What's next? From
Jack A. Smith, editor, Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter 11-9-16
It is a gray overcast day in upstate New York. No sunshine.
But the clouds continue to drift, the birds are flying, cars and a school bus
pass on our road, the subdued remains of our fall garden are soothing.
Life does go on for all of us even in the midst of profound
political/social disaster. The racists and haters of women, and those who are
intolerant of immigrants and refugees and Muslims and Mexicans, the KKK and the
neo-fascists and the nativists, the supporters of the ruling class and
neoliberal capitalism — all have won the election.
This is evidently what it takes to "Make America Great
Again." When was America last great? I think they believe it was In the
1950s. Before the civil rights revolution, before the defeat in Vietnam, before
the uprising of American women defeated some of the worst aspects of male
supremacy, before Roe v. Wade, and before much else was good for the people in
recent decades.
Now, today, begins the intensive struggle to fight such
regression. There will be many thousands of fight backs over the next few
years, starting soon. The left will mobilize quickly, but just behind them will
be millions of Democrats, Bernie supporters, Blacks, Latinos, and others.
There will be a large anti-Trump protest in Washington on
Pennsylvania Ave. in January as the president-elect rides to his inauguration.
We hope many buses come from the Hudson Valley. (I can hardly walk these days
but I've organized many bus trips to DC demonstrations in the past and can
offer advice, publicity and support to those who can do the organizing.
Co-editor Donna Goodman, similarly experienced, will be happy to participate,
of course. Let us know.)
We will not allow our country to go back one day much less
several decades. Each of us has a part to play, whether it is through
conversations critical of Trump to those who support him, or joining protests
or offering civil disobedience and other actions that promote the cause. For
the sake of all our families and the American people, the people of the world and
future generations we must all fight back.
So buck up, there's work to be done to defeat the racist
forces of the far right and their exultant neo-fascist friends. Dump Trump!
Jack, jacdon@earthlinknet, http://activistnewsletter.blogspot.com
PS. I have spent the past week day and night reading and
collecting material to write a post-election article welcoming the defeat of
Trump and praising the election of our country's first woman president, while
pointing out that the forces behind Trump will remain a serious problem for
years to come and that Clinton will not implement the Bernie reforms and indeed
will expand America's endless wars. I had planned to send it out tomorrow. Well
that's not going to work! So I'll redo everything. It'll take a few days.
