We marched surrounded by millions of women of every color, of every age, of every religion. Men were there with us too. We walked in every state of the union and in countries around the world in a peaceful, polite, and determined protest. We marched for social justice, we marched against rudeness and rancor, we marched to show we are fierce in our resolve to go forward ,not backward, in allowing each and every one of us to use our talents.
We were moved emotionally, though the size of the crowd made it hard to move physically. We wanted to cry--tears of joy that so many of us cared enough to march, and tears of pain and disappointment. So we marched, we energized each other out of our collective stupor engendered by the election. One sign in the Boston march summed it up: "I can't believe I am going to have to work again for women's reproductive rights, civil rights, gay rights." We've been there, done that, and we thought we were protected by laws. We forgot of the cost of democracy is constant vigilance and we haven't been vigilant enough--we, the majority who voted against Trump, are paying the price. We are fired up and ready to act.
But where to find the time?
The personal is political, so I have provided you with a list of personal actions to take as you live your very busy life! Your relationships can be really powerful tools of transformation. There are millions of us. Together we are stronger than even the president of the United States.
1. Don't Bite Your Tongue! We can no longer afford the luxury of avoiding tension by not speaking about controversial issues. Ask questions, rather than preach. For example, you might ask: "How do you think taking down the government website in Spanish will help law and order?" or, "how will it promote South American countries to buy our products?" Silence is not golden.
2. Go home, literally or virtually. If you come from a red state, or part of a community that supported Trump's vision for change, go home when you can. Attend both formal and informal local reunions, and the local fair. Talk with your former neighbors; ask them about their political views. Yes, this can be frustrating, but it can also lead to productive discussions. If you can't go home, then write letters to the local newspaper or call into the local talk shows. Talk in a language your former neighbors will hear.
3. Contact your Republican friends. Ask them if they are proud of what the President is doing. If they are not, then ask them to take action with you. They are the voices that will be heard. If your friend has expertise in a particular area, ask him or her what they think of the proposed policy or appointments.
4. Listen to the conservative talk radio as you drive around. Call in! Do not let the half-truths in the banter go unchallenged.
5. Government policies influence the work of any group you belong to. Know which ones. Suggest that members make sure the new government policies allow your group to continue its work.
6. If you are a church member, call into Christian radio. In the election, some Christian groups were divided. Some groups were horrified by Trump's sexual behavior, and his denigration of immigrants. Point out that these are not the Christian values you support. Call in and express your Christian values of love, tolerance, and compassion.
7. Look for the teachable moments. If the President uses rude or inappropriate language, take this as a moment to teach your children better ways to express themselves and their frustrations. Start a discussion with them about why you disagree with the President's ideas.
8. Support your civil servants. If you know anyone who works for the U.S government, encourage them to stand up for what they have already worked for.
9. Stay Informed. Actively listen to the news as you drive on your daily rounds. Consider listening to a different station each day to gain new understanding.
On its own, marching is great; it gives us energy, it puts us on the front page of the newspapers, and on hundreds of websites, and it gets Twitter Tweeting. However, each of us must work for change, not only in the political arena, but by using our personal relationship to transform America. Politics is personal; but only if we use the power of our friendships and family connections to bring about change.
Even if we don't have another minute in our day, we can still be activists.