FROM DISBELIEF TO OUTRAGE – WHAT ‘S NEXT?
Connie P. Milligan
LCSW, Therapist, Transformational Coach, Trainer and Consultant
Have you been on a roller coaster of disbelief, depression and outrage, wondering what’s next? What do you do with the impossible election outcomes if you’re a progressive thinker interested in change and the greater good?
My family and friends in Europe and Africa are flabbergasted. America as a leader in the world is now questionable – we’re a leader for nothing good it appears. All our progressive, democratic policies stand to be lost to big money oligarchs and cozy relations with dictators and war lords. NATO, the UN, The Paris Climate Accord and international organizations that serve the world’s higher principals are at risk.
What’s next, what can we do? Here are some thoughts.
FIND OUTLETS FOR YOUR VOICE
An article in The New Republic by Michael Tonasky*, makes the point that right wing politics have become the loudest voice on the airwaves, responsible for inaccurate, outrageous soundbites of heretical criticism toward progressive policies. Hostile perception and judgement is coming from all directions. More the reason, your voice, ideas and concerns must be heard on every platform. Write blogs, make posts, attend meetings, talk to everyone around you. Don’t go dormant and close your eyes, hoping it’ll go away because it won’t. It’ll only get worse.
GET INVOLVED
What issues worry you the most? The list is long - cutbacks and redirection of public funding for education, conservation, clean energy, public media, the arts, women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ, deportation, voting restrictions to overt censorship. (See Project 25**) Take your pick and get involved – join groups, volunteer, send money, preserve what is important. ?
BE TRUE TO YOUR VALUES AND BELIEFS at EVERY LEVEL
One of the hardest aspects of this is the number of people I know, family and friends, who agreed to this conservative agenda. Were they driven by money, religion, the economy, or what? It wasn’t just ignorance. ?Now I want to know. I’m not playing by the old polite rules anymore. It’s time to face this avalanche of disruption, ask questions, speak up about the BS – person to person.
How is this affecting you? If you want support, reach out.