We are pleased that our presenters, and first recipient of the Pat Beetle Peace Award, provided copies of their comments. Here is what Maureen Aumond said:
“Our work is bigger than party politics. Genocide in Gaza, destruction in Ukraine/Russia, the threats of nuclear war and climate catastrophe, and the violence that comes home in the form of poverty, racism, and exploitation are realities we all face. If the past week (or year) has left you feeling drained, or tempted to give up – don’t.”
Of course how not to give up and how to most effectively think, organize and act as advocates for policies that hold sacred universally – a peaceful planet where human rights, well being, and sustainable existence are givens—-under the now elected Trump government is the question of the moment.
In thinking about this, these last few days, I have come to the conclusion that there are two different directions at which we need to focus our analysis.
The first requires a deep dive into the question of why support was so widespread and overwhelming for a convicted ,misogynist felon, who obviously knows and understands or cares about little beyond the piecemeal, scrambled word salad of his own vengeful brain and ambition. Even a glance at the county by county results of the presidential election shows how we bleed red across the nation( except in the tiny east coast bubble we happen to live in.) Of course the pundits are full of post mortem. There are a few analysis that strike me as particularly salient for anti war, anti militarism efforts.
People are afraid; this fear is easily manipulated ; this fear makes self interest prevail; this fear induces anger and rage / a good number of our fellow citizens don’t ’t know history or geography and thus are deprived of context for this historical moment with which to choose; people trapped within the confines of a consumer , “ entertaining ourselves to death “ culture (compounded by the exigencies of daily life) are distracted ; people assume war is inevitable and the ever increasing obscenity of US war spending is thus seen as necessary; the population is moving away from an international vision of the US in the world to one of closed border, nationalism/ our two party system trivializes and marginalize options for genuine choice….
the echo chamber which in Chomsky’s words serves to help” manufacture consent” has moved from the most times elite controlled main stream media which once created its own kind of echo chamber albeit with a tacit commitment to fact checking and some form of reality based “truth” into the hands of the wild west world of social media, which has no reigns as it algorithmically shares and feeds and re-shares whatever stokes people’s fears, rage and the self interest engendered by those fears as a basis for legitimizing a candidate who in reality is such a danger / this echo chamber of social media also recognizes that fear …Made more understandable by the rapid social and technology driven changes of the past 75 years… works to create anger and names the enemies … immigrants… diversity… etc , the proverbial THEY as well as a mythical deep state which needs to be disrupted and destroyed… democracy, human rights be damned…. Let Elan Musk… the boy genius decide!
Who in the world is that silly / freaky Jill Stein anyway!
In this context how do we who are eager to define the true embedded, bi partisan deep state which is the military/industrial/congressional ….complex actually get large numbers of people who are angry, self interested, made afraid, misinformed, overwhelmed and manipulated to open their ears, minds and hearts and see the true enemy which embedded in our nation’s tropism toward militarism and war and which robs and endangers them in real and profound ways??
How do we reach and talk to people where they are at: about peace and justice in clarifying ways is essentially the question?
Of course that brings us to us: the “ peace movement”.
How do we speak to one another, align with one another, analyze and strategize locally, nationally, globally more realistically and effectively together. The election results this week … as well as the polls throughput the election cycle …do not indicate that issues which we are so clear in ourselves such as the militarism which rules, the raging wars ( though polls indicate that Gaza may be something of an exception and an inroad to an answer) the rumbling threat of nuclear war, even the destruction of long standing democratic , foundational principles and practice or the obvious inroads of climate catastrophe do not come near the top of the lists of people’s concerns.
For the sake of argument and the simplification of my own thinking in preparation for these few short minutes, I have made a list of what we might have to do to break through the stultifying, soul destructive echo chamber which has apparently blinded and cudgeled the country.
Bear with me while I share my list:
Silence: right now swimming in the sea of words that pummel us, we may need to give ourselves time first for quiet and reflection… I am tempted to propose that we organize a retreat first for ourselves, perhaps guided by the question: WHY DO WE CARE ANYWAY
Study and Semantics: It seems to me that we need to continue to deepen our activism by developing a discerning, thoughtful practice of reading perhaps together the best experts and deepest thinkers on the imperative issues which confront us. And then begin to study how to translate into understandable, heart born vocabulary, a vocabulary which is not self reflective, jargon filled , pedantic, ideological, doctrinaire and thus alienating but which engages fellow citizens. So often it feels that we speak in ways which sound academic, angry, alienating. I believe that our communication of the issues needs to be born of deep intellectual understanding but spring ultimately from the heart of our concern
Spotlight: i don’t know about you but I find myself tired of talking about the guy whose last name begin with T. I believe it might be more productive for me anyway to escape from the reductionism which focuses on the person and try to deepen my understanding and resulting conversations on the issues which threaten.
SOLIDARITY and Strategy Are there better, more thoughtful, more cooperative , more mutually aware and better coordinated ways that we can organize and act locally, nationally, globally.
I know this is an old question but it seems important to revisit in the face of that red map.
Are there new strategies; are there hierarchies of strategies?
Do we hold precious our own silos which keep us alienated one from another and therefore less focused and effective. Are there hierarchies of issues we should consider? In educational theory, there is an idea called : “assured readiness first learning “ which says that in order to understand a mire complex thing you need to understand the simpler more foundational fact, detail, idea which underpins it first.
Sympathy: i think it is important that we revisit often why we care. We live vulnerable and interdependent on this small blue dot in a vast universe at this unique moment in time. What has to drive us is loving concern and care for our fellow planetary riders …why care at all without that.
I think that’s as we over and over again contemplate our continued way forward, this realization and heartfelt understanding is what should focus our holy rage at those forces which threaten us all and guide our actions and outreach as activists
A holy rage that calls us to build a bulwark against hate and ignorance and injustice , a wall of strong bonds of compassion and love.”
