As outreach captain of our Democratic county committee, I'm focusing on three things: kitchen table gatherings - to bring together neighbors to create social identity and bonding; truth-telling - pushing back the avalanche of disinformation via social media and letters to the editor; and democracy watch dogs - making calls and emails to our legislators concerning problematic bills. Pick one of these and keep marching.
I live in rural Maine - so it's mostly red, with bits of blue dots here and there. We've got a great county committee, and a dedicated team of canvassers, but that comes from lots of work communicating how important it is to reach voters. Democratic candidates have a tough time breaking through the redness of the area, and it's hard to imagine that getting better now.
Would love to hear more about kitchen table gatherings-have been thinking about a gathering of local friends from fb and meeting IRL-what state and county are you in?
Go for it - give kitchen table gatherings a try, and see what needs tweaking to make it better the next time. Reach out to friends and neighbors, and provide whatever food you can manage (cheese and crackers, or soup and bread, or desserts). Make it a time frame that is specific (90 minutes works well), and think ahead of how to make it part social (focus on chatting and food), and part discussion and call to action. The discussion part can be a specific question raised to the group for brainstorming (emphasize "love every idea for a minute"), and it works well for the group to finalize a call to action - and a "next time" time/date/host. The point is to build community and identity: "This is what I do; this is who I am."
There’s a lot of voices out there and many are interesting and helpful but I frequently find the takes that you take Anand capture a sentiment that is unique. This post takesa viewpoint I haven’t seen elsewhere but one that calms a soul filled with dread. So thanks for that!
Thanks for this Anand. What's different for me in this year than in 2017 is that I'm ensuring that I don't fall into that deep hole of despair where I watched 5 hours a night of MSNBC it seems. I'm protecting myself and ensuring that I don't think about the havoc upon us every moment. I'm holding tight to the good in my life, yet being very focused on my response. 1. Like you, being curious to what others are doing and thinking is going to be a big part of mine. And I want to make sure that I focus on "Intergenerational Curiosity" as a means to bring on deeply rooted change. 2. I think we all need to focus on not every area that is gravely at stake, but 1 to 2. For me, it's around LGBTQ+ public service and civic engagement -- and it's a focus I have in my role at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. 3. And it's to be conscience of the inequities and inequalities all around us and not just play into my bubble. We can't only be concerned about ourselves, but this is when we must show up for others. And it starts with empathy.
This is an excellent analysis, with one exception. Where I live in New Jersey, the resistance post-2016 was about much more than Twitter beefs. A whole lot happened here to flip seats, pressure Republicans, and build a healthier democracy in a state famous for political corruption. I'm proud to have been a leader in those efforts.
Now, what of today? I'm finding the same range of responses that you write about. Personally, I'm focusing on caring for my family, and figuring out how to get involved in ensuring trans rights are protected, as I have a trans child. Also, there's a critical gubernatorial election coming up this year, as well as important elections in my town. I hope to be involved in both.
Thank you for an excellent article. I have been adrift after the election. No more cable MSM, I read the INK, The Free Press, the WSJ and a few excellent writers on SubStack. As a feminist, Democrat, 73 year old woman business owner, I always thought the Democratic Party was where I belonged, but after watching the past 4 years I am not sure. When these “way past their prime” octogenarians can give up their insatiable appetite for power and allow a new generation to come forward, maybe they will get my attention. They lost me when Biden decided to run again, got me back with Kamala who they did a huge disservice to with the 107 days they gave her to run. And now we have Trump and the billionaire class running the country. For now, I’m taking care of my family, friends, community and business.
Today is my birthday, and I’m presently sitting in bed with a coffee and a good book. The title of the book is The Light of Days. I borrowed it from the NYPL’s online site. It’s described as “the untold story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos.”
When I landed on it while waiting for another book to be become available, I thought, why read this now? And here I am. In short, along the same lines written in this post, I’m trying to figure out what’s next for me, a senior woman.
Basically, they, the young Jewish women, as we all know, had nothing to lose except their own lives for a cause that they believed in their very cores.
