• I’m posting a bit late this morning. I got up and realized I needed some half & half for my second cup of coffee. I’m incapable of doing anything until I finish my first cup. After that, I pulled on my jeans and a sweater and ran over to a nearby shop to buy some. Came back, made the second cup, signed onto the laptop…and my husband called. And now it’s 10:27.
A bit of a potpourri for you today:
• Staging the curtain call yesterday. The show is frozen now. I went to the performance last night, but I didn’t take any notes. It’s time to let the actors do their thing and trust that those notes will be incorporated at some point. Actually, this is a great cast and they appreciate notes and take them seriously. Opening night is tomorrow night. And then homeward I go on Saturday.
• When I arrive back home, Don will most likely not be there as he is doing everything in his power to make it to the Women’s March in Washington D.C. on Saturday. Bravo, Don! He was torn about the whole thing, thinking he should be here for my opening night, but I encouraged him to go to D.C. Much more important. I’m frustrated and have been frustrated that I can’t be there, so he will represent the two of us. Fingers crossed that it all works out.
• Tonight at 5:30, I am taking part in what is called the Ghostlight Project. The ghostlight in a theater is the single bulb on a metal stand that is left to illuminate the stage at night. The Theater Community across the country is taking part in this national day of light, with a pledge to uphold the values we hold dear: inclusion, participation and compassion for everyone in the community. We will each bring a light as we reaffirm the importance of these values.
• As we face the inauguration tomorrow, I want to direct you to this post by John Pavlovitz. I don’t know whether you’re familiar with his blog, but it has fast become a favorite of mine and of my sister, as well. John is a minister with an activist’s heart. Today’s post: Let the Record Show, says everything I believe. Please give it a read.
As I lie awake at night thinking about what is to come, filled with fear and foreboding, I often go back to one thing: That man who shall be nameless mocking a disabled reporter. No matter how he tries to spin it these days, we saw it. Over and over and over again.
A vote for this man said that was acceptable behavior. No other way to spin that, either. Those who voted for him either thought that making fun of someone with a disability was okay, or by compartmentalizing that behavior, turned a blind eye to it. Equally reprehensible.
My nephew is disabled. By voting for him, they’ve given a ‘free and clear’ to making fun of my nephew – or anyone with a disability. You don’t want to mess with me when it comes to my nephew. Trust me.
Years ago, actually, not very long ago, this alone would driven him out of the race.
What have we come to?
I don’t have to ‘come together’ with anyone who, by voting for that sorry excuse for a human being, said that mocking a disabled person was worthy behavior for a candidate for the highest office in the land. Frankly, I don’t have to come together with anyone who thinks that’s acceptable in any fellow human being. And the argument that he ‘didn’t really mean it?’ Yes, he did. He means everything he says as we will discover all too soon.
As to the voters who condoned that, who, by their silence, tacitly agreed? They’ll have to make their peace with it.
I could write a month’s worth of blog posts about what I find abhorrent and unacceptable about that man. You already know how I feel. I’ve made it abundantly clear.
But, as Don and I often say, that one thing – the mocking – was enough for us to wash our hands of him. It’s the behavior of an insecure, narcissistic bully, which I strongly suspect he has been all of his life. I have always fought for those who were bullied, even when I was a kid.
I’m not about to stop now.
Happy Thursday.
I’ve got a heavy heart right now with the inauguration coming up tomorrow and some other life stuff. I agree with everything you’ve said in this post Claudia and thank you for your words.
I’ve said it here before and I’ll say it again all that I know to do is keep moving forward. Speaking against and standing against all that he stands for. Doing my part when given the opportunity and making those opportunities matter the best that I can.
Remain hopeful in one another. Move forward. Always keep moving. Believe.
Blessings to you and Don both for all you give and do. Have a lovely day.
I agree. We have to keep speaking out and doing everything we can to fight his agenda. Thanks for what you do, Belinda!
