Saturday, September 22, 2018

Another world is possible


I am quite sure every woman on earth has had at least several of experiences similar to those described by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. If we let it be, this is how this world is - the moral hierarchy of authoritarians  (as described by Prof. George Lakoff in Moral Politics: "The hierarchy is: God above Man, Man above Nature, The Disciplined (Strong) above the Undisciplined (Weak), The Rich above the Poor, Employers above Employees, Adults above Children, Western culture above other cultures, America above other countries. The hierarchy extends to: Men above women, Whites above Nonwhites, Christians above nonChristians, Straights above Gays.").

Working Families Party is calling for a solidarity walkout on Monday. "On Monday, September 24 at 1 pm ET/ 10 am PT people from all over the country will take part in a national walkout to stand in solidarity with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Please wear black and walk out from wherever you are — home, work, school — and then capture it in a selfie to post to social media with the hashtag #BelieveSurvivors. Click here for more information and to invite your friends"

It's a very small gesture but it's a step . Another world is possible if we don't get lulled into the media fueled lala land where Trump/NoTrump is the one and only subject of the day, if we don't accept minority rule, if we want a livable future, we will act. Every day. I hope you can participate.

I was going to write a short post to encourage everyone to see Michael Moore's new film, Fahrenheit 11/9. This is the perfect segue.

At the front, he asks, "How the fuck did we get here?" And then he masterfully, in my opinion, and logically crams some of the most important clues to that mystery into an hilarious, heartbreaking, maddening, saddening, frightening, stomach-twisting, tear-jerking Michael Moore movie.

Some say it's too disjointed, but to me it's like a multi-voiced fugue with all the seemingly disconnected stories woven together to describe exactly how the fuck we got here. And, more importantly, how we can make a different future.

Moore, an activist, believes activists, including those people whose activism is only, so far, the urge to throw up, have to get out there and say hell no. Hell no to raising a generation of traumatized by mass shootings teens, to crappy pay and conditions and inhumane treatment of public servants, ignoring mass murder by elected rich white guys whose only concern is turning a profit for cronies, compromises that keep the same well- connected, well-funded centrists in control, and so much more. (It's the duopoly, as Nader might say.)

It's a call to join and take over the party, run for office, stand up to corporate elitists whether they're the heads of corporations, the heads of parties, the heads of unions, or our own (supposed to be) public servants.

Go see it. It's at the Marcus on Ward Avenue at least through Wednesday. Take your young friends and then urge them to get active, too.


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