That said, I’m glad I found it. It’s actually helping me as I navigate this journey of what’s next for me.
I enjoyed this excellent column. Anand always gets it right. What will be my resistance? Currently, it's retreating into my own life, looking for meaning outside of politics. Although I am still grieving over Kamala's loss and shocked at our fellow Americans, I can no longer spend my life driven by politics. I must let all the hate and vitriol go now. Thank you, Anand, for writing this reflective column.
In 2016 I was upset with the outcome of the election and skeptical that Trump would be anything like a normal president, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. It didn’t take Trump long to prove that the doubt was warranted. He proved to be every bit as vile as I feared. This time I’m of course angry at Trump, but most of my anger is directed at the people who voted for this moral outrage. They knew what they were voting for and their feign ignorance is absurd. Trump’s lies and moral failings are so obvious that no reasonable person can miss them.
Frankly, I’m not sure how to direct my anger in a positive direction. I definitely cannot go four years being angry at half of my fellow citizens who seem to have no sense of moral decency, but that is how I feel about them. Anger is self-destructive and I spend a lot of time thinking about ways to channel it in positive directions. I focus on family and things that nourish my soul and I read essays like this hoping for insight. It will take time and lots of work on my part to get over the outrage.
Something that has helped me re fellow citizens is to remember that 1) likely vote was fixed given odd results, T “confessions” about having all the votes he needed, and em involvement 2) even if vote count not manipulated the people were manipulated with massive disinformation over ten years and a compliant GOP-favoring national media-so yes some want exactly this but more voted for someone else and many were victims of massive propaganda -my anger is more at Biden for not protecting nation from what clearly is a hostile takeover -he put institutions already damaged by t 1.0 above his actual oath to protect and defend against all enemies
I don’t think the vote was fixed, but the effect of propaganda and misinformation is undeniable. Like you, I am pretty angry at Biden. I think he did an outstanding job of leading the country out of the morass Trump left us in the last time he was president, but Biden should have honored his promise to be a transition president. Many of us took that to be a commitment to pass control of the Democratic Party to a younger, more vibrant leadership. He failed on that count, and that I think goes a long way to explaining why we have the travesty of another Donald Trump presidency.
Thank you for this analysis. My overwhelming thought after the election was that all the things we did in the prior 10 years seemed to have backfired. And yet, there is pressure to return to the streets, protest, etc. if one cares about this country and Democracy. I do care, but those tactics did not work as expected. Also, as you so clearly noted, I have at best 20 years left and I don't want to be angry. I hope to retire in a year or so. My half-baked plan is retreat - to buy acreage in the mountains with outbuildings that could be refurbished for artist and writers retreats. To build relationships with local farmers. To manage the land as a native ecosystem. To create an intentional community away from the chaos. By nurturing the best in people, perhaps we can restore sanity.
Excellent analysis. This really got me thinking about how I want to manage myself over the next four years. Yes - when things are abhorrent the answer gets easier to act but that’s a lot of energy for everyday for four years. I’m leaning towards getting involved locally right now.
Thanks for this! One thing I’m hearing from friends is that we need to continue to turn our attention to what we want, not so much what we’re fighting against. We need to continue to build a vision and work toward a system that works for everyone.
I wish there was a clear leader of our party to LEAD the #Resistance. Add in that leader has to have NEW ideas because the Pelosi & Co. are not going to be the help we need right now and for the foreseeable future.
We need direction with a purpose. No more marches without an action. No more postcards or door knocking we need whatever social media platforms that the enemy used to great effect, we need innovation.
tRump has literally got away with everything and he's going to keep going because why the hell not?
I would love it if right not we coalesced around a dynamic candidate that we know can win in the next election-should we have another one. I'm gutted saying this but it has to be a white man because sadly at least 40% of this country are misogynistic A Holes.
I'm not interested in sitting this out quietly however I can't do what I did last time, I can't fret 24/7 to your point I want things I can control.
If anyone out there wants to start a new type of group/organization or knows of one that is forward thinking please let me know.
