Friday, November 11, 2016

The Darkness of Trumpland and the Light of Resistance



It sure is dark out there. The darkness of Trumpland is truly upon us.

On a day when we honour our Canadian soldiers who died fighting the fascists.

On a day when we mourn the death of the great Leonard Cohen.

And must now face the horror of this fascist clown.



Who after praising Obama as a "very good man" after having slandered him for years. And trying to look as humble and presidential as possible.

Returned to his Trump Tower penthouse and revealed himself again to be the dangerous demagogue we know so well...


Who would denounce and slander peaceful protesters, while his own deplorables are on a rampage. 



And the Klan is on the march all over the American south, and talking crazy violent. 



As white supremacists and neo-Nazis celebrate the results of the presidential election, Michael Hill, president of the neo-Confederate League of the South, reacted to Donald Trump’s victory yesterday by vowing to show “no mercy” to “the enemies of our God, our Folk and our civilization” and to finally “drive a stake” through the heart of “the globalist-progressive coalition of Jews, minorities, and anti-white whites.”

As only they can.

While Paul Ryan in a desperate effort to save himself from the wrath of Trump's inflamed fanatics, rushes to declare Obamacare dead...



Even though, as Canadian Cynic points out, his plan could hurt many old Republicans, and leave at least 20 million poor Americans with any kind of health insurance.

And yes it is insanity, and with reports that the deranged Sherriff Kenneth Clarke is about to be named head of the Department of Homeland Security... 



It is fascism.

And it is starting to look a lot like the fall of the American empire...



But strangely enough, despite all that madness, I don't feel scared or depressed.

Instead I feel happy even exhilarated, like I did when I first starting fighting bigots and bullies at the age of fourteen.

And I am eternally grateful that I lived to see and take part in what is surely the beginning of the Final Battle for Humanity.

The one where we get to crush the forces of darkness, in America, and this country, and all over our threatened planet, and bring light back to the world.

I give thanks that the monstrous orange demagogue has finally done what we could not do, and united the left.



A crazed demagogue who is also, as Charles Blow writes, an evil bigot. 

Let me be clear: Businessman Donald Trump was a bigot. Candidate Donald Trump was a bigot. Republican nominee Donald Trump was a bigot. And I can only assume that President Donald Trump will be a bigot. 

It is absolutely possible that America didn’t elect him in spite of that, but because of it. Consider that for a second. Think about what that means. This is America right now: throwing its lot in with a man who named an alt-right sympathizer as his campaign chief.


Who is not worthy of respect, and must be resisted at all cost.

I must settle this in myself in this way: I respect the presidency; I do not respect this president-elect. I cannot. Count me among the resistance.

It is impossible for me to fall in line behind an unrepentant bigot. It will be impossible for me to view this man participating in the pageantry and protocols of the presidency and not be reminded of how he is a demonstrated demagogue who is also a sexist, a racist, a xenophobe and a bully. 


That is not a person worthy of applause. That is a person who must be placed under unrelenting pressure. Power must be challenged, constantly. That begins today.


That resistance is already in the streets, the young are leading it.


I'm so proud of them and my LGBT brothers and sisters who are on the front lines, standing up for their rights and the rights of others.

I'm also grateful that all of this is happening on a day when we honour those who died fighting the fascists. So we can truly appreciate how much we owe them.

And so when I tend the graves of Canadian flyers in little cemeteries scattered all over the Scottish highlands, as I do every summer...



I can tell them like I will tell this hero, the fascists are on the march again, but we will help crush them like you did. You who sacrificed your life at such a young age.

As we may have to do, if we are to remain free.

Finally, I am also eternally grateful to the great Canadian poet and singer Leonard Cohen...



For although I am so sad he died yesterday, because I wanted him to live forever.

His death at this time will serve to inspire our movement.

And remind us, as he did in his epic song Anthem, that even in the darkness there is light.

There is a crack in everything

It's how the light gets in.

And remind us as well, that in a time of fascism we are all partisans...



Thank you Leonard for your greatness.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

Thank you to our Canadian soldiers for their sacrifice.

We will never forget you.

And now prepare to help our American neighbours fight the Final Battle for Humanity...

23 comments:

Anonymous said...


The US has bombed over 50 countries since the end of WW11. And the citizens didn't seem to mind. Seems to me like the fascism is just coming to the surface. That the military industrial complex has been fascist all along and there will be a battle for the soul of the country.

Anonymous said...

It's been proven that many of the protesters are being paid. Looks like George soros is up to his old tricks.

Anonymous said...

As a MTLer myself, I am disgusted with the results and the ongoing chaos it causes, but am proud of our city for helping join the fight/protest! Shows we still have humanity here.

Anonymous said...

It is a sad irony that on the day we honour our fallen, we look south and see the birth of what we were fighting against. Except I, like you Simon, will not be moping around about it. We will rise against it, and we will help defeat it.
RIP Leonard.
Lest we forget.
JD

Anonymous said...

I'm very interested to see who Trump appoints to his cabinet.

Anonymous said...

