In November I found myself traveling immediately after the election as the reality of a second Trump presidency sunk in and demoralization was ubiquitous on the left. I purposefully avoided as much media coverage as I could as I wallowed in sullenness and dejection. At age 73 after over a half century of progressive activism, was a MAGA future the best we could hope for? Would my generation fail to leave the world a little bit better than we found it under a fascist regime?
I rallied to post on November 24th that we must mobilize the progressive nation to defend the considerable cultural and political spaces that we still dominate and steel ourselves to fight the war of position for “intellectual and moral leadership in civil society” and blue state governments.
A couple of days after that I attended gathering for post-election “healing” at a nearby Indigenous Nation. It brought together Indigenous folks and a multiracial group of environmental justice activists: about 50 people all together. An Indigenous woman led us in a restorative talking circle in the morning. As is the tradition everyone who had something to say was allowed to speak. Fears of intimidation, loss of access to public goods and services, and even threats of violence were shared. Some tears were shed. But voices of defiance and resolve to fight back against Trumpism were also prominent.
After a wonderful lunch we spent most of the afternoon discussing Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for ramming Trumpism down the throat of the whole country. In breakout sessions we unpacked key features of 2025 such as dismantling action to address the climate crisis and undermining of public health services, but community organizing strategies to counter MAGA were also discussed.
I was heartened by the fighting spirit and the feeling of beloved community present that day. I left the gathering heartened, at my advanced age, to rejoin the battle for America’s soul.
As Trump took office, I once again found myself traveling, this time in Mexico for much needed R & R. I was determined to wait until my return home to follow Trumps shock and awe flurry of executive orders. The new woman president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, had already derided Trump for declaring that the Gulf of Mexico should be renamed the Gulf of America. As I arrived home Trump had sent military aircraft loaded with deportees to Mexico and Colombia. Both countries initially refused to allow the planes to land, but Colombia then agreed to send their own civilian aircraft to retrieve their nationals after Trump threatened massive tariffs against it. Thus far Mexico has not waivered. As the US’s second largest trading partner it may be a harder nut to track. But Trump is again displaying classic tactics of a populist-in-power by leading with bullying in the hopes that adversaries will bend to his will without negotiations.
We shall continue to watch Trumpism on the global stage, but closer to home our peeps are pushing back!
First of all, big kudos to Episcopalian Bishop of Washington D.C. Marianne Edgar Budde who cautioned Trump recognize that he is sowing fear among immigrant, BIPOC and LBGTQ+ folks as he and VP Vance sat in the front pew at the National Cathedral. Christians must ask themselves if Trump is walking in the path of Jesus with his mean-spirited policies.[1]
Many corporations had begun to rollback post- George Floyd DEI initiatives following the Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action policies in June of 2023. Since the election a number of companies have followed suit including Target, Amazon, Walmart, Meta, McDonald’s, Ford, Lowe’s, John Deere, Tractor Supply, Brown Forman/Jack Daniel’s.
But some major companies have continued their DEI strategies. These include Apple, Costco, Ben & Jerry’s, E.l.f. Beauty and JP Morgan. In response to pressures from the Iowa attorney general to end DEI programs Costco replied its “commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary.”[2]
A friend of mine who has a friend who works for a software company told me that they plan to take DEI language out of their policy statements and continue to do things the same way, because it’s good for their business and it’s the right thing to do.
The Department of Defense announced plans to remove videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs from its basic training curriculum last week. That prompted Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, the home of Tuskegee, to reply thusly.
As the Pentagon under @PeteHegseth’s leadership restores its focus to lethality, there is no greater historical example of a highly skilled, valiant fighting force than the Tuskegee Airmen ... These
role models will continue to inspire the next generation of courageous, selfless American service
members.[3]
Incoming Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth replied “Amen! We’re all over it Senator. This will not stand.”[4] In the rush to create as much chaos as possible Trump’s people are bouncing recklessly of walls in ways even some conservatives oppose.
We can hope for more confusion within the Trump administration and mounting resistance from civil society. We are reminded of the famous words of the Nazi era Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller who ended up in prison himself.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a
socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because
I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to
speak for me.[5]
We must not look up after a period of time and find ourselves in Niemöller’s position. Let us resist Trumpism and MAGA madness from Day On1!
[1]Tiffany Stanley,“What to know about Mariann Budde, the bishop who upset Trump with her inaugural sermon,” AP. https://apnews.com/article/trump-inaugural-prayer-service-episcopal-bishop-mariann-budde-60d409d1ba9b69ad1065065b9218c558
[2] Jeff Green and Saljel Kishan, “GOP officials urge COSTCO to end DEI policies,” Seattle Times, January 29, 2025, p.A11.
[3] Seth Robson, “Lessons about Tuskegee Airmen, female flyers quickly return to Air Force basic training. Stars and Stripes. https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2025-01-27/air-force-tuskegee-wasps-dei-16613449.html
[4] Ibid.
[5] “Martin Niemöller: "First they came for..." Holocuast Encyclopedia, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists
