Forward
Monday Feb. 3 is two weeks after the Inauguration of #47 on Jan. 20, 2025. At the end of this post is what I wrote Jan. 18&25. If you are interested, here are my posts from Jan 18 forward to now (just select archive for January 2025 at right): Jan 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 29, 31. Also see Feb. 1, titled “Oh Canada”.
Looking ahead, to the best of my ability, I am going to redirect during February, Black History Month.
*
A suggestion: Take a little time this month to visit AMillionCopies.info, a simple website I inaugurated in spring, 2008, dedicated to two personal heroes, Lynn Elling and Dr. Joseph Schwartzberg. A movie, there, from about 1970, is free and on-line.
You can watch interviews of Mr. Elling and Dr. Schwartzberg here. They were both stellar activists. They are both deceased, 2016 and 2018 respectively. (The interviews were by two Pakistani Fulbright Humphrey Fellows in 2014. Read the short intro to the interviews before watching.)
I would also suggest taking the time to watch the film “The World Is My Country”, the story of peace activist Garry Davis in the WWII era. The website is here. Davis merited a page one obit in the NYTimes when he died in 2020,
Elling, Schwartzberg and Davis were all citizens who made a big difference.
*
Where do you fit in?
Remember: only about 30% of eligible Americans voted for the new King Nov. 5, 2024. That is hardly a landslide. Near 170 million eligible voters did not vote for #47.
I will keep writing, and for sure I’ll keep informed, and absolutely stay engaged, but my posts for the time being will be on personal preference rather than focused on the disruption and chaos we will likely continue to see this month. Keep this ‘blitzkrieg’ in perspective. It will fail, ultimately, as have all such efforts over history, if the targets – most of us – get to work.
*
POSTNOTE: January 18: “A House Divided“, one week ago, I wrote: “Two days from now will be the inauguration of the U.S. President. It feels, today, much like being in the eye of a hurricane. All seems calm. But no one knows for sure exactly when the chaos of the hurricane will resume and who it will damage worst or how. The prudent persons have prepared for the worst, but if they’re unlucky the preparation will be in vain. The hurricane is all of us. We will determine it’s strength or weakness. We’re all in the path of the storm.”
Added January 25: …a tsunami, intended to demoralize and defeat – call it “shock and awe”. Thus far, it has been worse than expectations. This is a madman with a wrecking ball and the building permit to destroy.
COMMENTS:
from Remi (in Canada): The Americans last attempted to “conquer us into liberty” during the War of 1812. We sent them packing and burned down the White House. My grandmother’s great-grandfather, Denis Collet, was part of the French-Canadian militia involved in that event. This time, it seems that millions of Americans will lose their jobs.
from Molly: Here, from AP: But–hey–what could possibly go wrong? Sigh, and some cuss words,
Harris lost the election by around 2.3 million votes. You would think with 170 million eligible voters sitting on their hands last election day, the Democrats should be able to turn out at least a few million of those hand-sitters who would vote for them in the coming years. People need to believe that whoever they vote for will make a difference in their lives and the lives of people they care about. For whatever reason, more people felt that Trump could make that difference in their lives than could Harris. We’ll see how Trump fulfills that hope and how well the Democrats can present alternatives that resonate enough with people to incent them to get off their hands and vote.
Dick: It doesn’t matter how few people voted to re-elect the man child who would be king as enough did to give him a landslide non-competitive EC win. That means that voters in the naivest childlike support for the man child actually believed that he would end the various wars the day he was inaugurates and cut prices as well, Gas prices are up by 25 cents per gallon at least and egg prices are soaring through the roof. Credible economists everywhere repeatedly cautioned that Donnie’s claims about economy y were unrealistic especially if he imposed the tariffs as he has now foolishly done like the proverbial playground bully that he is. He has the Congress in pocket as most of the Republican residing there have forgotten that they are part of a third branch of government that should be independent but having no self-respect, the embers just are kowtow g to whatever Daddy wants as one dumb ass House member referred to the man-child. and, of course, he has the SCOTUS in his pocket as well. He just has to continue to try to get rid of the civil service for federal employs and reinstate and a spoils system and they will be able to do whatever he wants as his plan to be a dictator for one day will turn into a four-year deal and then some dumb members of congress will try to help the SOB serve a third term. Again, however, that is what the votes wanted, that is a dictator who would take care of them and make those doggone liberals progressives and certainly those doggone non-Christians toe the line! Democracy be dammed! Fealty to the man child who would be king is all that matters apparently!
So far… So much worse than expected. I don’t know why I didn’t expect this – after all his track record should’ve prepared everybody for all things negative. And now he’s bolder older and has more people around him who learned great lessons about disruption.
Biggest question is what to do – opposition leadership seems to have no clue on how to push back; and is fairly splintered themselves. Buckle up – I fear it is gonna be a bad ride.