The final battle for humanity? Do you actually talk like this in public in front of real people? Do you wear a sandwich board too?

luceforma said...

i see no moping, JD.
much ugliness has been sanctioned, much hatred stoked.
what i see is people finding words and ways to let love in. this is a fucked up time and some of us need more hugs, shed more tears, hang with their people more or go into a greater spin - do the kinds of things that would be totally embarrassing under 'normal' circumstances. this is (and must be) ok.

Simon, i believe, belongs very much into your collective 'we', as do i, MC, GS, Pamela, JD, bcwaterboy, David, e.a.f, and scores of uncalled names and names undiscovered - awake and aware people who care. the life on Simon's blog is a proof.

you speak of rise and defeat and, it is true, it IS a model that made sense to all of us. but as anonymous 2016.11.9:01 kindly reminds us, "[c]ivil disobedience has had its day". i won't pretend to know alternatives but the paradigm did change and we must evolve and begin thinking differently. but yes, we will find ways to resist and never yield if only for the Flanders fields and the Cohens and the Wenjacks. we have so much in each other! lf

Anonymous said...

Thank You Luce, love your comments and the ones from the other good people. I try to ignore the ridiculous ones the idiots write, but I think the sandwich board one takes the loser prize tonight. We will mourn our loss of what should have been and continue the fight against racism and bigotry. I just hope he doesn't nuke us if Justin uses the wrong tone of voice .... Pamela

David said...

Maybe Simon will finally let me post this song by Leonard Cohen. I have sent it a few times. When I was watching the Trump protests I thought of:



Democracy by Leonard Cohen:

http://www.vevo.com/watch/leonard-cohen/democracy/USSM20404032

David said...

Over 90% of those who voted for Trump were white:


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/us-election/the-real-reason-donald-trump-got-elected-we-have-a-white-extremism-problem/article32817625/


Anonymous said...

Hi Luce, I should have said peacefully rise against it as I don't condone violence unless one is protecting one's self or another from injury from a bully(ies).
JD

Simon said...

hi anon...yes it's true that the U.S. has bombed far too many countries, and the results have been disastrous not just for those countries, but also for the U.S. itself, and the rest of us. And you may be right, the fascism has lain below the surface and is now revealing itself. Which only bolsters my point, never has a left-wing revolution been so necessary or more urgent....

Simon said...

hi anon....please, I know you guys see the hands of Soros behind everything. But what you see out there are a lot of students and minority groups that are both angry and fearful about what Trump might do to them and their rights....

Simon said...

hi anon...yes, the chaos will die down once the shock and the anger subside. But I think what's important is the message those protests are sending out. Do what you want, you won the election. But if you try to steal our rights there will be hell to pay....

Simon said...

hi JD...I may have many human flaws, but moping is not one of them. Not when the future of the planet is at stake. For although climate change was all but ignored during that hideous election campaign, it is the biggest threat we face. And Trump must not be allowed to sabotage the little we have done to fight it. You know, I get some e-mails from people saying that I should mind my own business, because the U.S. is not my country. But as far as I'm concerned when it comes to climate change and human rights there are no borders...

Simon said...

hi anon...yes so am I, and I hardly dare look. Because the idea of Sheriff Clarke as the head of Homeland Security, and Rudy Giuliani as the Attorney General should be enough to give everyone nightmares. Although I liked what David Frum had to say about that. He says the cabinet should look relatively normal, but the White House will look like the Star Wars cantina....

Simon said...

hi anon...no I actually don't talk like that in real life, and maybe I should have called it the Final Battle to Save the Planet. Because if Trump the climate change denier sabotages the Paris Agreement, he will doom our planet, so it will be the final battle for humanity. So what are the words on your sandwich board?

Simon said...

hi David...be patient, I'm still mourning Leonard. And I think I have a very good excuse to run that song in another post this weekend... ;)

Simon said...

hi Pamela...yes I enjoy all your comments, even from those I don't agree with, as long as they are civil and not violent. As for Justin, I remember how Trump said he'd like to fight Joe Biden after Biden said he'd like to take him behind the barn and teach him some manners. So I think Justin should challenge Trump to a boxing match, and settle their differences right there and then... ;)

David said...

Trump wins then Leonard Cohen passes.

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force..."
--- Obi-Wan Kenobi

David said...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/13/massive-anti-trump-protests-planned-for-inauguration-day-police-on-alert.html

David said...

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/checkup/what-are-your-thoughts-on-the-life-and-death-of-leonard-cohen-1.3847429

e.a.f. said...

It is all well and good to march in the streets. However, changes need to be made and that work is hard. One of the major issues in American elections is voter suppression. For that to change, not only would the voting act have to be restored, but Republican govenors would have to go in some states. That is a long hard slog. Not much will change until that happens. Even if several million go out and protest, it will change little unless Republican senators and house of representatives get concerned.

The appointment of Bannon from breitbart is something to be concerned about. it is this type of rhetoric which got Trump elected. It will not bode well for American if this attitude goes more mainstream.

Americans need to deal with the fact 43% didn't vote. Its too late to complain now.

As to Canadians protesting in places like Vancouver, get over it. its not our election. Try focusing on the issues we have in B.C. like the Site C dam, our having the highest rate of child poverty in Canada since 2001, the pay to play role with in the provincial government, the crowding in schools, the inadequate day care for children and money for seniors. Lets stop protesting American politics and do something about the mess in our own country.