Protests continued over the weekend around the US and the world following Donald Trump’s electoral college win. This is a scary time in America and it’s also a time to speak up for the things that we hold most dear – for love, for unity, for respect and appreciation of all races, creeds and orientations. It’s thought that Trump’s win will help motivate countless people to organize and make our voices heard at a time when it seems like people of color, immigrants and women are being treated like second class citizens. I know I’m seeing more activism among my friends, I’ve joined local groups on Facebook and am planning to go to Washington for the Million Women’s March (which is inclusive of all people and genders) on January 21. We’re also seeing more celebrities joining the protest movements, including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Moore, Questlove and Josh Hutcherson. People has a nice article with a compilation of some of their social media posts.
On Saturday, Michael Moore and a film crew made an unannounced visit to Trump Tower — where protesters have been stationed since Tuesday night — in New York City and demanded a meeting with the president-elect.
“I just thought I’d see if I could get into Trump Tower and ride the famous escalator,” Moore said, according to the New York Daily News, which clarified that Moore was only able to get to the fourth floor before he was stopped by Secret Service.
Moore then left a note with the Trump Tower doorman, which said, “Mr. Trump. I’m here. I want to talk to you.”
Mark Ruffalo took to Instagram on Thursday to share a video among the crowd of protesters in New York City.
“Love Trumps Hate love fest NYC Thousands in the Street,” the actor captioned the video, in which protesters are seen yelling, “F–k your wall.”
Former Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam shared a series of videos from his time protesting in New York.
“I love America! I LOVE New York!!!” he wrote in one post.
Questlove also joined protesters in New York, captioning his clip, “Taking It To The Streets. Trump March Protests In Manhattan.”
In the video, protesters can be heard saying, “Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Donald Trump has got to go!”
Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson shared his experience protesting in Los Angeles on Thursday night. In one video, protesters screamed, “What do you we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”
From 2000 when the Supreme Court handed the presidency to Bush Jr. up until the birth of my son in 2004 I was an activist. I went to DC multiple times to protest the Iraq war, I protested often in NYC and I worked with groups in Connecticut where I lived. Some celebrities attended our rallies, which helped us get press, and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Michael Moore, JoAnne Woodward, Howard Zinn (RIP) and Pete Seeger (RIP) in person. I live in the country now but I’m going to be an activist again and I’m not going to be silent. What matters is that we’re there for each other and that we make our voices heard. The racists and assholes have been emboldened and we need to be louder, smarter and more organized. We already are.
UNITED WE STAND DEVIDED WE FALL!#peacefulprotest #notmypresident pic.twitter.com/AtgAEQcep6
— Josh Hutcherson (@jhutch1992) November 10, 2016
It’s the Women’s March on Washington now. I’m from Chicago, and I’m going.
I am also registered to go. However, anyone that didn’t vote this election should stay home.
I am entirely pissed off that 75% of eligible voters did not vote or register to vote.
Those people should not bother to show up now. Protesting but not voting is useless. If you don’t vote you don’t count.
I am really pissed at Kaepernick. He need not take a knee ever again.
” If you don’t vote you don’t count.”
You participate in democracy by simply being a member of society, not by voting. When you reduce democracy to such a procedural institution, you allow tyranny to enter. Non voters are still citizens. You can’t take away their right to protest.
I would’ve voted if I could. But I don’t see how being exclutionary now will do any good. You’re already divided enough as it is.
@Josefina
I don’t understand the statement I would have voted if I could. I could be incorrect to guess that you are not a US eligible voter.
Regardless, the definition of democracy includes the following verbiage “A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.”
So if you are not participating in elections by voting you are not part of the democratic process. Therefore you don’t count.
Er, sorry to be pedantic DeniseMich, but where’d you hear it was 75%? I just looked it up, and 57% of eligible Americans voted. It’s only 43% who didn’t vote. (Which is not good, but it’s not 75% either.)
