A few days ago on Substack, I Noted that I will devote the remaining time leading to Election Day to writing for American Samizdat. All going well, with a Kamala Harris victory in the election over Trump (who warrants, long past, only the one-word, last name identifier historically common to tyrants) — that is to say, a victory of liberal democracy over the forces of corrupt, authoritarian decline —
Jay, I read this necessarily challenging post minutes after David Roberts' latest, on the importance of living one's life and savoring its pleasures, whatever happens on November 5. Your essay and his read well in tandem. I'm already asking how resistance will look for me, a dual citizen living in Canada. If the Terrible Thing happens, there will be a barrage of terrible consequences. It will be tough to look away, and some Americans could face moral choices that entail grave personal risk. To mention Hitler and the U.S. election in the same breath will seem alarmist or even to delusional to some. But I have to ask: Do you know this novel, based on the real case of a German couple who resisted Hitler and paid with their lives? I recommend it highly. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/may/23/hans-fallada-thriller-surprise-hit
Rona, I waited until I had the chance to read David before I replied. He and I agree about lots of things, and we've been very much in sync about the election and Trump, but we part ways over his statement today. I'll speak only for and about myself. Though direct personal effect doesn't factor into my views about how to respond to a Trump victory, Trump has already had an effect on me: the great love of country I enjoyed all my life, in full knowledge of the country's defects, became greatly diminished 8 years ago. A victory in in November will destroy it completely. My life will change in a number of ways -- I will change it in a number of ways. I will need to, and I will feel compelled to.
I don't think your comparisons are alarmist at all. I've been making them myself for 9 years, and every warning I've ever issued about Trump that he has had the opportunity to fulfill he has. I'm no great seer. Many others have seen the same and warned about it. Look at the way he is talking now. There isn't the slightest reason to believe he has any bottom of limit. He hasn't. He's only faced lack of unimpeded opportunity. He won't after another victory. Among the surprises of the past decade has been the reminder again of the capacity of people to deny what's in front of their faces. In 1933, even Hitler wasn't "Hitler."
Yes, there will be risk to people. With time as Trump would flower into his full evil, more people will feel compelled to take them.
I wasn't familiar with the novel, but following your link reminded me that I only relatively recently learned a very little of the real-life case. I'll read more about both now. People in the U.S. and other "safe" places can't imagine that their lives might ever come to such extremity of courage, or not, and life and death. They live as if America received some kind of special dispensation from the God of history. It didn't.
“I think I’m a fairly swell guy, but would you believe there are people, based on things I’ve written, ideas I’ve espoused, decisions I made as a “boss,” (grades I’ve given) who have had some not very nice things to say about me? They’ve even called me a kike.”
Yes I would believe it—and it’s their issue not yours. The world is a violent place as we all know. And yes unfortunately there will be those that react violently to the outcome of the election either way.
I, like you, am not a fighter but have fought back several times in my life. I was “othered” often as a child due to my first name Dee. Think “boy named Sue” song written by Sheldon Silverstein.
We each in own turn handle the urge to resist—whatever the force may be. I’ve always loved Steven Pressfield’s writing about the Resistance as an embodied “thing” that writers and creatives gave constantly. But of course your essay is about a slightly different form of resistance—one to another—than within ourselves.
Dee, at "Yes I would believe it, " I thought maybe . . . :)
Thanks for the kind words.
I remember the song well -- Johnny Cash. I can imagine what you may have gone through. Kids and names, "nick" and other.
About resistance and the election and violence, certainly violence from anyone in response to the election outcome would be very wrong, and violence could come from any direction, from isolated individuals or groups.
But only one of the two candidates has promoted a culture of violence in his campaigning, going back to 2016 and increasingly this year, has employed a virulent vocabulary of violence, stoking anger and resentment toward potential victims of it, has founded his campaign on promoting the idea that the U.S. government and its elections are illegitimate -- the kinds of claims that many people think legitimize violence --- and has promised to pursue policies that anticipate and enthusiastically invoke the violence they might entail.
