I am an avid reader. I used to have several overflowing bookshelves, necessitating a sifting and winnowing process every couple years to preserve shelf space for my favorite authors and titles. However, in recent years my literary consumption is done electronically– and my shelves have been largely re-purposed.
But, sometimes there is a book that is so damn good, I NEED a hard copy so that I can read it more thoughtfully, dog-ear certain pages, and jot my own notes in the margins.
Lindy West’s The Witches are Coming is such a book. She describes how we were so very close to electing the first woman president to succeed our first black president; but then we experienced the horrible last-minute plot-twist that shoved an incompetent racist con-man into the white house.
The title comes from Trump’s habit of whining ‘Witch Hunt’ whenever there is a credible accusation against him–whether it be for sexual assault or for treason. Lindy goes on to say ‘Trump framing himself as a witch actually makes some sense.. every iota of his success is a con, a dark magic trick, built on illusion and hypnosis and the impenetrable magical thinking of his followers. Even the repetition in those tweets –Witch Hunt, Witch Hunt, Witch hunt is an incantation calling itself into being.’ This is ironic, since witch hunts were historically used to punish the powerless, most of whom were women.
Lindy accepts this challenge, telling us “So fine, if you insist. This is a witch hunt. We’re witches, and we’re hunting you. ”
The book posits that Trump is not a former reality star, he is a current reality star. His entire presidency is a performance crafted to increase ratings and please his fan base, without regard to objective truth or consideration to the potential impacts of his actions. As Lindy tells us: “the script informs reality, versus reality informing the script”.
Although Mr. “Grab em by the Pussy’ regularly has temper tantrums in public, an angry woman is generally mocked and ridiculed. But, being calm, well prepared and stoic hasn’t been a particularly effective strategy either – just ask Hillary Clinton and Christine Blasey Ford. So why not get angry? As Lindy tells us ‘Men suppress our anger for a reason. Let’s prove them right’.
This election year, we need witches (good and bad) in our midst to speak the unvarnished truth, to share our stories, to get angry, and to press for accountability. If you are not sure if you are up for the witch hunt– Make some space on your bookshelf and buy “The Witches are Coming”, you’ll be glad you did.