@lucrezia,
56 percent of registered voters voted. only 47 percent of eligible voters are registered to vote.
I don’t think you get to decide when and where people enter this process. Everyone’s on a different timeline. If maybe someone was alseep at the wheel during the election but is now fully awake, you don’t get to punish them for it. If someone’s aha moment happened 10 seconds ago, fine. Welcome.
I’m sure this will offend, but tbh you sound horribly arrogant. The movement is not about exclusivity. That’s a right wing sentiment.
Oh, I see what you’ve done. But that’s not what they mean. The % eligible voters is of the entire population who can vote (are adult, non-felons), not of the number that are registered to vote.
You can see that I’m right if you look at some rough figures.
Population US: 318 million
120 million votes counted so far.
(Note that there are still some to count, perhaps 13 million).
Just divide 120 by 318. That’s already 37% of the entire population, including children and felons. So you can’t possibly have had 75% not voting, let alone 75% of the eligible population.
The proper figure is that 57% of eligible voters voted.
US population: 318 million.
Eligible voters (adult non felons): 231.5 million
Registered voters: 200 million (this is higher than you think it is, but I found several articles saying it’d passed the 200 million mark)
133 million (approx) votes in total.
133 votes /231.5 adult non-felons = 57% of eligible voters voted.
I’m signed up and already asked for the Friday off to drive up! Thank you again to everyone one on this site for getting me through this hell of a time.
@radley, really it sounds excluding to ask for you to be part of your country’s’ democratic process. it sounds excluding for me ask those who didn’t vote to stop misrepresenting a cause. what the hell are non voters protesting? You didn’t vote and this is what happens. Are non voters protesting the consequence of their inaction? It is ridiculous.
All the people who were eligible and chose not to vote need to shut up. What are you complaining about,? You left the rest of us to pull it together for you. And there weren’t enough of us to do it … Now we are crying every damn day because a Cheeto is the president-elect. Yes, I am still upset that Hillary is not the President!
Oh and Lucretia that is fine.
Voter apathy is a problem, but voter confidence is the real issue. Lots of good people just couldn’t sort through all the hyperbole and hearsay to make an informed choice. Fear of making a mistake paralyzed so many. The majority wanted another choice on either side, but knew that third parties stood no chance. It was a lose-lose scenario for them, so they evaded accountability by staying home. They just didn’t feel capable to the task.
For the record, I voted for Hillary because he was the best candidate and to pay tribute to those who secured my right to vote. That said, I spent most of the election tuned out by choice. I read enough headlines to confirm Trump is vile, but avoided election chatter. Debating politics on social media does little to persuade; it just pushes people deeper into their political corners and turns off those in the middle who matter most on election day.
@DeniseMich
Bottom line, they have every right to protest and liberals should be the last people trying to step each other’s 1st amendment privilege on the grounds of not having enough cred. That’s absurd.
The protests are important in that they remind everyone that most of those that chose to vote didn’t vote for that hateful hobgoblin. It reminds everyone that very real freedoms are currently at risk. This is serious and we can’t afford to buy into the Trump hype or get complacent. God bless all the peaceful protesters.
@Radley,
But if you didn’t vote you are not someone they need to be reminded of nor does the 1st amendment apply. What grievance does a nonvoter have to gather about in this case?
Finally, if you are not part of the process you are not part of the solution. Liberals that vote are called Democrats or Independents. I don’t know if ideology matters if you don’t do anything about it but show up a day late and a dollar short.
FYI, there are about 3 amendments ensuring that people are allowed to vote. I wish that was mentioned by you.
@summertime, I agree that voter apathy is a problem but in most states pamphlets are mailed that explain the candidates or issues. Also, the League of women voters does a great job of keeping communities informed about local and national candidates. If you are a woman and/or a person of color, someone fought and died for your right to vote. Staying home should not be an option.
#I’mwithDeniseMich. Can’t be bothered to do your bit to vote, then don’t complain about the outcome. You didn’t participate when you had the responsibility to do so, you don’t have the authority to protest now. Agree with Denise, again: what are you protesting? That not enough OTHER people got up and off their arses to do your work for you??! Shirk your responsibility, but don’t protest voting outcomes in action (almost said “democracy” there for a second). Anyhow, feel free to sit out the protests now.
From Canada I will be with you in heart. Bravo, This guy can not be put in. So bad for your Country. Blessed Be
If HRC had one and this was going on ….
Elections have consequences.
When President Obama won election in 2008 it literally exploded the brains of tea party and white supremacists. They took to the streets and held marches and protests all over America, President Obama was demonized, vilified and so much hate &a anger was directed at him. “Not My President” was shouted loud and clear. And those people had nothing to fear from Obama. He wasn’t preaching hateful racists, sexists, xenophobic, homophobic messages at them. Unlike our current future President.
So every citizen who believes in decency and human rights needs to raise their voices continuously and become as active as possible to ensure we are one nation under god, with liberty and justice for ALL.
Knowing that Trump as a CANDIDATE was all of those things, these protests should have been happening with exactly this intensity BEFORE the election. Organizing en masse against a common threat should have been foremost on the agenda in the days PRIOR to the threat assuming the most powerful position on the planet.
People nowadays (on both sides of the aisle) wait until the metaphorical invitations are sent, places are set, guests are seated, and dinner is served to complain about the menu. It’s REACTIVE. That’s an obviously oversimplified comparison. But how about being PROACTIVE for a change, with as much vigor and fire and conviction? Control the outcome rather than scrabble to regain your footing or stuck with an undesirable outcome? My martial arts instructor beats it into me that the least amount of energy is expended being PROACTIVE. And I remain in control of the situation and nearly always dictate its outcome. When I am REACTIVE I’m a step behind, responding to my opponents’ choices and relinquishing control to them because now they decide the pace and strategy. I feel like these protests smack of the REACTIVE, unfortunately. And so much energy and resources will be consumed in battles in the coming years that were completely unnecessary had these same people taken an equally vocal, visible, and vigorous PROACTIVE stand over literally just the last 3-4 weeks.
I agree in principle about being proactive rather than reactive, I think we were all deluded into thinking HRC would win and not the orange guy. As the shock wears off and reality sinks in, people are becoming “woke” and are now taking action. We can’t wait to see what happens and allow any of this to be normalized.
We’ve been hearing a lot of, conservatives didn’t protest after Obama was elected. This is all over my FB. Well, yeah they did and its called the tea party. They did it later rather than immediately. They held tons of rallies and stormed town halls. Sure they weren’t in the streets like Portland Oregon but they did protest, just more “organized” and focused.
Obama’s win in 2008 did blow people’s circuits — including the democrats. Easy to forget now, but back in 2008, the party was convinced — convinced! — Hillary had the nomination in the bag. And Obama was the insurgent!
Back then it was young people and small donors who backed him. I suspect that’s why, when hillary ran again, this time the party took no chances and did everything it could to stop sanders.
Where you from? “One”?
Ruddy, I agree with you 100 percent. I think it’s a big reason why I feel so truly shaken to my core. It’s like we gave away the keys of our house to a monster. I feel helpless right now. I know this will pass, and I will get my footing. But it’s so depressing right now.
I can’t make it to DC, but I will be marching in LA. I implore all of us that are scared for ourselves, friends or family members to march. Local marches to support DC are popping up all over the country. We cannot be complacent.
When the Iraq war started I was out in the streets of Philly, peacefully protesting. I was attending activism meetings and generally doing my part as a young citizen.
Now I have a toddler and a baby on the way. I hate to admit it but I’m afraid to take to the streets now. I have my tiny little lives relying on me. Does this make me weak? Does this make me apathetic? I don’t know what to do, besides donate to the ACLU, speak up whenever I can, and look for safer ways to help.
I feel the same way, you’re not alone. I also fear for everyone that is joining Facebook groups or other protests organized on public social media–just as with NO DAPL, law enforcement will use those same organizing tools to identify and persecute those participating.
I had a Donny of an husband who destroyed me in the courts for years. Every negative trait of his was projected onto me. I had to work really hard to get my kids back from this narcissist- he literally has a cult following a la Donald. These types can be charismatic and loaded with self confidence. My point is the battle can be won with perseverance and 24/7 strength. I can’t go to any protests because my narcissistic x simply disappeared one day and I have sole custody of children. Wish I could March/protest but really can’t put their only parent at risk. We’ve got this- the truth is on our side. A bit of understanding for the displaced coal workers-they need to stand with us for new jobs in green energy !!!
@Patricia, no not at all! You are doing what’s best for your family, and that is not weak or apathetic IMO.
You can only do what you can. Donate, stay informed, write to your representatives, etc.
Power to the People: it sounds like you are already doing the most important thing any of us can do, which is raising the next generation in a way that will (hopefully) ensure this never happens again in our country.
I’m pregnant too. I’m very aware of my surroundings and try to avoid any place or situation in daily life where I’m alone and could be vulnerable if there were people with bad intentions around. No way in hell would I put myself in a situation as tumultuous as a protest or rally. I think you’re doing the right thing.
As I read this I have my one month old son snoozing on my shoulder. I too was much more active, and I too am struggling with my new role. I feel almost more responsibility to get out there because of my child, but I’m also scared. I have devoted my life and career to helping disenfranchised populations at a non-profit, and part of me feels like I’m taking the easy, weak way out by channeling my energy back into my work instead of the streets. I’m so conflicted, and I feel like I’m melting into the problem demographic of letting my privilege take the wheel. Would I try harder if I were a POC? An LGBTQ+ individual? Is it enough that I spend 50+ hours a week working on advocating for the homeless, the recently released from incarceration, the HIV+, the substance users, the mentally ill, etc? Is it enough to try and inspire change from within the system? I’m very outspoken about my beliefs and try to educate wherever I can, but I’m also quite surrounded by like minded people at work and in my personal life. I need to do more, I WANT to do more, but trying to reconcile that with my new role as a mother has left me deeply uncomfortable.
I had a baby last Monday and am in the boat with you lot; I wish I could be involved-involved, but I will be limited for a time to behind the scenes stuff.
And rearing up three young boys to respectful, well-educated liberal adulthood.
just want to give everyone a shout-out from The Netherlands. We are thinking of you! We wish you strength!! Also, I think this was a wake-up call for us too. We have elections coming up in march and lucky us, we have our own far-right asshole with bad hair threatening to win! So this was a wake-up call to be more aware and to get up from behind our facebooks and actually put some good into the world.
Dank je Lenn <3
Thank you Lenn. Hearing support from around the world is helping me right now.
He will always be #notmypresident.
+ 1
I don’t know…but I dont think he will be as bad as people think. afterall, he was democrat for years.
What is going to be accomplished with all this protesting and picketing? N-o-t-h-i-n-g. This is who the American people WHO VOTED decided they wanted to be their next President. It’s too late to be a sore loser now. Try and look at something positive at least. He’s not against gay marriage and that’s something at least. He isn’t taking a salary and no big vacations for him unlike Obama. He seems to be backing down on a lot of the things he said that made people so angry. Since you can’t do anything about it now, why not just wait and see what he does instead of condemning him so early in the game. If you want to fume and fret for the next four years, driving up your stress levels, good for you.
@Sabrine, no big vacations? And why are you singling out Obama? He took fewer and shorter vacations than his predecessor. As for Trump, he is trying to find ways to stay in NY. That’s vacation
@Sabrine, wait and see? Maybe you should visit the other thread about Trump appointing a white supremacist, anti-Semite, and anarchist as his chief adviser. Steve Bannon has been compared to Goebbels! And Trump is still saying he is going to try to ban Muslims from entering the U.S., force Muslims to wear identification, deport thousands of undocumented immigrants, and do everything he can to get rid of Roe v. Wade. Anyone who is paying attention can already “see” what he is going to do. If we wait, it will be too late. It is already probably too late, but acquiescing to Trump and normalizing him will only hasten the demise of this country.
