A Dark & Dangerous Turn

(photo: Jordan Henry)

Perhaps the shock of the election has worn off. But I sense that many of us are looking at the change in leadership with fear and apprehension. There are only a few days left before we find out what happens now. The second Trump administration is set to come storming into office and even if they only manage half of what’s on the agenda, the US will be a very different place indeed.

The People’s March on Washington will take place this weekend (Jan. 18^th). It will bring together many groups to protest the inauguration. This includes a partnership with Abortion Access Now, Climate Action Campaign, Ben and Jerry’s, The Frontline, Feminist, National Women’s Law Center, National Organization for Women, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Popular Democracy Action, Reproductive Freedom for All, Sierra Club, Time to Act, Women’s March, and the Women’s March Network. An intentional group of speakers has been chosen to inspire, energize, and unite the movement. Resources will be made available to sustain long-term resistance and to participate in training that will help people develop critical skills to protect yourself and your community. A crowd of 50,000 is expected.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. (Edmund Burke)

But if you haven’t already committed to this event or some other local happening, what can you do?

I learned too late that I could have requested inauguration tickets and then stayed home. Damn! I missed that window.

I think finding an answer to what can you do will require you to look inside yourself to see where you want to draw the line, because a line will (eventually) be drawn. What will it take to awaken in each one of us a spirit of resistance? When we feel isolated and powerless, we tend to stay frozen. We have all been through a ton of demoralizing and depressing events that have left us exhausted. It was natural to seek a down-time to rest and restore but— that time is over. Look into your soul and decide which side of history you want to be on.

I won’t be in DC. But I will do what I can, where I am. On inauguration day, when the country turns down this dark and dangerous path, I will announce to the world that I’m not OK with it. I am not a supporter of MAGA-land. A place that stomps on freedoms, targets individuals and groups, rewards tyrants, ignores the environmental crisis, attacks friendly nations, and all the rest of it.

My house will be draped in black mourning bunting again. The flag will fly upside down indicating the nation is under severe duress. It is a form of protest and protected speech. I will also wear black on Monday. I’ve mentioned before that I live in a red county with red neighbors. So, there is a risk of being targeted now or in the future. That’s where I’m making my stand. If I can’t do this one easy thing to show that Donald J. Trump does not have a mandate, how will I ever stand up to what’s coming? By doing this, I’m signaling to parts of the wider community who also don’t support what’s happening that they are not alone. They too can stand up and protest.

Let me know if you are going to a protest event or if you’ve created your own unique way to resist. Be aware that 2025 is a year where we will see massive protests in the streets. Fascism won’t surrender easily. We are in historic times.

March Day — People’s March

Trump’s Inauguration to Be Met With ‘People’s March’ Protest (Rolling Stone)