I’ve unfriended two people on FB who were constantly belittling what I was saying, condescending, righteous, and just plain mean that I didn’t like him. Everything you said above I agree with and feel the same way. I finally lost it when my cousin told me to “move on”. As responsible citizens we must hold him and his people accountable for their actions now. He works for us.
You did mention that “they” are now silent and you’re right. I think they’ve crawled back into their holes to hide and wait it out. The people close to me that voted for him-I just don’t understand. My brother didn’t want to vote for Hillary because, as a hunter, she was going to take his guns away. OMG. I hope I make it thru this year with my sanity intact.
It’s awesome that Don is going to march!!
Oh the ‘move on’ comments! Really? I think not.
The guns being taken away argument was constantly thrown out there with Obama. Did he take them away? NO.
I don’t understand these people!
I have always been a just barely right of center Republican. Though I did vote once for Bill Clinton. 😉 However, I have a special needs grandson who now is a young adult (19) and the mocking of a disabled person did it for me. I did not vote for the person nor will I ever vote Republican again. That party evidently lost all reasoning and morals by supporting him. I am holding my breath.
I don’t blame you. When it comes close to home, that’s it! In your case, your grandson. In mine, my nephew. I’ve never been a Republican, but I could and did respect many Republicans because, though I might have disagreed with them, I knew they were acting on principles they held dear and they were able to work across party lines. That sadly is not the case anymore.
I am standing and applauding you and Don! You and I agree on all of this. I can’t respect a person who will be holding our highest office who has no respect for others. Mocking of the disabled, tearing down LGBTQ rights and health care for all. He is not my president. I will keep praying he won’t destroy us but those who voted for him need to open their eyes and see. I’m in mourning for our country. Hugs!
He is not my President either. I guess I won’t have a President for the next four years – no wait, my President will remain President Obama.
Totally agree!! So glad Don is going to Washington!! My daughter and her husband are marching in Montpelier, VT. She has her pussy hat! I am so scared and sorry to say goodbye to President Obama – tears…..
Yay for your daughter and her husband! I can’t imagine our country with Obama, or someone like him. I feel like we’ve been abandoned, though I know he hasn’t really abandoned us.
I am in total agreement with what you say. I used to enjoy getting up in the morning, watching part of GMA to catch up on the news. Now I am afraid to turn on the tv to see what has happened overnight. Not my circus, not my monkeys, but I’m going to get a stiff neck from shaking my head!
I never watch the news anymore. I get too upset. Be careful of your neck, Barbara!
Ghostlight Project sounds wonderful. We must keep the lights shining on the ugliness and hope even one person can see what they are doing and come over to the light. I am familiar with John Pavlovitz, an excellent person and writer. Dark days ahead and I intend to surround myself with good people every day, in person and via electronic means.
The play will be a grand success!
A good plan, Deb. I plan to do the same. Thank you!
Hear, hear, Claudia! I couldn’t agree more. As usual, I’m proud of you guys for acting on your convictions.
Thank you, Shanna!
Bravo to Don for heading down to WashDC! I’ll be very interested to hear how that goes. I’m heading down this afternoon to Seattle (with my 14 pussy hats) to march with my sister and friends.
Thank you also for linking to the blog post by John Pavlovitz. It sums up everything I’ve been thinking and feeling and so elequently! I’ve shared his post on my Facebook page and I’m happy to see how many likes, loves and shares it’s received.
Good luck with opening night and your trip back home!
Yay for you and your sisters and your hats, Kate! Pavlovitz writes from the heart and he has a way of making everything so clear.
Maybe I will bump into Don at the march! It heartens me to know that there are people all over this country and beyond that will not normalize tyranny.
Yes we can!
Maybe you will! I won’t watch the inauguration. I WILL watch the March!
I will be in DC for the March on Saturday so I will keep an eye out for Don! To anyone going please be aware that there is a size limit for any backpacks and they must be clear plastic and have no tint. Also, I recommend carrying saline wash and having a bandana in case any troublemakers decide to disrupt the March with pepper spray. I am certainly hoping all will be peaceful but feel it is prudent to be prepared.
