used on Tuesday and speak out against these things fully and clearly. It's not enough that you didn't say them yourself. You need to reassure your friends and family members who feel like they no longer have a seat at the table that you still stand with them, even if your priorities were different on Tuesday. If you aren't willing to do that, then you have no right to call for unity." 

- Michael Rex

-- Shared by Liz Lee Effenberger of Tacoma, Washington, on an Occupy Democrats' FB post, "Do not shame....Self-care takes different forms. Help each other heal."

Post Election -- On Self-care, Healing, and Protesting: one response

"I listened as they called my President a Muslim (as if it were a bad thing). I listened as they called him a monkey. I listened as they said he wasn't born here. I watched as they blocked every single path to progress that they could. I saw the pictures of him as Hitler. I listened as they openly said that they will oppose him at every turn. I watched as they did just that. I listened and I watched and I paid attention. Now, I'm being called on to be tolerant. To move forward. To denounce protesters. To "Get over it." To accept this...
I will not. I will do my part to make sure this great American mistake becomes the embarrassing footnote of our history that it deserves to be, as quickly as possible. I will do my part to limit the damage that this man can do to my country. I will vote. I will watch his every move and point out every single mistake and misdeed in a loud and proud voice. Do not call for my tolerance. I've tolerated all I can. Now it's their turn to tolerate ridicule. Be aware, make no mistake about it, every single thing that goes wrong in our country from this day forward is now Trump's fault just as much as they thought it was Obama's. I find it unreasonable for them to expect from me what they were entirely unwilling to give.
They will find no shelter here." - Jeremy Mitchell

-- Shared by Mel Feliz on an Occupy Democrats' FB post, "Do not shame....Self-care takes different forms. Help each other heal."

Trump Protest Thoughts

New York had a relatively peaceful demonstration yesterday. Peaceful assembly is a right in the Constitution. New Yorkers also know that Trump is a con man -- he has a history of it and lost decisively in New York, and he's a former Queen's street boy. We don't see him keeping his populist promises (which he borrowed from Bernie who had huge crowds that went unreported in mainstream corporate media). It is not in Trump's character. He's already reneged on his wall promise -- it is now a strong 2-layered fence at certain places (like Hillary suggested). I think it is early to be out in the streets but I will be there, peacefully and loudly, when he attacks women's rights, the social safety net, the environment, etc., and doesn't deliver on jobs and stopping bad trade deals. The folks out there are being pro-active and should not be condemned for peaceful assembly. Violence is another matter.

Post Election 2016 Thought

Bernie had the energy and the crowds and a solid history of anti-establishment populism. The DNC pushed a flawed candidate with both earned and unearned baggage down our throats. That said, look to Bernie Sanders and the movement he has created, and push forward.