WomensMarch

[ambree40]

Today, there were Women's Marches all over the world. I couldn't make it to the one nearest to us, in Amsterdam. But I wanted to participate, at least in spirit. So, here are pictures of the event from all over the world in countries outside the USA. It's so encouraging to see the huge crowds that marched for a world of hope, decency and solidarity

Comments

[jan_u_wine]

what a stunning gallery of not only women, but of men as well. Or....to put it differently....what a stunning display of human spirit.

I've done a lot of thinking the last couple days, now that the ....unspeakable has become reality. And...I think, in a positive vein, that the unspeakable has served for a great many a wake up call ....a sign that we need to care deeply and not just sit on our complacent behinds .......

I still pray for miracles....but i think it is far more likely that words need to be combined with consistent action.

Let us soldier decently, peacefully on, fellow beings!

[shirebound]

Beautifully said.

[jan_u_wine]

thank you!

[jan_u_wine]

and then i read things like this and am almost inclined to seek out the LoT (lump of trump) and shake his hand. From the Lithub:

“What I call for is a literature that craves the conflict and owns the destruction, a split-mind literature that features fear and handles shock, that keeps self-evident ‘reality’ safely within the quotation marks.” Aleksandar Hemon on writing in the age of Trump. | The Village Voice

(oddly, speaking of 'split-mind', i was reading an article on Steven Tyler this morning. One of the things he says motivates him, but in a positive way, is fear. He flys in (instead of fleeing from) the face of fear. Whatever he is afraid of, that is what he attempts. A good thing to think on, in these days when we will be called on to be bravely fearful (and the most positively, rawly *naked* of our lives). We will climb the mountain of our own lives, our own humanity. We will strive and learn and perhaps even die. Can we do these things? Yes. We. Can. )

[ambree40]

Discussing all this with my dad I asked him if he had had this sense of doom in the nineteen-thirties, during the rise of Hitler. He said NO. There weren't many active fascists. Most people just sat back because they didn't realize the danger. It's encouraging to know that people are now aware of the danger and get to the streets!

[jan_u_wine]

although what will actually happen if faced with storm-trooperish goons is another conversation. It is one thing to be taken by surprise by an impending disaster. It is another thing to know what to do when and if the sh*t comes down.

may we not be faced with those very difficult decisions...the ones that go beyond marching and shouting our solidarity. May moral hearts and minds prevail.

[ambree40]

"May moral hearts and minds prevail" Yes!

[ambree40]

I've now seen pictures of the turnout in every major city in the US. It's amazing.
The challenge for you will be to translate this display of human spirit into political action. From what I understand that's going to be a long convoluted process. But I am more hopeful now.

[jan_u_wine]

....read this article (if you wish)....it sums up all I am feeling and says it much better than ever i could!

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a52437/donald-trump-inauguration-day-report/?src=nl&mag=esq&list=nl_enl_news&date=012117

[yeuxdebleu]

Excellent article. Thanks for posting it.

[jan_u_wine]

you're welcome!

[ambree40]

As you say, it sums it up very well. Thank you for the link.

[jan_u_wine]

you are welcome. Do not despair, Ambree. The incursion of bad prompts the emergence of good.