Not Staying Silent
Because Silence Only Strengthens the Strongman
“Your silence will not protect you.” — Audre Lorde
I spent Martin Luther King, Jr. Day protesting in the below-freezing cold with Chicago Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression (CAARPR). The Associated Press and CAARPR estimated the Inmate Number P01135809 Inauguration protest gathered 2500 people.
My multiple sclerosis does not react well to extreme temperatures, and for the past few years, the cold has been harsh on my MS. My husband and one of my friends did not want me to go out.
I had to dissent though. Once I arrived home hours later, I enjoyed a warm bowl of lentil soup and napped for four hours.
My daughter told me these protest signs I made the week before the protest were not just “tough” but “low-key tough.” I guess in Gen-Alpha-speak that's a good thing.
As you can see, one of my signs stated the obvious about Hair Plug Hitler and this abomination of a U.S. Presidency.
Despite the freezing Chicago weather with a below-zero windchill, I refused to have my voice frozen. So did another woman in Washington D.C. the next day.
At the Inaugural Prayer Service, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington D.C. the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde directly addressed Felon 47 and his ghastly gang. Her gentle boldness inspired a shaken and traumatized nation. Her book How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith is now on backorder at several online bookstores.
Watch her viral plea for mercy and compassion to these sour and stupid sad sacks.
Courage is contagious. Remember that. Also remember that along with practicing selfcare and protecting ourselves, we cannot be silent. We must use our voice in any way we can. That can be through art; comedy; writing our local, state and Federal officials; boycotting Hair Plug Hitler, Bezos and Zuckerberg or volunteering time or donating money to a local or national social non-profit.
Like Audre Lorde wrote decades ago, silence won't protect us. The 19th century English philosopher John Stuart Mill said, “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”
Silence only strengthens the strongman and evil.
But wait. There's more.
1.) Bust a move with me on Bluesky and Spoutible.
2.) Donate to The Carter Center.
3.) Paid supporters can leave a comment below. If you like what you read, please consider becoming a paid supporter. All paid support goes toward my daughter’s post-high-school education.
4.) I read Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America after his novel arrived in 2004 and watched the HBO limited series adaptation in 2020. I know the scene below from the HBO series, which people can watch on Max, will play out with a lot of family and friends who voted for the convicted felon and the adjudicated rapist once Hell’s swirling flames their vote unleashed incinerates the country, them, their friends and their family.
Indeed. Evelyn is a stupid person.
5.) Join
’s American FAFO — Focused Action, Focused Objectives— opposition movement and subscribe to his Substack Special Intelligence as a free or paid supporter.6.) Listen to an inspirational and galvanizing song from Tom Petty the way it is meant be sung.