Instructions for an
Organized Resistance to Trump
Preamble
“Hope
for the best, plan for the worst.”
·
We accept this reality: Explicit, consistent Republican
oppositionalism since 2008 worked.
Refusing to work with President Obama did not hurt the Republican
Party. They blamed Obama and “The
Liberals” for every bad thing, real or imagined, and it worked, in combination
with Trumpmania.
·
We, progressives and liberals,
have limited representation in Congress. This means that the populace must play the
role of opposition. We should continue to try and exert influence within the
Democratic Party, but we can’t count on the party to mobilize the grass roots. We, the people, in large numbers, will need
to visibly, vocally, peacefully, but forcefully plan to oppose, obstruct, and
delay president-elect Trump at every possible turn. If we can play a role in preventing his
inauguration, we should do so. There’s
power in numbers.
“When it
comes to politics, leaders don’t lead. They follow.” --Nicole Capretz.
·
We, the Left, will resist
the temptation to continue our thorough, thoughtful analyses, and seek to avoid
infighting. We may disagree about but
some things, but we should agree to accept our differences in order to be
effective in pulling hard in the same direction. Kumbaya time will come later,
and what a party it will be! But now is
the time to organize, focus, and to act.
·
We must be
ever-mindful of why we are here. Given Trump’s relationship to a foreign power determined to undermine US elections, relationship to women and people of color, his mental instability, perpetual
lies, hate speech, terrifying leadership appointments, Twitter account, and so
on, it is crystal clear that Donald J. Trump is a dangerous threat to humanitarian and American values
(e.g., free speech, free press, women’s equality, the right to vote), to the
Democracy itself, to a peaceful world order, and to the very planet we inhabit.
The stakes are high, and the moments
historic.
“Why be
sad when you can be mad?” -- Lita Robinow
GET READY!
1.
Prepare to change your behavior.
Changing one’s behavior is extremely difficult. That’s a fact. The self-help industry and some forms of
therapy exist because of this basic fact.
(For example, intending to exercise, floss, get more sleep are promises
many people make to themselves and promptly break, every single day.)
So if you want to make a difference, to ACT as part of the
resistance to the tyranny that is Trump, you’re going to have to do some things
that are different from the things you’ve been doing habitually. That is,
you’re going to have to change in some small way(s).
If you want more info about preparation for change, you can read
this: https://www.verywell.com/the-stages-of-change-2794868 &/or listen to
some Ted Talks about goal-setting, like Tony Robbins: https://www.ted.com/talks/tony_robbins_asks_why_we_do_what_we_do
2.
Plan to change your
schedule
Seriously consider how
much time you want to give to the cause. Is it
10 minutes a day? Ten minutes a
week? Ten minutes a month? No one is judging you, except you. We’re all busy. Decide how much time and commitment is
reasonable for you.
Next, think about when
you will be able work that time for something new into your regular
schedule. What day(s) and
time(s) can you set aside for the cause?
Of course there will be events and occasions that demand or invite
flexibility in this regard (like the national Womens’ March on Jan 21, 2017). Once you figure this out, put it on your
calendar(s) and treat that time commitment as seriously as you treat work and
family. Activism is just as important as
those things.
Finally, always
remember The Why. Write down your reasons, put
reminders to self in places you will see them.
Or just read the news to get the latest motivation for action.
3.
A few notes about the emotional
side of action…
When you follow
through on the action of the day/week/month, you are going to feel incredible. You will think of the millions of people who
may benefit when you and others like you are effective. You will think of the millions who chose not
to act, and you will truly feel great about yourself. When you don’t follow through, you’ll probably
feel guilty. You may feel bad about
yourself. The antidote to the negative
inner voice is not excuses, but action.
Give the cause one minute if you can’t do ten. It actually works!
Resistance will not be
easy or convenient. It will be fun sometimes,
but not always. But be prepared. It can
be uncomfortable speaking up against hate, or calling your Congress member’s
office. Opportunities to act may come up
unexpectedly. You will have to decide
whether you want to (if you’re able) change your schedule to help monitor an
election recount, or miss some work or family time to join a group speaking at
your Congresswoman’s office. These things will come up, and what you decide to
do (even though it’s hassle) or not do (generally the easier route) matters.
“If it’s
not fun, people won’t keep doing it.” – Julie Tapp
So when a call for
action goes out, please consider it. Try to
make the difficult, inconvenient choices for a while. What could be a better legacy for the family
than the example you will set to make a difference?
GET SET!!
Put your Congressional
representatives’ state and DC office phone numbers and email addresses into
your phone and contacts. Look up on
congress.gov or here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/map
Also put in contact
info and/or bookmark:
·
Democratic and Republican leaders of House and Senate
·
Democratic National Committee Leaders
·
Congressional Committees that are of highest interest to you https://www.govtrack.us/congress/committees/
Warning: Don’t be shocked by the overwhelming number
of white male faces you’ll see on these listings. It’s not news that only 20%
of Congress are women, and the same proportion, 20%, are a racial or ethnic minority.
GO!!!
This week’s calls to
action: See above, Get Ready, Get Set,
Stay Tuned.
Remember
· We will always seek to promote effective actions, but there’s no
right or wrong answer to the way you chose to act.
· Done is better than perfect, and doing something is better than
doing nothing.
· Let's not stop until Trump is diverted from the White House or
impeached once there. #lockhimup
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