I tend to be skeptical of "it has to get worse before it gets better" arguments, but I have to admit the Trump Presidency has galvanized a lot of activist energy from places and people who weren't exactly complacent, but didn't show any signs of running off to storm the Bastille any time soon before the election.
All the nasty things which Trump has done and is doing, all the horribleness that he stands for, has bipartisan precedent going back decades, if not to before the founding of the Republic. These tendencies were kicked up a gear after the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack and remained that way with the full support of both major parties. Clinton stood for more of the same, with some very modest improvements; whereas Trump stood for kicking it all up yet another gear (with the possible exception of the Trans Pacific Partnership). I still think this outcome is worse, but I'm not going to let either one dictate the future for me and for the planet and peoples I love.
I would disagree with the assertion that "we, the people" gave the president the right to be judge, jury, and executioner of anyone, regardless of age or citizenship status. I sure as f*** don't remember ever having my opinion of executive powers solicited, let alone being given a meaningful say over whether the president should be allowed to commit such atrocities or not (again, regardless of the age or citizenship of the victims). "Democracy," as it applies to the US political system has always been a joke, and we do ourselves and each other a disservice by stating or implying that any part of this messed-up business is our fault, individually or collectively. We may be guilty of not pushing back hard enough (collectively, we certainly are), but that's different from saying we actively chose to create an office of chief executive and give him the power of judge, jury and executioner over US citizens and non-citizens alike.
in the end, Empire will not be victorious. Not in the long run.
Recently, I find myself continually coming back to the speech in Gandhi, where he talks about finding solace in the fact that dictators and dictatorships always fall sooner or later. No tyrant lasts forever, and no tyranny, either.
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All the nasty things which Trump has done and is doing, all the horribleness that he stands for, has bipartisan precedent going back decades, if not to before the founding of the Republic. These tendencies were kicked up a gear after the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack and remained that way with the full support of both major parties. Clinton stood for more of the same, with some very modest improvements; whereas Trump stood for kicking it all up yet another gear (with the possible exception of the Trans Pacific Partnership). I still think this outcome is worse, but I'm not going to let either one dictate the future for me and for the planet and peoples I love.
I would disagree with the assertion that "we, the people" gave the president the right to be judge, jury, and executioner of anyone, regardless of age or citizenship status. I sure as f*** don't remember ever having my opinion of executive powers solicited, let alone being given a meaningful say over whether the president should be allowed to commit such atrocities or not (again, regardless of the age or citizenship of the victims). "Democracy," as it applies to the US political system has always been a joke, and we do ourselves and each other a disservice by stating or implying that any part of this messed-up business is our fault, individually or collectively. We may be guilty of not pushing back hard enough (collectively, we certainly are), but that's different from saying we actively chose to create an office of chief executive and give him the power of judge, jury and executioner over US citizens and non-citizens alike.
Recently, I find myself continually coming back to the speech in Gandhi, where he talks about finding solace in the fact that dictators and dictatorships always fall sooner or later. No tyrant lasts forever, and no tyranny, either.