Thanks for this. I’ve been trying to make conscious changes in anticipation of Trump2.0 - deleting most social media, updating my media diet to include more progressive voices. This mental shift will be just as helpful, less outrage and constant reactions to all the chaos and more focus on our communities, on helping where we can, and keeping ourselves sane for the long fight ahead.
Thanks for the essay. I’m also finding a lot of support from Rebecca Solnit’s book “Hope in the Dark” which she originally published in 2004 and republished in 2016 with new forward and
Wow! Profundity and turkey! Perfect! Thank you for the 'positive vibration' (as Bob Marley would say)and the encouragement. SO IMPORTANT in the dark days to come. Love Your Tribe! And...be kind to fools.
I think this advice falls short of capturing our potential in this moment. Yes, we need to stay in the game. Yes, we shouldn't spend four years being sad and angry while doing nothing. And yes, we probably won't win every fight.
But we can do *more* than that.
We can fight tooth and nail for every opportunity we have the capacity for. Notch wins where we can. Position ourselves to capitalize on the moments when the other side makes mistakes or exposes their weaknesses. Build power and relationships and plans.
That's so much more than just enduring. And I think we have it in us.
Thank you! Inspirational and thought provoking, indeed. Wise words of counsel.
My concern, however, that in order simply to "stay in the game" we also will need to keep our beloved nation from slipping, willy-nilly, into a cataclysm of political violence. The recently reported threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and some of his cabinet nominees are extremely disquieting and troubling.
All Americans, regardless of political persuasion, must unequivocally and forcefully denounce, as I do, any and all threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and those he has nominated to serve as members of his future cabinet. Whatever problems we may have as a nation will not be resolved successfully by violence.
Nor should we overlook the very real possibility that the threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and his cabinet nominees reported in the press could be "false flag" activities perpetrated by malevolent parties — neither Democrats nor Republicans — who wish all of us ill; i.e., they could be designed intentionally to inflame partisan suspicions and anger and further divide an already far too divided nation. This is a trouble-making technique known to be used by foreign intelligence services and domestic terrorists alike. Regardless, such threats certainly are not welcome harbingers of things to come.
Please, let us all vow to remain reasonable and rational during the challenging times that lie ahead and, above all, let us all vow to eschew and condemn any and all forms of political violence! Failing to do so threatens to unleash a cataclysm -- eagerly stoked by domestic hate groups -- that would serve the interests of no one other than those eager to see us all fail and go down in flames.
Thanks for this. I’ve been trying to make conscious changes in anticipation of Trump2.0 - deleting most social media, updating my media diet to include more progressive voices. This mental shift will be just as helpful, less outrage and constant reactions to all the chaos and more focus on our communities, on helping where we can, and keeping ourselves sane for the long fight ahead.
Thanks for the essay. I’m also finding a lot of support from Rebecca Solnit’s book “Hope in the Dark” which she originally published in 2004 and republished in 2016 with new forward and
Afterward.
Thank you. Beautiful and important.
Love this essay. Thank you. And Happy Thanksgiving to all.
“Stay in the game,” my mantra to go by for the next few years. Thank you, just beautiful.
Wow! Profundity and turkey! Perfect! Thank you for the 'positive vibration' (as Bob Marley would say)and the encouragement. SO IMPORTANT in the dark days to come. Love Your Tribe! And...be kind to fools.
I think this advice falls short of capturing our potential in this moment. Yes, we need to stay in the game. Yes, we shouldn't spend four years being sad and angry while doing nothing. And yes, we probably won't win every fight.
But we can do *more* than that.
We can fight tooth and nail for every opportunity we have the capacity for. Notch wins where we can. Position ourselves to capitalize on the moments when the other side makes mistakes or exposes their weaknesses. Build power and relationships and plans.
That's so much more than just enduring. And I think we have it in us.
Thank you! Inspirational and thought provoking, indeed. Wise words of counsel.
My concern, however, that in order simply to "stay in the game" we also will need to keep our beloved nation from slipping, willy-nilly, into a cataclysm of political violence. The recently reported threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and some of his cabinet nominees are extremely disquieting and troubling.
All Americans, regardless of political persuasion, must unequivocally and forcefully denounce, as I do, any and all threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and those he has nominated to serve as members of his future cabinet. Whatever problems we may have as a nation will not be resolved successfully by violence.
Nor should we overlook the very real possibility that the threats of violence against President-Elect Trump and his cabinet nominees reported in the press could be "false flag" activities perpetrated by malevolent parties — neither Democrats nor Republicans — who wish all of us ill; i.e., they could be designed intentionally to inflame partisan suspicions and anger and further divide an already far too divided nation. This is a trouble-making technique known to be used by foreign intelligence services and domestic terrorists alike. Regardless, such threats certainly are not welcome harbingers of things to come.
Please, let us all vow to remain reasonable and rational during the challenging times that lie ahead and, above all, let us all vow to eschew and condemn any and all forms of political violence! Failing to do so threatens to unleash a cataclysm -- eagerly stoked by domestic hate groups -- that would serve the interests of no one other than those eager to see us all fail and go down in flames.
Happy Thanksgiving!
And yes to ‘staying in the game’
Actually, more fiercely every day!
Love this… this too shall pass, stay in the game.
Brilliant post & much needed approach for the next 4 years. Yes “let’s stay in the game” - perfect mantra!! Thank you for this uplifting post.