I’m just still baffled at how so many people seem to think the same old counter-strategies are going to work in the context of “we’re turning into a fascist/kakistocratic state”. Remember: MLK only succeeded because Malcom X was the alternative, and the powers that be recognized that.
until he started speaking out about poverty and the war dead on both sides of the color spectrum.
then MLK got assasinated.
My point is that nonviolent protest movements tend to be more successful when there’s an “or else…”, implicit or otherwise.
Anger is more useful than despair – by Terminator
And when anger begins to wane, replace it with hope.
Thoughts and prayers.
I’ve had a chance to watch it now. Even he understands the spirit of the sentiment. Despair (hopelessness) leads to inaction, anger spurs it on.
We can be hopeful once we’re free.
I agree, I think anger can be a motivating force toward positive action, and I don’t begrudge anyone who uses it as fuel. But as he says, I think eventually it can burn out, in which case, hope and love become powerful long term fuels to push on.
Even if voters did everything they could during this Trump term. It still falls on people in power not wanting to fight and being spineless, or being bought and paid for. It is such an uneven battlefield that incrementalism won’t work anymore as well.
Education is not going to solve our immediate problems, but it is essential to solving our long-term problems. For the short-term, organizing means finding ways that large number of people can apply pressure. Shifting our spending habits may be the most effective. The super wealthy and their corporations still rely on all of us handing over our money to them in exchange for good or services. Working to change local and state-level voting patterns is also viable, since a lot of the enablers are politicians who want to keep their jobs.
Nothing we do right now is going to stop Trump from hurting a lot of people, although we may be able to limit the damage. The early stage of most fascist takeovers counts on broad public support. There are already enough of us to make that harder for them. And there will be a lot more of us fairly soon, once Trump’s supporters begin to suffer directly because of his policies.
Even when there is nothing immediate to do, we need to keep looking for opportunities. There will be some. And the better advantage we take of them, the less damage will be done. And the sooner we can remove the oligarchs from power.
Yes Bernie… We all know the problems (thanks to you, seriously), but now we need a PLAN… Give us the strategy. Tell us where and when and how you know? Let’s strategically start replacing establishment Dems with progressive. Let’s strategically start ballot initiatives. Let’s strategically start winning local elections with anti establishment candidates. Let’s have a plan!
