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A Response to Trump

Since November 9th, millions of Americans have viewed the election of Donald Trump as cause for mourning. But for many others, the election was also a call to action. Not everyone is cut out to protest in the streets, but there are other, more conventional actions concerned citizens can take to prepare for and respond to the anticipated trials and tribulations.
  • Redouble charitable giving to worthy non-profits.  There are many organizations devoted to fighting hate crimes and promoting the enforcement of civil rights.  Some that come to mind are the Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU, and the Anti-Defamation League, but there are many more.  Since the election, many people have been giving to Planned Parenthood, which has been threatened with a loss of federal funding, and there are certainly environmental organizations and other institutions that support the poor and help the victims of violence and oppression. 
  • Support politicians who support your values.  Two years ago, I was privileged to serve on the finance committee for the campaign of Maura Healey, who was elected Attorney General for Massachusetts. This year, I am renewing my support for her. AG Healey is a strong advocate for civil rights and will enforce Massachusetts' civil rights laws. As a new wave of harassment and hate crimes emerged post-election, she promptly set up a hotline for reporting such incidents, and is committed to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens. No doubt there are many other political leaders who  are prepared to stand up to the new administration and to his most uncivil supporters. And there are dedicated and worthy public servants prepared to run for political office in 2018 and 2020. 
  • Support education. One of the most effective and constructive ways to move America forward is to support education. A solid education is a strong antidote to politicians and political leaders who exploit ignorance. The new administration is not going to be pro-education, so supporting institutions of higher education and advocating for public education is of the utmost urgency.
  • Volunteer. As Michelle Obama so eloquently said at the Democratic National Convention, "when they go low, we go high." Volunteer service to those in need, and especially to those most likely to suffer from the policies and practices of the new administration, is critically important, and can take many forms. Whether in large or small ways, each of us can do our part to care for those in need and support the values that we hold dear.
  • Be kind.  One of the worst characteristics of the campaign was its purposeful exploitation of hate. The most effective response to hate is love, and the best response to mean-spiritedness is kindness. We all have many opportunities to be kinder to those around us, and especially to the outcasts of our society. Small, daily acts of kindness can make life much more tolerable for those most at risk from the coming change. And larger, self-sacrificial acts of kindness are an appropriate response when those around us fall victim to injustice and hate-mongering.
  • Champion truth. As I said in an earlier post, one of the greatest casualties of the recent campaign was truth. Like never before, America is at risk of entering a new era of Orwellian newspeak, where bad is good, darkness is light, hate is love, and death is life. We all need to be vigilant champions of truth in this new era. It will be easy to be lulled into accepting the false security of propaganda. We mustn't let it happen. The gift of discernment has never been more important than it will be in 2017, and standing up for truth will be vital to our democracy.
  • Preserve the rule of law. Our best protection against tyranny is law. Just as we must be vigilant in championing truth, we must be vigilant in protecting the rule of law. When politicians break the law, or seek to change laws that they find inconvenient, we need to let our voices be heard. Be prepared to call your representatives to urge them to defend the rule of law if and when it comes under attack.






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