There aren’t enough depressing adjectives to describe my feelings in the wake of Donald Trump’s stunning election victory and the nationwide “red” wave.
I am truly afraid for our democracy and our communities, should we see even half of the reckless and cruel policies Trump has promised. I can’t understand why voters gave permission to move those forward.
I was part of the massive Kamala Harris ground game, doing the work and training hundreds of others who went knocking, phoning, texting and writing to voters to tell them what was at stake.
Today, I’m still playing those conversations in my head. I connected with voters struggling to pay bills and those frightened by relentless ads villainizing immigrants and transgender youth. Some asked if “after-birth abortion” is a real thing.
Mostly, I think about those who “don’t follow politics” and didn’t think their vote mattered. Early analysis indicates our work did hold down Trump’s margin in swing states. But that’s small solace.
Yes, I’m still feeling pain at Harris’ loss, and it won’t go away any time soon. But I thrive on solutions. And here are some I’m reaching for right now.
I will:
Take a break. When I joined the resistance movement in January 2017, I never imagined I’d be engaged again in activism against the policies of Trump and far-right Republicans seven years after he took office the first time and then lost his reelection. So, yeah, I’m tired. For whatever lies ahead, I need a recharge. I’ll spend more time with family and friends. I need to see their faces, hear their laughter, feel their hugs.Be judicious about consuming news. I can’t walk away from media altogether, as some friends are doing. But I’m focused on facts. I don’t need to know who Trump might appoint to various positions, or to hear the Democrats’ circular firing squad, seeking to assign blame for our failure to win voters’ hearts and minds.Become a better listener. The night of Trump’s first election, a longtime GOP friend (yes, I have some) called with condolences. She couldn’t resist adding: “Maybe now Democrats will start paying attention to the working class!” I rejected her warning about what lay ahead, knowing Democrats as the party of, by, and for working people. I believe that now, maybe more than ever. I have walked in many Black, white, and Latino communities and talked with those who feel ignored. It’s not too late to respond.Resist attacks on neighbors near and far. We’ve recently seen a rise in hate crimes here and across the country against those who are Black, Brown, Asian, Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ+ and otherwise not like him. We don’t yet know the exact targets of Trump’s promised mass deportations, but even those who aren’t swept up will be at risk. I’ll stand up for the safety of all of us.
Here’s what I won’t do:
Despair. MAGA wants us to give up. That makes their job easier. Despair is the enemy of action. And we certainly can’t meet the moment with inaction.Compromise my values. I know who I am, and this election doesn’t change my belief in the adage that says none of us are free until all of us are free.Be silent. After my break, I’ll again be ready to resist. I literally have a lifetime of fighting for what will make the world a better place. For all of us. And I’m not about to quit now.
Whatever is ahead, I know I won’t be alone. Less than 48 hours after the election was called for Trump, I joined nearly 150,000 people on an initial national planning call. This massive coalition is committed to protecting our fragile democracy. I hope you’ll join us.
Marj Halperin is a political commentator on WGN Radio’s Mincing Rascals podcast, WCPT Progressive Talk radio, and Canada’s CTV News network. She’s a longtime organizer with Indivisible Chicago Alliance.
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