As a red state democrat (Texas), although I live in the tiny blue dot of Travis County (Austin), I have to say it was gratifying to participate in the No Kings Protest in Pflugerville, which is in the more red area of Travis Co. We had a lot of us out there, many grey hairs, and many young people. We need to keep representing where we aren't the most visible people. At least we do keep putting Dems up against the Rethuglicans around us, and I hope we keep making inroads.
I am standing up, hands clasped over my heart. As I've already done the stuff on your list, I'd just like to highlight a memorable phrase you put out there: "But a noble fight has value beyond the outcome." I watched a short drama (two episodes) last night on Netflix, I think it was (my husband is Master in Charge of the Remote, so). It was about the massacre of a religious sect known as the Cathars, in Medieval France by a cadre of fanatical Catholic Crusaders, for the sin of believing the 'heretical doctrine'of reincarnation. Whatever you might think of that what stood out is the often quiet resistance and heroism of those within the castle and town under seige, who, even at the point of death, remained noble and true to who they were and their ideals. That this story has survived for hundreds and hundreds of years tells a tale like that of quantum entanglement or spooky influence at a distance from quantum physics. Everything is connected, and so everything matters. If we can't find it within ourselves to stand up for who we are and what we hold most dear, we will not only fail ourselves, but everyone who comes after us. Vive La Resistance, my sister.
Thank you for reminding us not to give up ahead of time. Everything often seems lost until it doesn't. A step matters. Our Revolutionary War looked pretty hopeless a lot of the time, so we could know a few things from that part of our history, too.
Thanks also for sharing the MIT study on LLMs. It drives me crazy how many people promote it as "only a tool" when it is clearly more than that, and marketed with anthropomorphic abilities.
I haven’t seen them not voicing dissent. However, I don’t believe they are using all their resources. It’s time to make a big deal out of Citizens United and Billionaires taking over our country.
Missourians, when they make the call, can remind our senior Senator of his stated opposition to cuts in Medicaid and Medicare and ask that he translate that position into a flat refusal to support the bills as written.
Bernie Sanders goes to Red States. A Democratic Socialist draws huge crowds in Red States. People are craving leaders from the Democratic Party. They are not getting that from DC Democrats. Here in Texas, green shoots are popping up if we look. Bernie and Beto have been fighting the good fight and things are happening.
It is absolutely correct that we must fight, even if we are up against the wall. (Well, especially then). As Beto has been saying for a long time about the long odds in Texas, we have to try because if we don't try, we'll never know whether we could have won. Not trying guarantees we lose.
I couldn't make it to the Bernie/Beto/Casar rally last weekend in Ft. Worth, but I watched the YouTube video. Take a look at Kendall Scudder, the 35 year old new Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. He has that old-time progressive religion and the fire in his belly. I recommend watching the video for his speech. He is the second speaker.
We may need to relearn a lesson from the Revolutionary War about losing battles.
We won our freedom from England at the battle of Yorktown five years after the Declaration of Independence. General Washington was criticized for not having a decisive battle sooner - our rebellious ancestors were anxious for tangible results then too.
But General Washington had to craft the eventual victory at Yorktown with careful planning and manipulation of the circumstances, specifically the southern campaign in Virginia and the Carolinas by General Greene.
General Greene kept Cornwallis busy chasing him for many months. Greene suffered tactical losses in almost every battle and skirmish with Cornwallis. In fact, Cornwallis captured every single rebel airport. <insert eye-roll here> Cornwallis had so much wining ...
But Greene’s actions were that way in part by design. By the time Cornwallis’ exhausted and depleted army was forced to retreat to Yorktown for resupply a second part of the trap appeared: a French fleet was in place and blockading Chesapeake Bay. Cornwallis was cut-off and isolated.
Only then did General Washington bring up fresh troops and overwhelm the cornered Cornwallis. But this was only possible because Washington masterfully assembled and sequenced our forces, hiding the strategic objective until it was too late.
We won the battle of Yorktown and our nation’s independence by fighting losing battle after losing battle, waiting until the time was right to act decisively. This lesson does not appear to be lost on Ukraine, may we not forget it here as well.