I have read John Pavlovitz for quite some time and find his words are so often exactly my thoughts. As an Evangelical Christian, who was not in the 81% who voted for Comrade Chump, I find encouragement from his writings when I often feel such an utter sense of frustration with fellow believers who seem to have no critical thinking skills!
You know I feel as you do about that man. I dread tomorrow….but since there is nothing we can do….we must protest! Simple as that…in whatever form that takes. Whether it is actually putting foot to pavement, or signing every petition that is appropriate, or simply just being nice, and respectful of our fellow human beings. We need to do what we need to do! I hope Don is able to March on Saturday…he’ll be marching for me too…hope his shoulders are big enough! Enjoy your day! ;)
They’re big enough, Donnamae. He will march for all of us who cannot attend, for women, for our nephew, for all those who know the truth.
Move on? You bet I am. I’m moving on along with 27,000 of my sisters in Austin on Saturday and, at current count, about 1.4 million across the globe. I’m new to walking again without a cane, since my brain surgery, and I fell again last week, twice, but I got up then and I’m going to be there, bruises and all, along with my husband. I’ve had evidence this year that things that feel hopeless aren’t always so, and this is one way I’m keeping hope alive.
Bravo to you, Linda, for walking and for doing it in spite of all you’ve been through. So glad your husband is also marching. I’m pulling for you and sending my love and support. xo
The production of Comedy of Errors was fabulous. We laughed and enjoyed the show so much and it was much needed. My father in law is near death and my husband did not want to go. But it helped him “escape” for a couple hours and not dwell on the inevitable. That is what I love about the arts – food for the sole for sure. I agree with your opinion of that man and am frightened of what is to come. I’m hopping over to the link to John Pavlovitz’s blog now.
Thanks!
You’ve brought tears to my eyes. I’m so glad you enjoyed the production Karen! I was thinking about you on Sunday. I’m so sorry to hear about your father-in-law. If the show helped him to escape for a couple of hours and release his pain by laughing a bit – that’s the best review we could have. I will pass this on to Darko. He’ll be pleased. Give my best to your husband. I know how hard this is. xoxo
Thank you Claudia for your kind words.
Kudos indeed. We all need to do what we can to make things better while the Big Awful is in office. My husband and I will have to be at the cancer center for his checkup tomorrow and even THAT is more optimistic than the inauguration. We will stop at the bookstore afterward, delve into the history and crafts sections and think good thoughts. We will listen to XM radio on the long drive home and sing along. It will be okay.
I’ll be thinking of you and your husband, Melissa. Yes, stay tuned to XM (which I wish I had in my car!) and think good thoughts. xo
I agree wholeheartedly with the thoughts in the post you linked us to. But my goodness, reading through the comments there had me shaking my head. (Some grown up folk can be downright juvenile.) Shine on, Claudia. Be a light! https://youtu.be/I32QKGmd7Gw
I didn’t read the comments. I’m just interested in the post and the words and thoughts of Pavlovitz. Thanks, Tammy! I’ll do my best to shine on!
Bravo to you for stating your truth and standing by it. I can’t count the number of times I have been told to ‘move on’, ‘get over it’, etc. I will not and can not move on or get over what I consider to be insidious evil. From the mocking of the disabled reporter, to the treatment of the Khan family, to the multitudinous examples of disdain for women, to his treasonous threats to our national security, to his ‘teapot dome’ cabinet posts, I am filled with anger and I will not be told what I should do with my anger. I will ‘move on’ by marching. I will engage in every form of civil disobedience that comes to hand, because as a Presbyterian pastor, I know that to be my calling. This is NOT my president, and tomorrow I will spend the day in mourning.
I commend to you the writings on the Sojourners website. They encourage me in these dark days when encouragement is thin upon the ground. I will think of you and your ‘ghostlight’ parade. The darkness cannot extinguish the light.
Peace and peace and peace again.
Bravo to you, Leslie. Keep engaging in civil disobedience. I will, as well. I’m wearing black tomorrow.
