Millions of women around the world once again marched, on
the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, to denounce the damage the Trump
administration is doing to all of us. The next day, the Dems caved and voted to
open the government for business without the commitment of specific legislation
to protect the DACA “Dreamers” from being deported in March. What did they get
instead? A “promise” by Mitch McConnell to have “hearings” on the issue.
I was supposed to go to the march in Santa Fe, a much less
dramatic excursion than my trip to Washington D.C. last year, but a relief to
not have to get on a plane. Then it snowed (hallelujah, we’re in a drought), my
partner in arms Terri was too sick to venture into the cold, and then the “should
I stay or should I go” dilemma arose. The answer to my question got sucked into
the personal is political: is it going to make one iota of difference in
anyone’s life except my own if I do or don’t go to the march in Santa Fe
(millions marching and Trump is still here and the Dems are cowards)? The
answer was obviously that it wouldn’t, which has never before stopped me from
doing all kinds of ultimately futile things, but this time I stayed home and
stewed.
I stewed because things are worse today than a year ago.
Every single cabinet appointee is doing her/his best to destroy the mission of
the agency they rule. That’s because libertarians don’t believe in any
government regulation and oversight of corporate profiteering or protection of
peoples lives and the planet we inhabit unless it’s to brutalize the “other”
with bombs or the police (which pretty much sums up the agenda of the
Republican Party).
I stewed because none of us really know what to do to stop
this terror: support impeachment, which ain’t going to happen with the Repubs
in power. Put all our energy into gaining Democratic seats in the House so we
do have the votes to start the impeachment process but probably not to impeach?
Somehow figure out how to get those seats filled with Bernie-like Dems who will
actually talk about inequality and Black Lives Matter and the military
industrial complex? Wait for Mueller to actually come up with a criminal
charge?
I stewed because the next day was my birthday and because
I’d planned on going to the march in Santa Fe I hadn’t planned on going
anywhere to celebrate—or mourn—my day of birth. And I’d arranged to have my
neighbor come help me install a new toilet because that was when he was available.
So at the last minute, to avoid a total decline into despair, I had to call my
kids and get them to meet me for lunch in Santa Fe, which they did and which
was very nice, eating tapas. Then I had to come straight home and install my
toilet, which also was very nice because he did a good job and no water was
spilled on my wood floor.
So I made it through another anxious birthday tied to
another anxious year of overwhelming tsuris
(that’s grief and strife and aggravation and trouble for the non-Yiddish
speakers). I know there are many people out there doing everything in their
power to prevent another year of this. I’ll try to do my best as well and not
think about another birthday and futility and despair. Wish me luck.
No comments:
Post a Comment