December 18, 2016

Standing firm in the rip tides of today’s banal new Evil

In her latest blog entry, Jennifer Browdy writes: "Eventually the truth will out. But for now, we are stuck living through it, day by painful day."

Standing firm in the rip tides of today’s banal new Evil

I’ll admit it, I’ve been waiting for a miracle.

An angel to swoop down from on high and save us. Or at least a collective “coming to their senses” of our Congress, making them reject the obviously warped election and order a re-do. Or even some kind of horrible disaster, making it impossible for Trump and his gang to seize power. Say, a spectacular bombing of Trump Tower while all of them were in it, on the order of 9-11.

Instead, here we sit in dreary December, one day away from the fateful Electoral College vote, and it seems that all the levers of power sweeping Drumpf into office are operating smoothly.

The Democrats, including President Obama, are being pathetically compliant and wimpy, making me wonder what kind of fire their feet are being held to by Trump & the Gang—what do they have to hide? What, at this point, do they have to lose by demanding fairness and accountability to the vast majority of American citizens who did NOT vote for Donald Trump?

We need another Watergate-type investigation, complete with a new Deep Throat, to help us understand what is really going on behind the scenes in Washington and New York, in Moscow, London, Damascus and Ankara. This is a story that puts John LeCarre and Ken Follett to shame—so big, bold, intricate and treacherous that no one could have imagined it. Fact is way stranger and scarier than fiction this time around.

Eventually the truth will out. But for now, we are stuck living through it, day by painful day. However, we are not just the character-pawns in this story, being manipulated by a clever author. Each of us has the potential to be the author of our own storylines within the vast tapestry of current events, and to change the course of history in profound ways.

In upholding standards of decency, kindness and open-heartedness; in practicing what the Buddhists call tonglen, taking in the suffering of the world, alchemizing it into loving compassion and beaming that love back out into the world; in refusing to go with the flow or get with the program when to do so would hurt others; in standing up and saying NO to hatred, bigotry and the naked abuse of power, whether on the global, national or local levels—in all these ways and many more, each of us has the ability to be a beacon of courage and honor in this darkening landscape.

We do not have to march in lockstep when it comes to how to respond to the present emergency. Some of us will be called into the streets to protest; some of us will focus on creating a loving home for our families and a haven for our friends. Some will go out in nature and commune with the timeless wisdom of the trees and boulders. Some of us will write, some will play music, some will paint or make films. No act is insignificant if it comes from a pure intention to offer deep Goodness to the superficial faux gold chrome of today’s banal Evil.

Two hundred and forty years ago, the first Americans stood up against tyranny and refused to be exploited and oppressed by their rulers. We may be living through just such tumultuous times today. We must have the courage and resolution of the American founding fathers.

The far right has been sounding the same warning for years now, and going about their own plan of overthrow, on a bigoted, winner-take-all model. Can the left rise and make history on the side of justice?

And a final bonus: check out this work-in-progress on organizing. The comparison of left activism with Tea Party activism is especially interesting. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzOz3Y6D8g_MNXHNMJYAz1b41_cn535aU5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic#heading=h.1t4uu5uonb6f

About Jennifer Browdy and her blog: Transition Times