I generally try to keep Trump’s jaw flapping from my ears as much as possible, while still remaining informed, but I felt called to watch his speech in Tulsa yesterday.
Highly disturbing narrative he is presenting…also highly compelling and energizing for his base.
It looks like he’s taking many pages out of the propaganda books of Hitler, and Mussolini painting a picture of the “radical left” as the central problem, which somehow corresponds to “democrats”, socialists, and communists at the same time.
He’s signaled that he is willing to use extreme violence and occupation of our cities by military forces to address any civil disobedience that doesn’t fall into line with maintaining the status quo.
He’s painted a vivid picture that America will be great through oil and gas, fracking, and capitalism.
He says the “Radical Left” wants nothing less than destruction of all that is holy. He says that the Green New Deal and progressive reforms will destroy the foundation of our country.
He’s painted a picture as a defender of the Constitution while Democrats (basically terrorists) and their judge selections seek to erode it.
Colonial statues and monuments must be preserved, and represent the greatness that is the American Dream, accessible to all who buy in.
Scary shit, and hugely popular with the people who buy into that belief.
Now I ask, what is the story that Joe Biden or the Democratic Party in general will present?
What part of that story will be rooted in action and commitment to the people, particularly the disenfranchised, the oppressed, and the disengaged?
How will it reach the many who won’t just “vote blue no matter who”, and want to see actual systemic change? How will it not only paint a picture, but commit to action on behalf of people and planet?
I am not optimistic about November. This speech nearly secured my vote…for Joe Biden (reluctantly), but the Democrats have a lot to answer for and it seems firmly a race to the bottom.
As always, my hopelessness and anguish at National Politics is balanced by my hopeful belief that we can accomplish revolutionary changes by starting locally in our communities, and in local governance. We do not need to wait; we can and are starting now. We can build resilience in a changing climate. We can build food security, clean our water supply, regenerate soil, create economies built on equity, opportunity, and ecological health.
We will learn. At this point, our lessons to come surrounding our current way of life are inevitable. The healing our our planet will happen with or without us.
The question now is whether we become stewards of a beautiful healthy planet, and we learn through practice and commitment, of if we learn through fire, flood, drought, war, disease, and likely extinction.
I for one would like to see us be part of the “Great Turning” and help usher in a new era in the connectedness and sacredness of all life. We need as many people as possible creating inroads into this world, telling the stories of this world, and creating living examples.
What are we waiting for?
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