Thank you, Kathleen. Fear can foster anger, despair, and denial. It can also be a motivator to action, not because we know we will succeed but because it is the right thing to do. ❤️❤️❤️
Precisely, Nancy ! The other old adage that every crisis is an opportunity works here too. We have an opportunity to rethink, reimagine, reconfigure together. When I get really sad and feel despair rising in me, I try to hold the idea of this time as a time of opening, of possibility and curiosity...and too of beauty like all the beauty your early morning Instagram pictures bring to us!
Well done, Kathleen, and welcome back. I'll certainly keep reading your brilliant work.
I've kept some distance from the post-election punditry. I think it's best to let the dust and noise settle (and I really need the distance...). That said, two things in my inbox seem particularly rational: Timothy Snyder's inside look at some effective propaganda techniques (https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-phantom-campaign) and a piece from Mother Jones on the long-term impact of wealth inequality (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/why-donald-trump-won-election-white-house/). Snyder's piece is especially useful, I think, because it reminds us that so much of the fear and anger, however genuinely felt, is manufactured and disseminated by truly terrible people, many of whom are those who have sucked up much of the world's cash into their pockets.
Thanks so much for these links, Jason. I will take a dive into them today. The way the Trump campaign focused, honed, stirred, baked the fear of these times is the extraordinary story of this moment. When his followers awake to the dessicated place on the other side of the mountain where he promised there would be salvation I only pray they will be able to see things clearly and that they will be freed of his spell.
But your writing...oh god...it is so beautiful. You weave such wisdom into the beauty of the universe. So much love and caring in your work. Thank you.. It is truly awesome!
Brava, for naming the underpinning of our moment as one of fear. Once we own it, recognize it in the behaviors around us, we can begin to rebuild, one connection at a time. The bravest thing we can do is show up, make places for folks to show up, and start weaving anew. As things topple we will rebuild--envisioning new, betters ways will help. So start small. Get to know your neighbors. Reimagine everything for living in a more sustainable, warmer world. No one is going to make it better or fix it--everyone is.
Show up, make room for people, start weaving anew. I know you are doing this in your work with Camden CAN and I feel so lucky to be accompanied by your spirit in this work which has now taken on so much more importance for its opportunities for community building. Let's stay connected around how to do this!
I have been so caught up in despair over this election that I forgot about Code Red. And then I received your letter, Kathleen, and was so grateful. We are not alone and having you and your beautiful writing back in my life is so comforting. People say that we’ll get through this, but I’m not so sure. Addressing the underlying causes of the deep fear on this country seems more hopeful to me. And allowing my own hollowing anxiety as not pathology but deep concern helps too. Thank you.
OH Pam, I am so grateful for your words this morning. Hollowing anxiety is such an aapt phrase for this moment. Having readers and friends like you sustain my spirit and give me courage to keep writing.
Welcome Back Kathleen. It is nice to hear your voice in this time of great despair. And yet, as you say, the moon rises in it’s splender, and the sun comes up on time every day and still gives us warmth and joy, although admiringly more warmth and dryness than before.
At this moment, turning my mind, sometimes wrenching my mind away from the awfulness, to the grand is what saves me from despair--grand as in, Grand Canyon, Milky Way, Beaver Moon.
Oh the Beaver Moon. And yes, the Milky Way. The ongoing transcendence of the universe and the billion light years of stardust we are made of. So nice to hear from you!!
Good counsel, and let's also distinguish fear from panic. Losing, even seriously weakening, democracy should prompt fear. We cannot be complacent, apathetic, or resign ourselves in advance to defeat. The next two years are critical to take back the house, and 20 R senate seats, 13 D senate seats are up for re-election. Trump voters will not be well served in the next 24 months, and we must push the Ds away from Wall Street, and offer candidates who argue for working families. (Let's ditch constant use of "middle class" as an implied honorific and status rung above "working class": we're all working families.) Thanks for your thoughts and prompts.
Thanks, Cletis for this reminder that we can start right now planning for the next election 2 years from now. Surely working families will have learned by then that they were duped into believing the that Trump's solutions would in any way benefit them. Duped into believing they could follow him over the mountain and that on the other side would be good jobs, self worth, safety.
