When I started this blog in 2014, I rarely opined on political matters. As a mother of a daughter in recovery from anorexia. I had some foggy notion that sharing my story might help some other mom, dad, daughter or son. While I will never know if anyone else benefited from those early posts–writing them was therapeutic for me.
I SAW the devastating affects of eating disorders to individuals and their families. I started sharing our story with others–in person and with this blog. I ‘SAID’ something. Then, I DID something. For three years I coordinated a fund-raising walk–raising a cumulative total of over $60,000 in the fight against eating disorders.
Then came November, 2016, and the focus of this blog shifted dramatically; in direct proportion to my sense of utter dismay and outrage with the election of Donald Trump (whom I refer to as “The D”)
Former Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, has been on a number of talk shows lately, promoting her new book: Facism: a Warning. While she stops short of calling The D a facist, she describes him as the most anti-democratic U.S. President in history. In her interviews Secretary Albright advises that we all should: “See something, Say something and, Do something”.
We all find our own paths to speaking and acting — this blog has become a forum for me to say something. Doing something for me has meant participating in marches, making political contributions and volunteering for candidates whose ideology I support. It is not much, but it is something. It does take some courage to take public stand; Yet, every tiny act of courage is preferable to standing on the sidelines — silently endorsing the unacceptable.
As I write this, the D’s Administration appears to be rushing towards an ignoble and messy conclusion; hastened by scandal, ego, pay-offs and sheer incompetence. Most recent scandals are described nicely in this recent Chicago Tribute Article. We are nearing a tipping point in our democracy that is likely to set a trajectory for years to come. Now is not the time to stand mutely on the sidelines: it is the time to speak up and to act.
As another wise woman, Margaret Mead, once said: Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.