“I am listening to what fear teaches.” Audre Lorde
“There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear.” Toni Morrison
I may be accused of taking these two quotes out of context, but certainly, we can feel the appropriateness to the moment we are experiencing now. As progressives and activists, this turning away from the values we hold close feels like a slap in the face. A sense of disequilibrium settles into suspicion, words bottled up that burst out in a flood of expletives and sometimes accusations, a desire for payback to those enablers and supporters of all that we stand against. I love Michelle Obama, but right now, going high when I am flattened is a lot to ask.
We gather on the corner of Bridge and Main to protest, but more, we gather because right now, we need each other. We need the company of decent, caring people who are determined to fight this erosion of democracy.
It’s okay to feel that fear, anger and dismay, but more importantly, let that be the fuel to the fire of action. What scares you more? Talking to strangers about voting, or watching democracy crumble before your eyes? What’s a better use of time? Clicking ‘like’ or ‘angry’ on some post on Facebook, or clicking MoveOn texts to hundreds to encourage them to support a progressive, Democratic candidate or policy?
There is a place for you and you are so needed to help right this ship. Check out the list of opportunities under “Join the Action” in this edition and soon on the ILNH website. Hear from Karen Gaffney, urging us to confront the danger of the false beliefs of race. Read the personal experiences of long-time resisters and a dynamite book review of American Carnage. Catch up on what’s happening in NJ and PA, and come to the Love Mother Earth 2020 event at the end of the month. Last but not least, if you haven’t read the NYTimes piece about Change The Conversation featuring some of our ILNH leaders, the link is below.
These are our values in action. Jump in, turn that fear into fire.
Love to all, Deb
Thank you for the work that went into creating this interesting newsletter. I do not have time to work with you or the New Hope Democrats as much as I would like, but I appreciate what you guys bring to the table. Please continue the excellent work.