Each of us has a line that has been crossed in the bewildering chaos of recent time. I see the importance of being kind as I step across my personal lines. Thanks for your deep thinking. It helps.
Thanks Anand for this cogent analysis. I would only augment what you have offered with the recognition that critical events for the US of the last years including a pandemic, horrific unthinkable wars breaking out globally, a scary, damaging rise in the cost of daily living and the unpredictability of reliable and effective government have only exacerbated the emotional stability of most of us. Those most affected have exhibited behavior clearly dangerous if not deadly to all. I need not offer examples. What I am emphasizing is a subtle yet clearly destructive “pandemic” of mental (more accurately termed emotional) illness. The continual drift of health care in the US from a service to a business has contributed significantly to this danger, as the increasing need for effective treatment/ interventions has only been met with a decreasing response, too often from some not very well trained. Family and community become increasingly critical factors in helping us all regulate in the face of potential emotional trauma to sustain sober decision making. But as a nation we are not speaking to each other about this crisis enough. We are too often not taking the time and opportunities to care for each other in simple yet meaningful ways. Hopefully as a resilient species we can shift this trend in the coming days, months and years.
Beautiful essay that opens us to the mind walks we need to feel we’re in this together. I believe the biggest gut punch was our fellow Americans. I’m on a soul journey, and soulful living seems to be my path during this time of crisis. It means taking responsibility for inner and outer action. It actually is Love in Action.
My posture will be adjusting my radar to identify and address the needs of others. My New Year’s resolution is to rediscover my inner scout: to do my best to do my duty to G_d and my country and to help other people at all times. And to do my best to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient (to what is right and just), cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. And to insist that states enforce the protective laws and regulations already on the books.
As outreach captain of our Democratic county committee, I'm focusing on three things: kitchen table gatherings - to bring together neighbors to create social identity and bonding; truth-telling - pushing back the avalanche of disinformation via social media and letters to the editor; and democracy watch dogs - making calls and emails to our legislators concerning problematic bills. Pick one of these and keep marching.
I wish we could shake up our Iowa D party. I am curious are you in a red, purple or blue area? rosenbergralph@gmail.com, if you prefer.
I live in rural Maine - so it's mostly red, with bits of blue dots here and there. We've got a great county committee, and a dedicated team of canvassers, but that comes from lots of work communicating how important it is to reach voters. Democratic candidates have a tough time breaking through the redness of the area, and it's hard to imagine that getting better now.
Would love to hear more about kitchen table gatherings-have been thinking about a gathering of local friends from fb and meeting IRL-what state and county are you in?
Go for it - give kitchen table gatherings a try, and see what needs tweaking to make it better the next time. Reach out to friends and neighbors, and provide whatever food you can manage (cheese and crackers, or soup and bread, or desserts). Make it a time frame that is specific (90 minutes works well), and think ahead of how to make it part social (focus on chatting and food), and part discussion and call to action. The discussion part can be a specific question raised to the group for brainstorming (emphasize "love every idea for a minute"), and it works well for the group to finalize a call to action - and a "next time" time/date/host. The point is to build community and identity: "This is what I do; this is who I am."
There’s a lot of voices out there and many are interesting and helpful but I frequently find the takes that you take Anand capture a sentiment that is unique. This post takesa viewpoint I haven’t seen elsewhere but one that calms a soul filled with dread. So thanks for that!
Thanks for this Anand. What's different for me in this year than in 2017 is that I'm ensuring that I don't fall into that deep hole of despair where I watched 5 hours a night of MSNBC it seems. I'm protecting myself and ensuring that I don't think about the havoc upon us every moment. I'm holding tight to the good in my life, yet being very focused on my response. 1. Like you, being curious to what others are doing and thinking is going to be a big part of mine. And I want to make sure that I focus on "Intergenerational Curiosity" as a means to bring on deeply rooted change. 2. I think we all need to focus on not every area that is gravely at stake, but 1 to 2. For me, it's around LGBTQ+ public service and civic engagement -- and it's a focus I have in my role at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. 3. And it's to be conscience of the inequities and inequalities all around us and not just play into my bubble. We can't only be concerned about ourselves, but this is when we must show up for others. And it starts with empathy.
