That Leonard Cohen passed away yesterday is a terrible shame. He was a singular talent and a true artist. I also can't think of a single voice more appropriate for the times we've entered. Still, it would be worth your time to give his last album (released only a couple of weeks ago) a listen. Bleak, soulful stuff.
At the moment I'm still of the mind there is no hope beyond hope itself. In my last post I suggested resisting everything. That's, more or less, where I still am. I think we need time to think of an appropriate and humane and elegant approach to the challenge of Trump's America. I think we need to grapple with this loss and investigate its causes and repercussions. The last thing I think we should be doing is simply fold up and let Trump, Ryan, Gingrich, and the rest of the deplorables have their way with this country.
So, do what you can.
If your way of refusing is signing a petition, do it. It can't hurt.
If your way of helping is joining on the conversation about remaking the Democratic Party or the Greens or any other force for Progress, I think you should. Argue passionately and don't accept convenient excuses or pleas for calm.
If you are an activist, go active. Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of tyrants like millions of people in the streets.
If you want to help people, find ways of supporting those most at risk to the new administration: women, people of color, friends in the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, muslims, or simply people that have managed to attract Trump's ire.
If you are a politician that survived the Great Purge, resist, filler buster, reject, and refuse to budge. Be prepared for loss after loss. The Republicans in 2009 were more than happy to obstruct in the face of the gravest economic collapse since the Great Depression despite set back after set back. The least we can do is return the favor.
As for me, I'm going to continue doing what I do. I teach and I write. I'm not going to suddenly start teaching what a mistake this country made. I am going to help as many students I can be successful. The more young people there are empowered to dream, the better this country will be.
I am not going to suddenly become political in my writing, either. Writing, for me, is about expanding the range of human experiences available to an individual. I think there is an inherently progressive dimension to speculative art, but it is not my role as a writer to tell you what to think.
I might suggest though a few things to consider. It's up to you to decide if they're worth your time. I'll write them regardless.
At the moment I'm still of the mind there is no hope beyond hope itself. In my last post I suggested resisting everything. That's, more or less, where I still am. I think we need time to think of an appropriate and humane and elegant approach to the challenge of Trump's America. I think we need to grapple with this loss and investigate its causes and repercussions. The last thing I think we should be doing is simply fold up and let Trump, Ryan, Gingrich, and the rest of the deplorables have their way with this country.
So, do what you can.
If your way of refusing is signing a petition, do it. It can't hurt.
If your way of helping is joining on the conversation about remaking the Democratic Party or the Greens or any other force for Progress, I think you should. Argue passionately and don't accept convenient excuses or pleas for calm.
If you are an activist, go active. Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of tyrants like millions of people in the streets.
If you want to help people, find ways of supporting those most at risk to the new administration: women, people of color, friends in the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, muslims, or simply people that have managed to attract Trump's ire.
If you are a politician that survived the Great Purge, resist, filler buster, reject, and refuse to budge. Be prepared for loss after loss. The Republicans in 2009 were more than happy to obstruct in the face of the gravest economic collapse since the Great Depression despite set back after set back. The least we can do is return the favor.
As for me, I'm going to continue doing what I do. I teach and I write. I'm not going to suddenly start teaching what a mistake this country made. I am going to help as many students I can be successful. The more young people there are empowered to dream, the better this country will be.
I am not going to suddenly become political in my writing, either. Writing, for me, is about expanding the range of human experiences available to an individual. I think there is an inherently progressive dimension to speculative art, but it is not my role as a writer to tell you what to think.
I might suggest though a few things to consider. It's up to you to decide if they're worth your time. I'll write them regardless.
***
With that in mind, I do have a new chapter of "Agent Shield and Spaceman," available for reading. Thank you for your continued support.
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