@julp when did trump said he would force muslims to wear identification? I just recall the one about banning muslims to enter USA.
I’m trying to be open mind about trump’s presidency, at least he’s not prone to war like bush43.
@julp when did trump said he would force muslims to wear identification? I just recall the one about banning muslims to enter USA.
I’m trying to be open mind about trump’s presidency, at least he’s not prone to war like bush43.
I hear you, and I would take solace in his past as a democrat, but he’s already choosing his new team and it’s about as radical red as one can get. Whatever blue bone he had in his body is looooonnnggggg gone.
Big vacations?
I think you’re confusing him with W. Go compare how many vacation days Obama took to W.
We’ll wait.
I think sociopaths tend to make bad heads of state.
I’m not American and I don’t live in the US, but I am still SO appaled that half of America voted for this man! I know people didn’t like Hillary, for a number of reasons, but to really think that this excuse of a person would be better? The whole world is shocked! I have honestly said that this is the beginning of WW3, and I’m not the only one to think that.
Yesterday I saw on the news that he is planning to deport 2 million people who have criminal charges against them and if this is true, he will cause nothing but caos, because some of them don’t really have anything to lose now, do they?
This is just such a mess!
Hillary had more than 2+ millions of votes than Trump. The Electoral College is the problem.
It was actually 200,00+…
#notmypresident
When final tally is made it’s expected HRC will have 2.2 million votes more than trump.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-elections/us-election-hillary-clinton-more-votes-popular-vote-any-candidate-barack-obama-donald-trump-a7413596.html
The Electoral College is there because they want the vote to not represent just the 10+ most populated cities, but all regions, USA is big and you have to find a way to represent the less populated states.
When they were racing the presidency, both party agree with the rules of the Electoral College. You can’t change the rules AFTER because you didn’t won.
You think short game, what if the Electoral College is gone and the next election the republicans have the most votes, you will want the Electoral College back?
This is not how democracy work. You can change the rules, but it has to be BEFORE an election, to be fair and democratic.
To play long game, the truth is that BOTH democrats and republicans have interest to keep the Electoral College, because it favor a two parties fight, winner take all.
Something like 45% of people did NOT vote. So it’s not that half of America voted for him, its that almost half of America is so apathetic they didn’t bother to vote at all.
Or maybe they didn’t want to vote for either of them. If i was american I wouldn’t have voted for neither Clinton OR Trump.
paolanqar, there were other choices. In my state, the libertarian candidate was on the ballot for president, and there was a write-in option where they could have voted for Green Party, Evan Mcmullen, or whoever else they wanted. Additionally, there were dozens of down-ballot races for local, state, and senator. A person who does not turn out to vote is not voting for any of those races, either. It’s hard to see how that is not apathetic.
not sure how voting for McMullen, Stein or what’s-an-Aleppo-Johnson is a salve? Unless one is happy about/can deal with the current choice of Prez, that is. If that’s the case, well, what’s the fuss about?
Imagine how appalled WE are!
Protests will not do anything. Trump was voted through a democratic system and elections have consequences. The most productive thing to do now is to be united and do not cause even more fragmentation. Trump will eventually do what he has to do so let’s wait and see?
Unite behind what, exactly? A misogynistic, xenophobic, racist tyrant?
No thanks.
The world needs to know most Americans did not want this and the electoral college is f*cked.
#NOTMYPRESIDENT
Only a white person can say that. He is a fascist stop normalizing him.
Agreed. You don’t “wait and see”. That’s what Germany did with Hitler.
white or not, Paolanqar’s not an American, ergo, don’t bait the troll.
