,
November 30, 2016
For American’s concerned with the election of Donald J. Trump to the presidency, fear, despair, anger and outrage may be the emotions of the moment. Yet the selection of a candidate with a history of racism, misogyny, scapegoating of immigrants, extravagant lying and corrupt business practices offers opponents of such repugnant politics and personality an opening. It is the opportunity to organize widely and persistently and fight against the common enemy of hatred and loathsome politics!
Bigotry, economic inequality, sexism and the guttural politics of the racist Alt Right must not be allowed to destroy the hard fought gains of the past sixty years. Their “movement” belongs in the ruins of the despicable portions of American history such as the institution of slavery, the Confederacy, Jim Crow, Native American genocide, women’s subservience and second-class status, suppression of worker rights, anti-immigrant hatred, the odious prejudices against the LGBTQ community and the overall white supremacist tribalism and violence in our collective past.
Election night began with anticipation for the first American woman being elected to the presidency and ended with anguish and outrage for those in social and environmental justice movements as a minority of the electorate chose, through the electoral college, a repulsive candidate from the plutocratic class bearing the economic, ecological and prejudicial policies of a gilded class openly hostile to the democratic institutions of our country.
Elections determine the policy direction of governments and the election of Donald Trump to the presidency offers not only a change, but perhaps a consequential and perilous shift in cultural orientation in the countries relation to race, LGBTQ rights, anti-Semitism, anti-Islamic sentiments, women’s rights, immigrants and the rights of employees vs. employers. While progress has been made in the advancement of tolerance to minorities and traditionally marginalized groups, the new administration, containing politicians and operatives bearing racist and vulgar nationalist beliefs, may try to normalize hatred not only in our politics, but in society in general.
Beyond the issues of gender, sexual orientation and the politics of racial hatred, the election of Trump will bring detrimental outcomes in economic inequality, taxation favoring the wealthy, encourage unethical business practices, further the destruction of the environment and a whole plethora of results, some easily predictable and some completely surprising,
With Donald Trump in the White House, the difficult work of mitigating climate change and fighting the forces of global warming denial just became more difficult. Environmentalists and climate change fighters must not allow despair and hopelessness to become the emotional norm in our community. Fighting for environmental justice, continuing to battle for clean energy options, lessening the effects of climate change and preventing further damage to the planet due to carbon emissions must persist. We have no choice but to fight the destruction of the planetary systems all of us, and future generations, will rely on for life and sustenance.
For inspiration we need look no further than the Native American tribes and environmentalists standing strong at Standing Rock. They are the front line! They are leading the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline and doing so with grit and the integrity of owning the moral argument for local determinism against illicit corporate power, justice for the environment vs. the depravity of rapacious destruction of ecosystems for profit and the fight against climate change in opposition to the immoral forces of climate denial. They may win or they may lose, but their example provides a lesson in persistence against great odds.
Beyond Standing Rock, we must remember the ongoing fights occurring all across the country. Whether the battles exist on college campuses and in municipalities regarding the politics of divestment or the battles on the south side of Chicago against the Koch Brothers and their piles of polluting Pet Coke or the engagements with governments as citizens try to cope with sea level rise on the coasts or the struggle to maintain species diversity and the legacy of National Parks and preserves or…
The real question remains: will we in the environmental justice movement roll over or will we fight? The only available answer: Organize and FIGHT!
