Those of us in the middle class white demographic owe thanks to Trump for revealing the white supremacists and neo-Nazis we suspected were there but could never quite get a bead on. Now that they're out and proud, we at least know what we're fighting. But we're all going to have to summon the strength of a John Lewis (and Jen Rubin, Norm Eisen, Michael Podhorzer, and Perkins Coie) to do it.
FWIW, I'm old and will volunteer to stand on 5th Ave. and taunt Trump to shoot me. Unfortunately, the Supremes will probably consider it an official duty and give him a pass.
I've been trying to learn about all our civil rights history, but it has previously escaped me that our courts have been helping to fuel the backlash against civil rights. I do not understand why so many whites (I am one) are so emotionally unstable and fearful of others. I live in a city where I'm a minority, but I don't feel it because everyone here is accepted for who they are. I'm sure not all the population is that way (I have several neighbors who are trumpies), but they are in a minority. How my city is is how I would like to see the whole country be - it would make it a far more pleasant place to live.
Fifty years of brainwashing of people in isolated communities (mostly rural & small town) that have had little or no contact with people different from themselves.
Indeed. Living in their information silos and, frankly, with the unresolved bigotry and racism in many of those communities that has persisted since the Lost Cause. In conversations (rare) that I have had with folks of that mindset, they absolutely cannot see that they were duped by the well-heeled forces pumping millions into conservative hate media over decades, in order to manipulate them into a reliable voting bloc. They see the puffed up, fire-and-brimstone wizard, but refuse to acknowledge the "man behind the curtain".
Check out the Institute for Common Power as a fabulous plane to learn the history of white nationalism and community response. Fabulous lectures and trips. And a political arm as well.
Fantastic analysis, thank you! It helps me to try to understand where we are and how this happened, instead of feeling like the country went suddenly spontaneously crazy. Great leaps forward in our country always come with a backlash. Interesting how I never considered asa child in history class the fact that Americans fighting for civil rights were fighting against OTHER Americans who DIDN’T want them to have them. It wasn’t evolution towards progress happening because, well it should because it’s right. It happened because a lot of people fought a long time against other people who fought just as hard to keep them down!
You are right, Mike. "Today, we stand at a crossroads". Today you are either for democracy or you stand tall for Fascism. I am less interested in what has happened in the past and more interested in what you can do to help now.
Despite all the human suffering, we are staring again into the jaws of hate and intolerance. Despite the overwhelming documenting of democracies' demise in the past, we once again are slipping into authoritarianism. It is, sadly, as if we don't have a single moment of history despite all that has come before. Is it our species? Our hierarchical social structures? What makes us tick this way? "It's as sad as sad can be," The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner
Federal law enforcement officers are sworn to defend the Constitution. Their oath says nothing about following the orders of the President: lhttps://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/333 For democracy in the US to be saved it will require that some of those officers (with guns & handcuffs) disobey the President to protect the Constitution. They will need to be very brave.
'Judicial decisions, while essential, cannot alone protect democratic rights against authoritarian backlash.'
True also for women’s rights. It was all too simple for the medieval SCOTUS misogynists to overturn Roe: their decision in Dobbs has lead to women bleeding to death in hospital parking lots and dying of preventable sepsis after miscarriages because docs in states with abortion bans would not give them the standard medically indicated care they needed.
Instead, as a matter of extreme urgency we need an EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT. Most Americans have no idea that WOMEN — WHO ARE MORE THAN HALF OF THE POPULATION — ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY PROTECTED IN THE CONSTITUTION. It might not have been so easy for SCOTUS to just abrogate our rights if we had an ERA.
Absolutely on point. People in small clusters working together are what makes sustainable social change ponderable, then possible. Harry Hay with his Mattachine Society is an example of such a group. LGBTQ rights ultimately came from it. Court decisions generally follow tipping points in public opinion. Public opinion begins in communities of common cause. Moral? Get to work where you are, with whom you are connected.
I think you mean "ascent", not "assent" in your first sentence. Please edit.
I totally agree that we're back to fighting for civil rights all over again. I just finished Joy-Ann Reid's book, "Medgar and Myrlie", and paid close attention to how leaders and citizenry faced seemingly overwhelming odds to earn basic human rights. The battles ahead for all of us will take strength and stamina.
As we begin our Semiquincentennial, it is important to recognize how fragile our democracy has been since the inception. BTW, this Sunday was the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry's famous speech in Richmond.
This is more. It is legalized apartheid. The far right wants anyone who is not white to be deported. Wait and see. TFA is approaching three months in the Presidency and he has not even begun. Africa is going to gain more population. This is no joke.
WE the People have a right and a need to resist the swine who at present control the Government. Remember there are more of us to resist and it is and will be incumbent on us to take back the Republic. Fight back.
Thank you for your educational writing. I agree that we cannot rely on these brave judges and the courts alone, especially with so many partial judges included Trump's appointments. These times are frightening and so contrary to how most of us have been raised.
