Throughout the history of our great nation, there have been men, and women, who have stood out. They made hard decisions when it would have been simpler to take the easy road. Harriet Tubman could have stayed north after reaching freedom, but she chose not to do so. George Washington could have become president for life, but he chose not to do so. Abraham Lincoln could have let the country break apart, but he chose not to do so. Martin Luther King, Jr., could have stopped after winning a seat on the bus, but he chose not to do so. Susan B. Anthony and the Suffrage movement could have stopped when women were being brutalized for wanting to vote, but they chose not to do so. These are but a few of the examples of people who continued in the face of adversity to do the right thing for the greater good.
Then, we have those on the other side. The small men (and women) of today who are choosing not to rise to the occasion. They are choosing to divide us, lie to us, keep us sick, keep us paycheck to paycheck, keep us ignorant, keep us from our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Just today, billionaire Peter Thiel, one among many, is threatening to leave California because the state may consider a billionaire tax. These billionaires seem to believe their success is entirely self-made. As if public works didn’t provide the electrical grid, the water and sewer systems, the roads, often tax incentives, and many other services provided using tax dollars. Rather than give back to the communities that helped build their successes, they are choosing, like little children, to leave rather than take responsibility and give back to the communities that helped them.
Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, throughout this past year of Trump, and during the Zohran Mamdani election, chose not to step-up to support the future of the Democratic Party, and often democracy itself, choosing instead to act as if all is status quo with the opposition.
Old guard democrats are choosing to believe as if the opposing party is still status quo.
Gregg Abbott is choosing to take away the bodily rights of women and the democratic voting rights of anyone who’s skin color is not white or isn’t a Republican.
Pam Bondi is choosing to protect, disrupt, and possibly cover-up, the full extent of the wealthy classes involvement in, and the release of, the Epstein Files.
Mike Johnson is choosing to keep the House of Representatives out of session for 75% of this session to hinder the release of the Epstein Files, the vote to extend the ACA subsidies, and to not seat a duly elected member of Congress.
The six conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court who have chosen to vote around 98% of the time in favor of the Trump and the Republican Agenda, and chose to essentially give unilateral sole power to Trump as President.
Top executives and presidents of universities are choosing to provide gifts, donations, and changes in policies to appease the White House over fighting for democratic values.
And, of course, the President, who may be the smallest man in the country with his unnatural need for power, chooses to belittle those who disagree with him, chooses to ignore all that makes our great country unique, and chooses to side with criminals, billionaires, and dictators over helping those who pulled the lever to reelect him. Every day he chooses to divide and harm us with his words and his policies.
Sadly, Trump’s followers and the Republican Party, many who call themselves Christians, also choose to ignore all that he, his administration, and Republican’s elected nationally, are doing to destroy the Constitution and this experiment we call democracy.
We, the people, still have the power to stop this march to full authoritarianism and fascism, at least for now. We have the power of protest. We have the power of our hard-earned money. We have the power to speak out. We have the power to vote.
But, let’s not kid ourselves. Our power of protest, our power of voice, our power of where to spend our money, our power to vote, are all in jeopardy. If we don’t start using this powers, quickly and effectively, they will all go away.
As those in power are choosing, we too must choose. Democracy or autocracy. Which will it be?
I’ve often said we all need to be involved in saving democracy in the ways which fit our lives and our comfort levels. These can be blogging, reposting on social media, calling your elected officials, letters to the editor, donating to organizations, and/or marching in the streets. Nothing is too little or too much. Here are some ways to get involved whether from the comfort of your own homes, or on the streets, over the next few weeks:
Sign up for General Strike and commit to participating.
Download the app Five Calls to help let your elected officials know you are paying attention and don’t approve. Website: https://5calls.org/
Join a local group of Indivisible.
Participate in the action items of 50501: 50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement.
Continue to boycott companies who have bent the knee or no longer believe in equality. Don’t buy from national chains or companies, such as Target, Amazon, Tesla, Walmart, Apple, Disney and any others who are bending the knee and capitulating to authoritarianism and the billionaire class.
Write letters to your local papers expressing your disappointment and tell your stories of how the Republican administration is harming our families.
Do something, anything, peaceful to fight back!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 