Thank you, Kathleen. Fear can foster anger, despair, and denial. It can also be a motivator to action, not because we know we will succeed but because it is the right thing to do. ❤️❤️❤️
Precisely, Nancy ! The other old adage that every crisis is an opportunity works here too. We have an opportunity to rethink, reimagine, reconfigure together. When I get really sad and feel despair rising in me, I try to hold the idea of this time as a time of opening, of possibility and curiosity...and too of beauty like all the beauty your early morning Instagram pictures bring to us!
Well done, Kathleen, and welcome back. I'll certainly keep reading your brilliant work.
I've kept some distance from the post-election punditry. I think it's best to let the dust and noise settle (and I really need the distance...). That said, two things in my inbox seem particularly rational: Timothy Snyder's inside look at some effective propaganda techniques (https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-phantom-campaign) and a piece from Mother Jones on the long-term impact of wealth inequality (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/why-donald-trump-won-election-white-house/). Snyder's piece is especially useful, I think, because it reminds us that so much of the fear and anger, however genuinely felt, is manufactured and disseminated by truly terrible people, many of whom are those who have sucked up much of the world's cash into their pockets.
Thanks so much for these links, Jason. I will take a dive into them today. The way the Trump campaign focused, honed, stirred, baked the fear of these times is the extraordinary story of this moment. When his followers awake to the dessicated place on the other side of the mountain where he promised there would be salvation I only pray they will be able to see things clearly and that they will be freed of his spell.
But your writing...oh god...it is so beautiful. You weave such wisdom into the beauty of the universe. So much love and caring in your work. Thank you.. It is truly awesome!
Brava, for naming the underpinning of our moment as one of fear. Once we own it, recognize it in the behaviors around us, we can begin to rebuild, one connection at a time. The bravest thing we can do is show up, make places for folks to show up, and start weaving anew. As things topple we will rebuild--envisioning new, betters ways will help. So start small. Get to know your neighbors. Reimagine everything for living in a more sustainable, warmer world. No one is going to make it better or fix it--everyone is.
Show up, make room for people, start weaving anew. I know you are doing this in your work with Camden CAN and I feel so lucky to be accompanied by your spirit in this work which has now taken on so much more importance for its opportunities for community building. Let's stay connected around how to do this!
I have been so caught up in despair over this election that I forgot about Code Red. And then I received your letter, Kathleen, and was so grateful. We are not alone and having you and your beautiful writing back in my life is so comforting. People say that we’ll get through this, but I’m not so sure. Addressing the underlying causes of the deep fear on this country seems more hopeful to me. And allowing my own hollowing anxiety as not pathology but deep concern helps too. Thank you.
OH Pam, I am so grateful for your words this morning. Hollowing anxiety is such an aapt phrase for this moment. Having readers and friends like you sustain my spirit and give me courage to keep writing.
I'm so glad you've started up Code Red again - just where you belong!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Margaret! It means a lot.
It makes me happy to hear your strong insightful and passionate voice again K.
Thanks for sticking by my side Michael. Hope all is well with you!
Welcome Back Kathleen. It is nice to hear your voice in this time of great despair. And yet, as you say, the moon rises in it’s splender, and the sun comes up on time every day and still gives us warmth and joy, although admiringly more warmth and dryness than before.
At this moment, turning my mind, sometimes wrenching my mind away from the awfulness, to the grand is what saves me from despair--grand as in, Grand Canyon, Milky Way, Beaver Moon.
Oh the Beaver Moon. And yes, the Milky Way. The ongoing transcendence of the universe and the billion light years of stardust we are made of. So nice to hear from you!!
Good counsel, and let's also distinguish fear from panic. Losing, even seriously weakening, democracy should prompt fear. We cannot be complacent, apathetic, or resign ourselves in advance to defeat. The next two years are critical to take back the house, and 20 R senate seats, 13 D senate seats are up for re-election. Trump voters will not be well served in the next 24 months, and we must push the Ds away from Wall Street, and offer candidates who argue for working families. (Let's ditch constant use of "middle class" as an implied honorific and status rung above "working class": we're all working families.) Thanks for your thoughts and prompts.
Thanks, Cletis for this reminder that we can start right now planning for the next election 2 years from now. Surely working families will have learned by then that they were duped into believing the that Trump's solutions would in any way benefit them. Duped into believing they could follow him over the mountain and that on the other side would be good jobs, self worth, safety.
Well said Cletis
Glad you are back! Thanks