Cornucopia of Dystopia

A not-so-happy holiday season is upon us

Hi friends —

I’m guessing that many of you are dreading the holidays as much as I am. It’s unlikely we could have had a more disturbing lead-up. The post-election animosity between family members, neighbors, co-workers, and people cued up at the grocery store checkout seems to be at an all-time high.

Could this be the holiday season to end all holidays as we have known them? It’s getting pretty hard to tiptoe around issues of politics, religion, the environment, women’s rights, immigration, genocide, gun violence, election hoaxes, quack medical theories, etc. And then there’s that end-of-democracy thing.

These days, there seem to be two versions of right and wrong. Version #1: egoism. Version #2: altruism. The words bounced around to describe the emerging and polarizing political ideologies in our country: “fascism” and “socialism.” For those knowledgeable about pre-WWII conditions in Germany, the similarities are uncanny, as is the rhetoric.

Make no mistake: Trump’s impending presidency has every hallmark of fascism, namely:

1. Powerful and continuing nationalism

2. Disdain for human rights

3. Identification of enemies as a unifying cause

4. Rampant sexism

5. Controlled mass media

6. Obsession with national security

7. Religion and government intertwined

8. Corporate power protected

9. Labor power suppressed

10. Disdain for the intellectual and the arts

11. Obsession with crime and punishment

12. Rampant cronyism and corruption

Read more @ The 12 Early Warning Signs of Fascism by Martin Longman. Also very insightful: Is Trump Actually a Fascist – And Why Does the Answer Matter? by Ben Makuch. Pass these on, post them wherever appropriate, send them to those you love.

None of these issues invites even a tiny bit of wiggle room for common ground. These are existential issues, and some folks can’t seem to figure that out. They pay no heed to the warning signs of what lies ahead and seem to have little or no knowledge of history, let alone an understanding of the Constitution. These are the people that know only what Fox News pumps out and, in some cases, what they hear from the pulpit at their local church.

Regardless of one’s ignorance or understanding of civics, either you care about your fellow humans and the earth, or not. As we found out on November 5th, 50% of Americans apparently don’t care about either based on how they voted. Their votes demonstrated disregard for the elderly, children, the poor, people in disaster situations, women, people with crushing medical expenses, people who have been abused or assaulted, the LGBTQ community, and people of other ethnicities and religious persuasions. And how could we forget their disdain for legal and undocumented immigrants and migrants? These groups are now the #1 target of the GOP.

By voting for the GOP and Trump, and their platform, 50% of the voters in the so-called “United” States have given the middle finger to tens of millions of Americans and immigrants — people they see every day at work, the store, at soccer games, at church. They’ve also given a big “fuck you” to democracy and the United States Constitution. These MAGA people very proudly do not care.

Here’s what gets me worried and tearful: thinking about the many immigrant families I see about town. Longstanding members of my community, whose children graduated alongside my children. These are the people who do yard maintenance, and repairs at my home. They expertly prepare and kindly serve the food I enjoy when I eat out. They grow beautiful produce for our local farmers market. They do my taxes and work at my bank. They taught my children and run the businesses I frequent. They are leaders in my community.

Soon, many of these hardworking people will have their lives upended, their kids taken out of school, and they will be sent to some nameless facility in Texas. It is likely that parents and children will be separated and detainees forced to sleep on cement floors behind chain link fences, as was done previously. To understand Trump’s intentions for immigrants, read the ACLU’s “Tearing Apart Immigrant Families, Communities, and the Fabric of Our Nation.”

At Thanksgiving is this the gratitude we should be showing to the people who have taken many of the most difficult and lowest-paying jobs in our society and put nutritious food on our tables, built our homes and roads, taken care of our elderly parents, and manufactured the goods we use every day? In just a few months, the Trump administration intends to return these people to their countries of origin.

THANK YOU for this food on our table. 35% of all poultry workers in the U.S. are Hispanic and Latino immigrants.

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This Year’s Big Question: With Whom To Break Bread Over The Holidays

Should you feel obligated to spend holidays with people who voted for Trump, the GOP and their platform? People who do not share your values? Unequivocally NO.

To that end, prioritize your mental and emotional well-being and work to “protect your peace.” Avoid altogether those who mistreat you, are disrespectful of your values, ignore your boundaries, put you (and others) down, betray you and anyone who is physically or verbally abusive. Over the holidays, work to surround yourself with good people, those who are worthy of your time.

As we head into challenging political terrain, it is especially important to build our strength, and to develop adaptability and resilience. These qualities will prepare us for the resistance ahead and to fight fascism.

Some reading to consider and pass on: The Nazis Fought the Original War on Christmas (Smithsonian Magazine), by Joe Perry.

What sorts of Christmas décor can we anticipate next year from the MAGAs?

Find your people, gather them up and stay close through these trying times.