We have lost, we are lost. Not an election, but a civilization. Where does that leave us?

[kpete]

We have lost, we are lost. Not an election, but a civilization. Where does that leave us? I think the metaphor is one of (political) resistance. They resisted in occupied France, they resisted in Franco’s Spain. Even in the twilight years of the 1930s, times considerably darker than today, regular men and women stood up against much graver dangers and longer odds than those we now face. They did not resist, necessarily, because they thought they would win, they resisted because they simply could not imagine collaborating, even passively. And for us, even now there are oases of hope in our sea of despair — Trump did indeed lose the popular vote by a wide margin, and there are powerful states and municipalities that might protect many of the most vulnerable from the coming federal onslaught. But we will face a great moment of crisis, after the next major terrorist attack in the U.S. (something no American President could prevent), which will present something like a perfect storm: a thin-skinned, impulsive leader with authoritarian instincts, a frightened public, an environment of permissive racism, and a post-fact information environment. In such a moment basic civil liberties will be at risk: due process will be assailed as “protecting terrorists”; free speech will be challenged as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.” And that will be the moment when each of us must stand up and be counted, and never forget Tolstoy’s admonition: “There are no conditions to which a man may not become accustomed, particularly if he sees that they are accepted by those about him.” Our portion is to make sure that never comes to pass.


much more (xlnt read):
http://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/essays/america-america/

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. there are so many root causes to put us where we are

24/7 TV, social media, various extreme religions - we've lost our way in so many ways - yet we've dug ourselves out of real messes before. I suspect somehow, some way we will do it again.

But clearly turning away from science, focusing on belief systems (teflon coated) instead of dialog, envy, polarization, then the political reasons - gerrymandering, Citizens United - consolidation of media into a very few right wing hands, fairness doctrine...on and on.

[cyclonefence]

2. Oh Jesus

I understand, I really do. But this kind of hair-tearing is giving aid and comfort to Trump voters. The election's over; we did our best; now our job is to resist and to make fun of, not to weep and moan. Of course it's going to be bad and get worse before it's over, but bewailing our situation and predicting disaster doesn't help. We have to trim away his support by not being so frightened--or at least by not talking about how frightened we are--but by being confident and above all by *laughing* at him and them. It should be easy--they are truly ridiculous.

[Dave Starsky]

3. Joni Mitchell said it best.

"You don't know what you got 'til it's gone."

Alcoholics and philandering husbands have been making this mistake for thousands of years. Some of them, however, do the work necessary to get it back. But it's not easy. And it won't be easy for us.

[Guilded Lilly]

4. The fears are genuine. The anxiety is palpable...

I have never seen nor felt the type of quiet numbness enveloping the way the public I deal with daily behaves... along side an offensive enablement of a few who are turning up the volume of their ugliness and being met by an odd stoic silence, basically shutting them down.

It is totally surreal.

People just don't seem to know how to take any of this hideous man and the political party that daily defiles humanity and disrespects the earth that sustains them. No one can talk about it civilly because the possibilities of disaster are so threatening. Threats from within and horrifyingly without. The hate is out of Pandora's box.

We aren't pushovers by any means as a people. I just believe we are so damn stunned we haven't figured out quite HOW to fight successfully. Every single day the atrocities of Republican values are battering us with new levels of outrage. We are fighting sheer unfettered ignorance AND devious, calculated intelligence in the same breath.

Those with enough money/savings/income have a different set of fears than those who live penny to penny. Those with their health intact breathe a little easier than those dependent on medical assistance, for now, but wonder wtf am I going to do if that situation turns on a dime (or in this case thousands of dimes). Those already struggling feel like they are kneeling before Negan and his barbed wired bat and he has started his back swing.

We have to stubbornly hold onto our sanity until we figure it out. We have to laugh at something, have to maintain our anger but not lose control of it.

We just have to RESIST where We safely can. Until some kind of solution shows us the correct path of strength and success.

And hope we are among those who live to tell about it.