Martin Would Go. You In?

In Creative Battle (Mark Ulriksen)

Deport the Dreamers. Kick the Salvadoran refugees out. Raid Motel 6 and 7-11s for undocumented immigrants. Cut medical funding for poor children. Cut medical subsidies for poor people. Build The Wall and hire 100,000 more ICE agents. Give big tax breaks to corporations, banks, oil companies and the super-rich. Remove financial safeguards. Open up Alaska wilderness and coasts for oil drilling. Deregulate to make profiteering easier. Reverse gay and lesbian rights. Bust pot users. And, oh yeah, remember that the ‘genius’ has a bigger nuke button than ‘rocket man’...

Had enough? Don’t say you can’t believe it’s happening— because it is. Don’t say it will all work out somehow— because it won’t. Don’t say you just can’t deal with all this shit—because there is more, a lot more, to come. All in the name of Making America Great Again.

At the first anniversary of the Trumpian administration and his Republican congress collaborators, I’m especially grateful to be reminded to stand with Martin Luther King, Jr. and all the women and men who stand up and speak out for dignity and equality under law. I’m grateful to be reminded that voting even in Alabama, especially in Alabama, can bring change without violence and hatred. I’m grateful to see states and local governments taking actions to stand up to unjust federal mandates. We will feed and house the homeless and the poor when Trump turns his back on people. We will provide safety and sanctuary when Trump’s border patrols breaks up families. We will reduce pollution and carbon when industries  despoil the land, waters and atmosphere.

Suffering some “outrage fatigue,” the exhaustion that comes from too much outrage, the weariness of anger and powerlessness? Buck up, take a cue from Martin: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

We have a lot of challenge and controversy in our way and coming our way. Martin would go. I’m in. How about you?

--Mike Sato