Thank you for the information on the Sojourners website. I’m off to explore it. Peace to you, my friend.
The Sojourners office will be open on Saturday morning from 8:30- 10:30 before the March. They are showing hospitality to the marchers by having cocoa and poster making supplies. My goal is to go there and march with other like minded Christians who will stand up to this horrible situation.
#I’mthe19% #NotmyPresident
Gotta agree with Leslie P [above]. I too am absolutely sick & tired of people, on both sides of the aisle, telling me to MOVE ON. The most rabid Trump voters – they even call THEMSELVES “deplorable” – are constantly calling on the “libtards” and “snowflakes” to quit crying & face facts. You lost, we won, Hillary’s evil, haha! Really, folks? Is that what YOU did 8 years ago? You all spent the last 8 years either trying to delegitimize President Obama or actively working against every last thing he tried to do. You couldn’t even get behind sensible gun laws – which 92% of the country wanted by the way – when 20 first graders – 6 year olds – were gunned down in cold blood in their Connecticut classroom. So don’t tell me that you don’t want to hear any more about this. Just eat your Wheaties, because you’re going to be hearing plenty. Every day – and LOUDLY – until Cheeto Benito is removed from office. Personally I’ll be living for the day when he’s led off to jail, preferably in orange jumpsuit, handcuffs & shackles. Never before have we had a President for whom this is so likely to happen. And that we as a nation all knew it too. Peace. #Resist
#ThisIsNotNormal
You said it, Janet! Bravo! I totally agree. To those who say it: “Shut up about ‘move on.’ You have not done anything to earn the right to say that. You have done just the opposite. So take your ‘move on’ and put it where the sun don’t shine.”
I cannot wait for that day. I promise you, I will dance in the street and have Don record it on video!
I’m getting bugged by people telling me, “Give him a chance; give him a year.” Yeah, well, a year is a long time to cause some utter destruction. I don’t feel the dude likes people. He likes power. Fame and attention. Control.
Thank you for the link to John Pavlovitz. What a to-the-heart post from him. I haven’t known of him or his church.
He’s had plenty of time to prove himself. He has failed. He is only interested in power, the spotlight, and people liking him.
Good luck to your production & good luck to Don! I will not watch any of the coverage tomorrow; it sickens me. I watched some of the confirmation hearings, and that was horrifying enough. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a huge turnout on Saturday.
They are very frightening. I agree. Oh, how I would love the turnout to be several times the amount that is at the inauguration. He will absolutely hate that!
My daughter will be marching in Madison. I can’t even bear to think about tomorrow as I will start to cry……. more probably, sob.
The fact that the Girl Scouts are slated to march in this circus sickens me. I was a Brownie & Girl Scout,,,,, even made it to Eagle Scout or was it First Class Scout (back 100 years ago) I can’t remember. I have called and left my message.
After listening to just a bit of the DeVos hearings I was ready to vomit. Absolutely unbelievable. She has not one clue, and could not answer one question regarding any public school policy or law in place. “That would be an interesting discussion” was her answer to any question. It was horrific. I am still in shock and truly think I will wake up and it will have been a nightmare. But we don’t wake up from it, and it is, indeed, truly a nightmare we are living.
What is with the Girl Scouts? I signed a petition asking them to reconsider. I was also a Girl Scout. What kind of message are they sending to their girls? It’s okay to march in a parade honoring a sexual predator?
DeVos is dangerous and ignorant beyond my comprehension. Ask anyone in my home state of Michigan about the damage she has done to schools there. You’ll get an earful.