This is an excellent analysis, with one exception. Where I live in New Jersey, the resistance post-2016 was about much more than Twitter beefs. A whole lot happened here to flip seats, pressure Republicans, and build a healthier democracy in a state famous for political corruption. I'm proud to have been a leader in those efforts.
Now, what of today? I'm finding the same range of responses that you write about. Personally, I'm focusing on caring for my family, and figuring out how to get involved in ensuring trans rights are protected, as I have a trans child. Also, there's a critical gubernatorial election coming up this year, as well as important elections in my town. I hope to be involved in both.
Thank you for an excellent article. I have been adrift after the election. No more cable MSM, I read the INK, The Free Press, the WSJ and a few excellent writers on SubStack. As a feminist, Democrat, 73 year old woman business owner, I always thought the Democratic Party was where I belonged, but after watching the past 4 years I am not sure. When these “way past their prime” octogenarians can give up their insatiable appetite for power and allow a new generation to come forward, maybe they will get my attention. They lost me when Biden decided to run again, got me back with Kamala who they did a huge disservice to with the 107 days they gave her to run. And now we have Trump and the billionaire class running the country. For now, I’m taking care of my family, friends, community and business.
Today is my birthday, and I’m presently sitting in bed with a coffee and a good book. The title of the book is The Light of Days. I borrowed it from the NYPL’s online site. It’s described as “the untold story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos.”
When I landed on it while waiting for another book to be become available, I thought, why read this now? And here I am. In short, along the same lines written in this post, I’m trying to figure out what’s next for me, a senior woman.
Basically, they, the young Jewish women, as we all know, had nothing to lose except their own lives for a cause that they believed in their very cores.
That said, I’m glad I found it. It’s actually helping me as I navigate this journey of what’s next for me.
Happy birthday Diane -- and I hope your day is filled by doing what you love to do -- reading in bed with coffee seems like a wonderful start.
Happy Birthday!
I enjoyed this excellent column. Anand always gets it right. What will be my resistance? Currently, it's retreating into my own life, looking for meaning outside of politics. Although I am still grieving over Kamala's loss and shocked at our fellow Americans, I can no longer spend my life driven by politics. I must let all the hate and vitriol go now. Thank you, Anand, for writing this reflective column.
In 2016 I was upset with the outcome of the election and skeptical that Trump would be anything like a normal president, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. It didn’t take Trump long to prove that the doubt was warranted. He proved to be every bit as vile as I feared. This time I’m of course angry at Trump, but most of my anger is directed at the people who voted for this moral outrage. They knew what they were voting for and their feign ignorance is absurd. Trump’s lies and moral failings are so obvious that no reasonable person can miss them.
Frankly, I’m not sure how to direct my anger in a positive direction. I definitely cannot go four years being angry at half of my fellow citizens who seem to have no sense of moral decency, but that is how I feel about them. Anger is self-destructive and I spend a lot of time thinking about ways to channel it in positive directions. I focus on family and things that nourish my soul and I read essays like this hoping for insight. It will take time and lots of work on my part to get over the outrage.
Something that has helped me re fellow citizens is to remember that 1) likely vote was fixed given odd results, T “confessions” about having all the votes he needed, and em involvement 2) even if vote count not manipulated the people were manipulated with massive disinformation over ten years and a compliant GOP-favoring national media-so yes some want exactly this but more voted for someone else and many were victims of massive propaganda -my anger is more at Biden for not protecting nation from what clearly is a hostile takeover -he put institutions already damaged by t 1.0 above his actual oath to protect and defend against all enemies
I don’t think the vote was fixed, but the effect of propaganda and misinformation is undeniable. Like you, I am pretty angry at Biden. I think he did an outstanding job of leading the country out of the morass Trump left us in the last time he was president, but Biden should have honored his promise to be a transition president. Many of us took that to be a commitment to pass control of the Democratic Party to a younger, more vibrant leadership. He failed on that count, and that I think goes a long way to explaining why we have the travesty of another Donald Trump presidency.