Jay, I read this necessarily challenging post minutes after David Roberts' latest, on the importance of living one's life and savoring its pleasures, whatever happens on November 5. Your essay and his read well in tandem. I'm already asking how resistance will look for me, a dual citizen living in Canada. If the Terrible Thing happens, there will be a barrage of terrible consequences. It will be tough to look away, and some Americans could face moral choices that entail grave personal risk. To mention Hitler and the U.S. election in the same breath will seem alarmist or even to delusional to some. But I have to ask: Do you know this novel, based on the real case of a German couple who resisted Hitler and paid with their lives? I recommend it highly. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/may/23/hans-fallada-thriller-surprise-hit
Rona, I waited until I had the chance to read David before I replied. He and I agree about lots of things, and we've been very much in sync about the election and Trump, but we part ways over his statement today. I'll speak only for and about myself. Though direct personal effect doesn't factor into my views about how to respond to a Trump victory, Trump has already had an effect on me: the great love of country I enjoyed all my life, in full knowledge of the country's defects, became greatly diminished 8 years ago. A victory in in November will destroy it completely. My life will change in a number of ways -- I will change it in a number of ways. I will need to, and I will feel compelled to.
I don't think your comparisons are alarmist at all. I've been making them myself for 9 years, and every warning I've ever issued about Trump that he has had the opportunity to fulfill he has. I'm no great seer. Many others have seen the same and warned about it. Look at the way he is talking now. There isn't the slightest reason to believe he has any bottom of limit. He hasn't. He's only faced lack of unimpeded opportunity. He won't after another victory. Among the surprises of the past decade has been the reminder again of the capacity of people to deny what's in front of their faces. In 1933, even Hitler wasn't "Hitler."
Yes, there will be risk to people. With time as Trump would flower into his full evil, more people will feel compelled to take them.
I wasn't familiar with the novel, but following your link reminded me that I only relatively recently learned a very little of the real-life case. I'll read more about both now. People in the U.S. and other "safe" places can't imagine that their lives might ever come to such extremity of courage, or not, and life and death. They live as if America received some kind of special dispensation from the God of history. It didn't.
Well said, Jay. And of course history will be rewritten if Trump gets in.
“I think I’m a fairly swell guy, but would you believe there are people, based on things I’ve written, ideas I’ve espoused, decisions I made as a “boss,” (grades I’ve given) who have had some not very nice things to say about me? They’ve even called me a kike.”
Yes I would believe it—and it’s their issue not yours. The world is a violent place as we all know. And yes unfortunately there will be those that react violently to the outcome of the election either way.
I, like you, am not a fighter but have fought back several times in my life. I was “othered” often as a child due to my first name Dee. Think “boy named Sue” song written by Sheldon Silverstein.
We each in own turn handle the urge to resist—whatever the force may be. I’ve always loved Steven Pressfield’s writing about the Resistance as an embodied “thing” that writers and creatives gave constantly. But of course your essay is about a slightly different form of resistance—one to another—than within ourselves.
Nice essay Jay. 🙏
Dee, at "Yes I would believe it, " I thought maybe . . . :)
Thanks for the kind words.
I remember the song well -- Johnny Cash. I can imagine what you may have gone through. Kids and names, "nick" and other.
About resistance and the election and violence, certainly violence from anyone in response to the election outcome would be very wrong, and violence could come from any direction, from isolated individuals or groups.
But only one of the two candidates has promoted a culture of violence in his campaigning, going back to 2016 and increasingly this year, has employed a virulent vocabulary of violence, stoking anger and resentment toward potential victims of it, has founded his campaign on promoting the idea that the U.S. government and its elections are illegitimate -- the kinds of claims that many people think legitimize violence --- and has promised to pursue policies that anticipate and enthusiastically invoke the violence they might entail.
And all that can provoke violence in return.