Protests are necessary and must continue unabated in order to undermine & de-legitimize GOP efforts to claim a “mandate” in implementing destructive changes to our government. To paraphrase Mitch McConnell, “we must do everything in our power to ensure Trump is a one term President.”
I will not sit back and “see what happens.” You don’t need a crystal ball to see what Trump & his henchman have in store for America. Is anyone actually reading and paying attention to the policy statements coming from Ryan, McConnell and Trumps mouths? If I see my damn house is about to catch on fire, do I sit idly by and wait for the flames before I call the fire department? Hell no.
We have to serve notice that the majority of Americans voted AGAINST Trumps vision and hold him accountable.
#NEVERMYPRESIDENT
So you put a proud racist and admitted sexual predator on the power and you just want to wait and see what he does? Minorities and women should wait for their rights to be taken to start doing something? Hate crimes have already seen a meteoric rise. Trump’s supporters clearly don’t care about unity, so why should their opposers?
Protest away guys. Let you’re voice be heard. By sitting in your couch and checking the news you’re only giving him a free pass to do as he pleases.
Hate crimes were already happening Before Trump was declared president elect. Not to mention all the shootings of police officers and the shootings in Orlando, and Burbank. The levels of hate and racism were definitely elevated by the Obamas plain and simple.
Dahlia. Dahlia. Police shootings were occurring because the police were going around killing innocent people. You don’t get to ignore the cause of the problem and only highlight the reaction. The level of hate was not because of the Obamas – the level of hate was because white policemen have the power to shoot innocent black people. Stop twisting it.
What kind of democratic system allows a man who lost the popular vote to take office? We aren’t living in a democracy right now.
I agree. But then you should protest to change that system because Trump will not step down after he has ‘democratically’ won, not even if the whole world protests against him. I think he represents all the bad things in this world but I do not see how protests will change anything at this moment in time.
You do notice that by “waiting and seeing” you’re literally doing nothing to stop him, do you?
The US is a republic–or representative democracy–, actually. Not a direct democracy. Thus why HRC did not win after receiving majority popular vote. As I understand, she would have won had the US been a direct democracy. But it’s a republic/representative democracy, and the voters are represented by the electoral college which will be casting votes for Trump on the voters’ behalf.
What @RudyZooKepper said – the US uses a democratic process to vote in a republic system.
Most countries don’t have a simple direct vote on their head of state. There’s only a few that do: France, Ireland maybe a handful more?
People are not naive enough to think that protesting is actually going to change the results of the election. Come on now.
This IS their way of uniting. This is their way of standing in solidarity with those who will be affected by this, saying, “We will not forget you.” This is their way of sending a message to the Trump administration– “We WILL not be silenced, we WILL not be forgotten, and we WILL be watching you very closely every second that you’re in office.”
If this is the purpose of the protest, then I agree with it.
Let me clear. I’ve had to listen to 8 years of hateful rhetoric about our current president, him being called out of his name and people OPENLY rooting for him to fail . I didn’t hear anyone at that time saying we need to get behind Obama and help him succeed.
As in not protesting, I’m not sure how old you are but my father participated in the civil rights movement risking his life so I could have a better future. Tell that to the women who fought for a women’s right to vote or the women’s right movement in the 70s. Tell this to the people in the transgender community I spoke to who are genuinely in fear for their safety. Tell that to the people who are self employed who fear they will have to close their business because they cannot afford health insurance if the ACA is repealed.
This attitude is disturbing. If Trump said, for all intents and purposes, that I hate you and your family and I’m going to ruin you, how long you gonna “wait and see”???? Or maybe under those circumstances you’d understand the importance of taking action now and unceasingly into the future.
How difficult is this to understand?
I agree that protests will do nothing. Especially when the protesters resort to violence and vandalism. Freedom of speech is not carte blanche for destruction. The other day I was stuck on the freeway when a group of protesters decided they’d walk into four lanes of traffic and stop all the vehicles. That’s not a peaceful protest; that’s disrupting someone else’s life that didn’t ask to get caught up in the lunacy. I fully expect riots and looting to follow, because that seems to be the inevitable outcome whenever large groups of people gather.
