USE YOUR WORDS

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Like most moms I used to say to my daughter when she was little, “Use your words.” I wanted her to say what she thought. To express what she felt.

And, boy do we need to do that now.

Friends don’t let friends whine. Real friends say these days, “Have you called your Congressperson yet? Have you called your Senators?” It’s a time to replace despair with action.

Will that be all we have to do? Of course not. But remember that educating yourself, reading and watching the news as it unfolds, is an action in and of itself. The inner work is as important as the outer work at a time such as this. Martin Luther King Jr. said people shouldn’t mistake all material passivity for weakness; he said the non-violent political activist is “spiritually active.” Our being and our doing are equally important right now.

I remember how during the AIDS crisis, those of us who were busy helping people weren’t as desperate as those who were sitting on the sidelines. We were too busy to be desperate. In a strange and tragic way, it was an exhilarating time. We had no choice but to do what we could. Love meant showing up.

And that is the issue now: do what you can. As I say in the video, this isn’t just about what Trump or Musk are doing; it’s about what you and I are doing.

Keep up with the news, of course. There are many good outlets. I’m reading Heather Cox Richardson each day here on substack, by the way. And Jessica Yellin is good. Breaking Points gives both left and right perspectives.

What’s happening now is unprecedented.

Whatever you do, don’t be silent.