Those of us in the middle class white demographic owe thanks to Trump for revealing the white supremacists and neo-Nazis we suspected were there but could never quite get a bead on. Now that they're out and proud, we at least know what we're fighting. But we're all going to have to summon the strength of a John Lewis (and Jen Rubin, Norm Eisen, Michael Podhorzer, and Perkins Coie) to do it.
FWIW, I'm old and will volunteer to stand on 5th Ave. and taunt Trump to shoot me. Unfortunately, the Supremes will probably consider it an official duty and give him a pass.
Please don't taunt to be shot. Instead, write or call a mix of legislators to band together and rid our nation of the dictator.
I've been trying to learn about all our civil rights history, but it has previously escaped me that our courts have been helping to fuel the backlash against civil rights. I do not understand why so many whites (I am one) are so emotionally unstable and fearful of others. I live in a city where I'm a minority, but I don't feel it because everyone here is accepted for who they are. I'm sure not all the population is that way (I have several neighbors who are trumpies), but they are in a minority. How my city is is how I would like to see the whole country be - it would make it a far more pleasant place to live.
Fifty years of brainwashing of people in isolated communities (mostly rural & small town) that have had little or no contact with people different from themselves.
Indeed. Living in their information silos and, frankly, with the unresolved bigotry and racism in many of those communities that has persisted since the Lost Cause. In conversations (rare) that I have had with folks of that mindset, they absolutely cannot see that they were duped by the well-heeled forces pumping millions into conservative hate media over decades, in order to manipulate them into a reliable voting bloc. They see the puffed up, fire-and-brimstone wizard, but refuse to acknowledge the "man behind the curtain".
Exactly.
Check out the Institute for Common Power as a fabulous plane to learn the history of white nationalism and community response. Fabulous lectures and trips. And a political arm as well.
Fantastic analysis, thank you! It helps me to try to understand where we are and how this happened, instead of feeling like the country went suddenly spontaneously crazy. Great leaps forward in our country always come with a backlash. Interesting how I never considered asa child in history class the fact that Americans fighting for civil rights were fighting against OTHER Americans who DIDN’T want them to have them. It wasn’t evolution towards progress happening because, well it should because it’s right. It happened because a lot of people fought a long time against other people who fought just as hard to keep them down!
You are right, Mike. "Today, we stand at a crossroads". Today you are either for democracy or you stand tall for Fascism. I am less interested in what has happened in the past and more interested in what you can do to help now.
Despite all the human suffering, we are staring again into the jaws of hate and intolerance. Despite the overwhelming documenting of democracies' demise in the past, we once again are slipping into authoritarianism. It is, sadly, as if we don't have a single moment of history despite all that has come before. Is it our species? Our hierarchical social structures? What makes us tick this way? "It's as sad as sad can be," The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner
For a moment this read like a history lesson with the Trump regime in the rear view mirror. It was a good moment.
Now march.
Federal law enforcement officers are sworn to defend the Constitution. Their oath says nothing about following the orders of the President: lhttps://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/333 For democracy in the US to be saved it will require that some of those officers (with guns & handcuffs) disobey the President to protect the Constitution. They will need to be very brave.
'Judicial decisions, while essential, cannot alone protect democratic rights against authoritarian backlash.'
True also for women’s rights. It was all too simple for the medieval SCOTUS misogynists to overturn Roe: their decision in Dobbs has lead to women bleeding to death in hospital parking lots and dying of preventable sepsis after miscarriages because docs in states with abortion bans would not give them the standard medically indicated care they needed.
Instead, as a matter of extreme urgency we need an EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT. Most Americans have no idea that WOMEN — WHO ARE MORE THAN HALF OF THE POPULATION — ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY PROTECTED IN THE CONSTITUTION. It might not have been so easy for SCOTUS to just abrogate our rights if we had an ERA.
Absolutely on point. People in small clusters working together are what makes sustainable social change ponderable, then possible. Harry Hay with his Mattachine Society is an example of such a group. LGBTQ rights ultimately came from it. Court decisions generally follow tipping points in public opinion. Public opinion begins in communities of common cause. Moral? Get to work where you are, with whom you are connected.
I think you mean "ascent", not "assent" in your first sentence. Please edit.
I totally agree that we're back to fighting for civil rights all over again. I just finished Joy-Ann Reid's book, "Medgar and Myrlie", and paid close attention to how leaders and citizenry faced seemingly overwhelming odds to earn basic human rights. The battles ahead for all of us will take strength and stamina.
As we begin our Semiquincentennial, it is important to recognize how fragile our democracy has been since the inception. BTW, this Sunday was the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry's famous speech in Richmond.
Wonderful historical perspective! Thanks!
This is more. It is legalized apartheid. The far right wants anyone who is not white to be deported. Wait and see. TFA is approaching three months in the Presidency and he has not even begun. Africa is going to gain more population. This is no joke.
WE the People have a right and a need to resist the swine who at present control the Government. Remember there are more of us to resist and it is and will be incumbent on us to take back the Republic. Fight back.
Tim Matchette
Thank you for your educational writing. I agree that we cannot rely on these brave judges and the courts alone, especially with so many partial judges included Trump's appointments. These times are frightening and so contrary to how most of us have been raised.