A hope and a thought

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I usually post something historical and political, about the anti-racism and anti-establishmentism and anti-war and anti-capitalist and pro-labor work that King represents to me, trying to keep the grit and tension and struggle and pain present in a legacy that is often whitewashed into a peaceful, fluffy love note.

Today we find ourselves in what is clearly the most critical political moment in my lifetime, where even the cherished core of our very flawed democracy is at risk of destruction. At this moment, I find hope in Dr. King's oft-used paraphrase of the transcendentalist reformer Theodore Parker:

This is a hope, but it is only a hope. As Parker himself said of this moral arc in the original sermon: "I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience." We can only trust that Parker's, and King's, and our own consciences are correct.

That is a belief, but this is a conclusion based on observation and experience:

Unless and until that arc bends sufficiently, we have to keep making noise.

Dammit

 

So, we survived, barely, maybe. As somebody said, a failed coup is still a coup, and if a bunch of angry folks force their way into the Capitol building, causing lawmakers to flee, with the intent of subverting a legal election... well, sure smells like a coup to me.

It's tempting to write this off as another clown act from the circus of fascist wannabees, what with all their selfie-taking and podium-stealing and smoking in the building and the general milling about with the air of teenage trespassers. But some of the insurrectionists were armed and some had zipties (hostage taking?) and threats were made and bombs were found. For at least some of these yahoos, this was very real.

And it was planned in advance - social media caps show that. And it was encouraged - by a sitting president. And it was supported - by some of the very lawmakers whose constitutional procedure was interrupted and threatened by the riot.

And it is a crime.

I am hoping that federal and D.C. law enforcement investigates and prosecutes vigorously through the criminal justice system everyone who was associated with this.

I am hoping the Democratic Party will vigorously pursue all sanctions through the political system, including impeachment and refusing to seat those who supported the rioters.

I am hoping, but I am not at all confident.

Back in the day I had a friend who knew people in fascist Spain during the Franco era. She would visit them, and they would drink beer and play guitars and sing songs all while living in a surveillance state with press censorship, oppression of trade unions, decreased autonomy of local government, and the leader of the nation issuing death warrants for political opponents. I wondered what that must have been like, and try to get my head around what that mind space must have been like.

And I wonder whether and I worry that I will find out for myself, here, soon, unless there are some dramatic changes in our country.