Claudia..most of my work life was with mentally/physically disabled people…When someone makes fun of…laughs at such precious people it feels like a stab to my heart…What IT did to the reporter was unacceptable…unthinkable…and unforgivable…Both my son and myself were bullied as kids for being overweight…we can tell you that the pain of words never heals…is never forgotten…it is a big part of the reason my son keeps himself locked away in his room…his heart and his life were broken by words…You know the power of words Claudia…it is your life’s work…
Oh, Nancy. I’m so sorry about what has happened to your son. There is no excuse for such cruelty. It’s heartbreaking to hear of the damage done by bullies, by those who need to pump themselves up by taking someone else down. xoxoxo
Will be thinking of you all in America. I still can’t believe it’s happened. My friends in California are marching on Saturday. They too have been appalled by the people who voted for this man, people they thought they knew. Some wounds go very deep and will take some healing. Sending love and good wishes for your production and to Don as he marches.
Thank you, Valerie. We are sickened by what is happening in this country. The vitriol I read and hear from his supporters makes me sick to my stomach. Who are these people? I take that back. I don’t want to know. I don’t want to have anything to do with them.
Also I have had a walking disability since I was 18 months old due to polio and have got used to people staring and treating me as different, even though I am no different in ways that matter, and I have always thought that people who can’t see that are shallow and quite frankly ignorant. To think that a person of this kind can be voted in as President – unbelievable. Thankfully I have found more people in my life who do look beyond the physical and my hope is that the voices of these kind of people will be heard loud and clear at his time.
You are right. Shallow and ignorant. We have to remember that the election was stolen by the Russians and by Comey releasing that nonsense story about Hillary Clinton. She would have won, otherwise. It’s a tainted election, an illegitimate presidency. There are far more of us who abhor that man than honor him.
Claudia, I am so glad that you are a person who feels as I do. I am in no way perfect, but even on my worst day, I would never find it OK to mock a disabled person – ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC AND THEN TRY TO EXCUSE IT. As a friend of mine has said about a thousand times, “How was it that that action wasn’t the end of it?”
It’ s not gonna be easy. But I refuse to let him and his ilk define me and our country forever.
In any other year, that would have been the end of it.
I will not accept him as the President and I will do everything I can to fight everything he stands for.
Claudia,
This article might explain the trumpass supporters. They’ve obviously embraced their “shadow side” and have let it have full control of their emotions. I am happy to say that my “shadow side” is held deep, deep inside me where it will stay.
“Donald Trump will be sworn in as the President of the United States of America on Friday 20th January, and many people are scratching their heads and wondering how this has happened.
Trump defies all conventional rules of politics. He’s a former reality television star who seems to take pleasure in offending entire groups of people, such as Mexicans, the disabled and Muslims.
Trump seems to be an anomaly. Yet the author and doctor Deepak Chopra has a different perspective on the emergence of Donald Trump.
Chopra says Trump’s success comes from a side of human nature that exists inside all of us, and offers some steps for how we can combat this.
The secret side of human nature has a special name
In a recent article in Huffington Post, Chopra says Trump’s rise is based on the following:
“In reality Trump isn’t bizarre or anomalous. He stands for something universal, something right before our eyes. It’s an aspect of the human psyche that we feel embarrassed and ashamed of, which makes it our collective secret. Going back a century in the field of depth psychology, the secret side of human nature acquired a special name: the shadow.
“The shadow compounds all the dark impulses—hatred, aggression, sadism, selfishness, jealousy, resentment, sexual transgression—that are hidden out of sight. The name originated with Carl Jung, but its basic origin came from Freud’s insight that our psyches are dualistic, sharply divided between the conscious and unconscious. The rise of civilization is a tribute to how well we obey our conscious mind and suppress our unconscious side. But what hides in the shadows will out.”
According to Chopra, the shadow side is inside all of us, and it’s something we need to face head on.
“If Trump is the latest expression of the shadow, he isn’t a bizarre anomaly, which would be true if normal, rational values are your only standard of measure. Turn the coin over, making the unconscious your standard of measure, and he is absolutely typical. When the shadow breaks out, what’s wrong is right. Being transgressive feels like a relief, because suddenly the collective psyche can gambol in forbidden fields. When Trump indulges in rampant bad behavior and at the same time says to his riotous audiences, “This is fun, isn’t it?” he’s expressing in public our ashamed impulse to stop obeying the rules.”
