A type of Politics we need right now…The Politics of Hope
We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope-MLK Jr
For this week, and for the many weeks to follow…The Politics of Hope is out there. The magazine is set-up to help people realize there is a way forward. It looks pretty bleak right now. I’ll admit we are in a hole in terms of where we are at in our goals for the environment and for civil rights and also for creating the type of world we would want our children to live in…
The theme for “The Growing Group’ members this year is all about “Better Living.” Remember the old slogan: “Better Living Through Science?” Well, there is a way that we can create a life that we lead that allows people to imagine that better way of living.
We will never live in Utopia. None of us are perfect, we are all flawed human beings. However, the way that we live our lives can also be a way that helps to inspire and motivate others to want to become better examples for their own kids and loved ones. It means speaking out when we know there is injustice. It means working in a pro-active way to help your community. It means knowing that we need to do the right thing for those who need help and have been persecuted.
I know we need to find the courage to speak up when we can. We know we must learn to accept defeat; and then find the strength to hold our anger in at times when we know there is something awful happening. We may feel helpless to do something about it!
That is when we need to seek out wisdom and embrace the knowledge that there is a difference between silent acceptance and just giving up completely. We cannot give up or give in.
What we can do is…
Wake Up!….to the injustice that is happening in our communities and in our country. We then need to
Tune In! To the actions that are happening right now. We cannot close our eyes and simply shut out the news that we see. What we can do is
Zone Out….the nonsense and the hatred and the rhetoric that is filled with darkness and ignorance and violence and prejudice. We can zone it out easily.
One suggestion is to mute the volume on the present occupant of the White House. He who shall not be named doesn’t get the honor and privilege of spreading the lies and the hatred and the ignorance in my home.
Each week, there is a new mantra to use when the Politics of Hope is posted here…There are some brilliant ideas from very thoughtful and creative thinkers who have already begun to create lists of ideas to use to find the strength and courage to mobilize and articulate and to become energized in this Strange New World
· Robert Reich is someone who publishes content almost daily. God Bless Him, he is on Twitter (X) also, and he has a dynamic message and spirit as well as a brilliant mind that talks about economic issues in language we can all understand.
· Ruth Ben Ghiat (The NEW RBG!) is another who is published weekly on Substack and she is brilliant and an author who has written extensively about “Strongmen,’ the title of her book
· Anne Applebaum is a writer for the Atlantic, fluent in Russian and a brilliant author and thinker who has also written Autocracy, Inc-she is well versed in the type of behavior that is prevalent in the current occupant of the White House
· Heather Cox Richardson is the third of the “Three Girl Muskateers!” She is an esteemed historian; one that I read and follow on a daily basis.
· Professor Timothy Snyder, “On Tyranny” is someone who is well-versed in the type of behavior that is prevalent in the Trump Regime.
· Thom Hartmann is a brilliant man and innovative thinker who is also present and ‘in the moment’ about what is happening to our nation right now!
· Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is someone that is a cut above almost all of the members of Congress in terms of what he knows about the corrupt nature of the Supreme Court and the Dark Money Influences that have brought us to this point. (His book on the Supreme Court: “The Scheme” is wonderful!)
Of course, there is a loyal opposition in the Democratic party, as well as Independents and Republicans of good will who are fighting each day. There are members of organizations and people around the globe who are hoping we will find a way out of this darkness we find ourselves in currently.
But we need to stay focused and remember that to give up is to give in to the darkest of visions for our children’s future. Be mindful of those who didn’t (or couldn’t!) vote in the last election. They may realize in their hearts that we need to change things. And many know the truth of our righteous cause. Truth will prevail; and the moral arc of history will bend towards the path of freedom and justice over tyranny and darkness.
I’m thinking of another way for those of us who may be in despair to look at this current crisis and see the bigger picture. Realize that those on the other side wouldn’t fight so hard to end diversity, equity and inclusion if they were not so deeply scared of diversity, equity and inclusion.
They speak of the Democratic vision as a vast underground cabal of inter-connected conspiracies plotting to make the world…trans-gender? A world they fear that is…all female or all gay? I’m not sure what the argument is, because critical thinking and logic are not their strong suit.
This month, we are focusing in The ‘Growing Group’ on Better Living through Critical Thinking. And in that vein, we look at our own lives and dig deeper into who we are and what we want to do with our lives. And also, what type of world we want to live in and to leave for our children and future generations to come!
That world is surely not one of looking backwards in time and one that is hobbled by hatred and prejudice. We want the world to be a brighter place where there is tolerance and love and kindness for others. Somehow, the idea of kindness and tolerance is associated with weakness by some.
When we look critically at why that may be, there is a reason that may not reflect well on those who are intolerant of others. Some may feel that the only way they may be lifted up is to knock others down. We call those types of people ‘bullies’ here in America. And a bully is never seen as a good friend or someone you necessarily would like to see running your business, or for that matter, your country!
Please join us each week…Sign up for “The Politics of Hope’ where you will receive a weekly mantra that helps to tie in the stories we read about and the actions that are happening in real time.
You will also read about others who are doing something about what they see and hear. There are places you can go online-groups you can join and other actions to take every day.
Wake Up!…by reading and joining in The Politics of Hope
Tune In! …by knowing what others are doing and how you can help
Zone Out!…the darkness and chaos, the nihilism and confusion that we all abhor
Click here and join — It’s free!