As a red state democrat (Texas), although I live in the tiny blue dot of Travis County (Austin), I have to say it was gratifying to participate in the No Kings Protest in Pflugerville, which is in the more red area of Travis Co. We had a lot of us out there, many grey hairs, and many young people. We need to keep representing where we aren't the most visible people. At least we do keep putting Dems up against the Rethuglicans around us, and I hope we keep making inroads.
I am standing up, hands clasped over my heart. As I've already done the stuff on your list, I'd just like to highlight a memorable phrase you put out there: "But a noble fight has value beyond the outcome." I watched a short drama (two episodes) last night on Netflix, I think it was (my husband is Master in Charge of the Remote, so). It was about the massacre of a religious sect known as the Cathars, in Medieval France by a cadre of fanatical Catholic Crusaders, for the sin of believing the 'heretical doctrine'of reincarnation. Whatever you might think of that what stood out is the often quiet resistance and heroism of those within the castle and town under seige, who, even at the point of death, remained noble and true to who they were and their ideals. That this story has survived for hundreds and hundreds of years tells a tale like that of quantum entanglement or spooky influence at a distance from quantum physics. Everything is connected, and so everything matters. If we can't find it within ourselves to stand up for who we are and what we hold most dear, we will not only fail ourselves, but everyone who comes after us. Vive La Resistance, my sister.
Thank you, Leigh! 💙💙
Thank you for reminding us not to give up ahead of time. Everything often seems lost until it doesn't. A step matters. Our Revolutionary War looked pretty hopeless a lot of the time, so we could know a few things from that part of our history, too.
Thanks also for sharing the MIT study on LLMs. It drives me crazy how many people promote it as "only a tool" when it is clearly more than that, and marketed with anthropomorphic abilities.
Oh, did I need this today! Thank you
So great to read this. Thanks for highlighting this!
I haven’t seen them not voicing dissent. However, I don’t believe they are using all their resources. It’s time to make a big deal out of Citizens United and Billionaires taking over our country.
Missourians, when they make the call, can remind our senior Senator of his stated opposition to cuts in Medicaid and Medicare and ask that he translate that position into a flat refusal to support the bills as written.
Bernie Sanders goes to Red States. A Democratic Socialist draws huge crowds in Red States. People are craving leaders from the Democratic Party. They are not getting that from DC Democrats. Here in Texas, green shoots are popping up if we look. Bernie and Beto have been fighting the good fight and things are happening.
It is absolutely correct that we must fight, even if we are up against the wall. (Well, especially then). As Beto has been saying for a long time about the long odds in Texas, we have to try because if we don't try, we'll never know whether we could have won. Not trying guarantees we lose.
I couldn't make it to the Bernie/Beto/Casar rally last weekend in Ft. Worth, but I watched the YouTube video. Take a look at Kendall Scudder, the 35 year old new Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. He has that old-time progressive religion and the fire in his belly. I recommend watching the video for his speech. He is the second speaker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfTaZFuUa3I
We may need to relearn a lesson from the Revolutionary War about losing battles.
We won our freedom from England at the battle of Yorktown five years after the Declaration of Independence. General Washington was criticized for not having a decisive battle sooner - our rebellious ancestors were anxious for tangible results then too.
But General Washington had to craft the eventual victory at Yorktown with careful planning and manipulation of the circumstances, specifically the southern campaign in Virginia and the Carolinas by General Greene.
General Greene kept Cornwallis busy chasing him for many months. Greene suffered tactical losses in almost every battle and skirmish with Cornwallis. In fact, Cornwallis captured every single rebel airport. <insert eye-roll here> Cornwallis had so much wining ...
But Greene’s actions were that way in part by design. By the time Cornwallis’ exhausted and depleted army was forced to retreat to Yorktown for resupply a second part of the trap appeared: a French fleet was in place and blockading Chesapeake Bay. Cornwallis was cut-off and isolated.
Only then did General Washington bring up fresh troops and overwhelm the cornered Cornwallis. But this was only possible because Washington masterfully assembled and sequenced our forces, hiding the strategic objective until it was too late.
We won the battle of Yorktown and our nation’s independence by fighting losing battle after losing battle, waiting until the time was right to act decisively. This lesson does not appear to be lost on Ukraine, may we not forget it here as well.
This is an excellent point, and one I had forgotten. Thank you for sharing it with me, and with all of us. 💙