Yesterday, I was talking with a friend who, like many people who think of themselves as progressive and humane, was utterly devastated when apparent misogynist and racist Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. Though I did not share her deep disappointment (I prefer Trump as decidedly the lesser of two evils), I did move into resonance with her reflections now. Vickie says that the election disturbed her so profoundly that she has decided to devote the remainder of her life to some kind of good work that will help lessen suffering. Not that she hasn’t done lots of beautiful actions in her long life already in support of the oppressed, but this time she knows that though the larger situation is out of her control, what she CAN do is focus on something near at hand that WILL make a difference. 

When she said that I responded, excitedly, “Yes, and I bet there are lots of other people who have decided the same thing. That they are now transforming their extreme emotional anti-Trump reaction into a force for helping to make this world a better place for everyone.”

Me? I continue to focus here, at home, helping to vision, ground and evolve the Green Acres Village and Urban Farm inside the Green Acres neighborhood, Bloomington, Indiana. 

Do read this entire article, stating the differences between protests and campaigns. One is fiery, passionate, of the moment; we join in protest to feel our camaraderie with others and to make ourselves feel better concerning a perceived injustice. The other is sustained, clear-eyed, and resilient — focused on a goal, determined to overcome resistance, no matter how long it takes. Obviously, only a non-violent campaign can go the distance, since violence itself, sooner or later, both begets more violence and ultimately self-destructs.

Standing Rock and the Return of the Non-Violent Campaign