Thank you for this analysis. My overwhelming thought after the election was that all the things we did in the prior 10 years seemed to have backfired. And yet, there is pressure to return to the streets, protest, etc. if one cares about this country and Democracy. I do care, but those tactics did not work as expected. Also, as you so clearly noted, I have at best 20 years left and I don't want to be angry. I hope to retire in a year or so. My half-baked plan is retreat - to buy acreage in the mountains with outbuildings that could be refurbished for artist and writers retreats. To build relationships with local farmers. To manage the land as a native ecosystem. To create an intentional community away from the chaos. By nurturing the best in people, perhaps we can restore sanity.
sounds like heaven to me Tami!
Fascinating idea
Excellent analysis. This really got me thinking about how I want to manage myself over the next four years. Yes - when things are abhorrent the answer gets easier to act but that’s a lot of energy for everyday for four years. I’m leaning towards getting involved locally right now.
Thanks for this! One thing I’m hearing from friends is that we need to continue to turn our attention to what we want, not so much what we’re fighting against. We need to continue to build a vision and work toward a system that works for everyone.
I wish there was a clear leader of our party to LEAD the #Resistance. Add in that leader has to have NEW ideas because the Pelosi & Co. are not going to be the help we need right now and for the foreseeable future.
We need direction with a purpose. No more marches without an action. No more postcards or door knocking we need whatever social media platforms that the enemy used to great effect, we need innovation.
tRump has literally got away with everything and he's going to keep going because why the hell not?
I would love it if right not we coalesced around a dynamic candidate that we know can win in the next election-should we have another one. I'm gutted saying this but it has to be a white man because sadly at least 40% of this country are misogynistic A Holes.
I'm not interested in sitting this out quietly however I can't do what I did last time, I can't fret 24/7 to your point I want things I can control.
If anyone out there wants to start a new type of group/organization or knows of one that is forward thinking please let me know.
Each of us has a line that has been crossed in the bewildering chaos of recent time. I see the importance of being kind as I step across my personal lines. Thanks for your deep thinking. It helps.
Thanks Anand for this cogent analysis. I would only augment what you have offered with the recognition that critical events for the US of the last years including a pandemic, horrific unthinkable wars breaking out globally, a scary, damaging rise in the cost of daily living and the unpredictability of reliable and effective government have only exacerbated the emotional stability of most of us. Those most affected have exhibited behavior clearly dangerous if not deadly to all. I need not offer examples. What I am emphasizing is a subtle yet clearly destructive “pandemic” of mental (more accurately termed emotional) illness. The continual drift of health care in the US from a service to a business has contributed significantly to this danger, as the increasing need for effective treatment/ interventions has only been met with a decreasing response, too often from some not very well trained. Family and community become increasingly critical factors in helping us all regulate in the face of potential emotional trauma to sustain sober decision making. But as a nation we are not speaking to each other about this crisis enough. We are too often not taking the time and opportunities to care for each other in simple yet meaningful ways. Hopefully as a resilient species we can shift this trend in the coming days, months and years.
Well said-as a psychologist close to retirement I become more interested in systemic causes of mental suffering than individual “diagnoses”
Beautiful essay that opens us to the mind walks we need to feel we’re in this together. I believe the biggest gut punch was our fellow Americans. I’m on a soul journey, and soulful living seems to be my path during this time of crisis. It means taking responsibility for inner and outer action. It actually is Love in Action.
My posture will be adjusting my radar to identify and address the needs of others. My New Year’s resolution is to rediscover my inner scout: to do my best to do my duty to G_d and my country and to help other people at all times. And to do my best to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient (to what is right and just), cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. And to insist that states enforce the protective laws and regulations already on the books.
Love this. Everything but “obedient”. Be obedient only to what is just, moral, and right. Blind obedience has caused problems in our history.
Great point. I’m editing my response. Thank you.