The danger that Chopra foresees is the shadow forces getting out of control, as we saw in the first half of the twentieth with two world wars. Therefore, Chopra offers each of us some steps for looking within and confronting the shadow side that exists in all of us.
After all, the best way to change the world is to change ourselves.
Here are Chopra’s suggestions:
See Trumpism for what it is, a confrontation with the shadow.
Instead of demonizing him, acknowledge that the shadow is in everyone and always has been.
At the same time, realize that the shadow never wins in the end.
Find every opening to reinforce the value of returning to right and reason in your own life.
Don’t fight the shadow with the shadow, which means not stooping to play by Trump’s nihilistic rules—he will always be willing to go lower than you are willing to go.”
Thank you for this, Cheryl. So very interesting – and it makes perfect sense. xo
http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com/deepak-chopra-explains-secret-donald-trumps-success-can/
Looks like some of this article didn’t reprint so here’s the link.
Cheryl
I will add the link to tomorrow’s post, Cheryl. Thank you.
Claudia,
Thank you for your thoughts in these troubling times, especially for the arts and education. It really helps to hear others who are struggling with the division in our nation.
I am so glad that Don is going. I was planning on marching, but I tore a ligament in my right foot. However, MANY of my friends will be present from coastal Virginia.
My philosophy now, if Hillary Clinton can stand tall, so will I. She is a class act, as were the Obamas. I stand with them and will keep fighting for “justice for all”.
Tina-Marie
Hillary and the Clintons are everything I admire. I stand with them as well.
Hi Claudia, It sure is a dank day out there today. There seem to be so many sad people, where did all the happy faces go? I have a disabled son who will be 45 in March and I take it personally when someone attacks him in any way, mother bear is real. Our new Mr. President needs to apologize for his past critical comments to many sects. It is borderline scary to have someone with so much money have so much power.
I truly hope that the people of our country can come closer together to move us along into a tomorrow that God will approve of. Mr President is our elected leader and we must give him the respect the position deserves, but nothing more.
I understand your position on the ‘respect the position deserves’ but since this was a tainted election, I can’t even do that. We will be learning more, I’m sure, of just how engaged Trump and/or his associates were with the Russians.
Always comforting when we share our feelings with kindred spirits about this horrible and unacceptable situation…….there isn’t a single redeeming quality in this unfit, unqualified, pathetic , hateful, ignorant creature; he will never be the US president to millions of us voters and those in elected positions better start paying attention to that fact. Am appalled to hear the Girl Scouts/Brownies will be in the parade; was both a Brownie and Girl Scout as well as a Brownie leader and summer camp leader. Extremely upsetting. Also, I have no sympathy for Trump voters who now have remorse. Every despicable thing he is, has done, and has said was always in the open for anyone to see. And the fact that he was and is a liar was proven over and over. How can they claim they were mislead?????? It was all right in front of their noses. And I am sick of hearing Trump supporters ridiculing current polls which already show negative numbers. They make fun of the polls showing Hillary winning; but the polls I saw election day were exit polls showing the majority voting for her, and that is correct!! The majority of voters did vote for her!! But then you can’t have a discussion with stupidity, it is self perpetuating
We faced evil from outside with World War II, and now we face evil from within. But we have the support of each other to fight this and are not in this alone. So much gratitude and hope with millions standing up for all they believe in. The voices will be heard and that cannot be ignored . Have heard of John Pavlovitz but appreciate learning he has a blog. His tweets are often retweeted on a Twitter account I read.
That twisted cretin will not be on my TV, computer, or any other media/information source. I will probably be on Roku; Netflix or Acorn . So much appreciation for and hope with the demonstrations speaking loudly and clearly for all to hear. .Your posts mean a great deal to many of us , Dianne
I love and agree with everything you said.
What about those ignorant dolts who think that Obamacare is different than the Affordable Care Act? And are now shocked that they voted for a man who might dismantle it – “I meant Obamacare, not the ACA!” I have no sympathy, no patience with that crap. Ignorance is not bliss.