The “wait and see” period didn’t last very long. Trump has been President-elect less than a week and already he’s declared his intention to have a white supremacist as a senior advisor, a global-warming denier is leading up the search commitee for a new Environmental Protection Agency head, and repealing Obamacare is at the top of the agenda for the Republican Congress. Those are not the actions of a group that seems willing to build bridges, or mend fences, or any other lame analogy that gets trotted out.
He and his supporters need to be reminded EVERY DAY that they have no mandate to act upon their most extreme plans. When every vote has been counted, Hillary Clinton will have received 2 million MORE votes than Trump. Only Barack Obama has gotten more votes in a presidential election.
If I were American I wouldn’t “unite” behind anything to do with T-Rump. He’s not in this to work cooperatively with anyone other than his coterie of rich, white ass-kissers. The Republicans have been targeting minorities and getting them removed from voter lists for the past 3 years – how in the name of God is that “democratic”? T-Rump and his ilk do not work together. Period. I really fear for your country and the global outcome of this monster’s addled dictatorship.
Can we also add ‘we’re not going to let you destroy the earth’ to the fight for social justice? The destruction of our climate is only going to multiply the competition for resources and increase political and economic instability. I feel this is of paramount importance but gets far too little attention. I believe all of these issues are of equal importance. We must resist and fight. Game on, haters and destroyers.
I agree. His anti-science views are potentially much more dangerous to people all over the world than his other shortcomings.
This year is going to be the hottest on record. Surpassing the previous hottest. Which was last year. But Trump said it’s all a Chinese hoax. Very scary. Miami will be one of the first places threatened as sea levels rise, so Florida voters were particularly wrongheaded to vote for this guy.
For anyone still saying give him a chance:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107214_trump-names-proud-climate-science-denier-to-head-epa-transition-team
This is why, when people say “I don’t care who celebrities vote for”, it just makes me shake my head.
We need them, you need them. They have influence and power and money and it’s not so easy to shut them up. They travel globally and can bring the world into what is really happening, and going to be happening, in a way the average person cannot.
Thank you. True artists – not TV “celebs” – are often aware first of the state of the marginalized and oppressed and sensitive to threats and they are entitled as citizens to speak out in any way they see fit.
I was upset in the Bush years when even a liberal friend thought Linda Ronstadt should just “shut up and sing” (this is when she could).
I agree. I have no problem with celebrities letting their opinions be known. I don’t even have to agree. They’re citizens just like anyone else. They have every right to speak up if they choose to do so. And yes, many of them have a large platform to raise awareness.
I just can’t agree, see the Colin Kapernick article, it’s so hard to take 90% of these celebrities seriously when you wonder sometimes what their real motive is…the dude didn’t even vote for God’s sake!
I think out of all the hatred he gets, the one from Hollywood stars hurts the most. Don’t know why but this has always been my impression. I bet he would have liked to be the president of HW more than the president of the USA.
I said to my husband the other night I wonder what happens when the first popular person refuses to come to the White House for a ceremonial visit. Like…if Lebron James is invited after winning a championship and says “no way”. I just think that would kill someone like Trump.
I was thinking the same thing. State dinners are usually sprinkled with stardust, and it’s always been bad form to decline an invitation to the White House, even if you didn’t vote for the person in office. Now I wonder what will happen when the invitations for the first social occasion go out – will anyone break with protocol and decline?
Yup!
It reminds me of how devastated Chris Christie always is that his hero Bruce Springsteen can’t stand him.
I think there are a lot of people who will decline…if I was a public figure I wouldn’t want a single thing to do with this administration.
I think Trump is going to be too busy running the country to give two sh*ts about whether a celebrity refuses to come to the White House or not.
I don’t really think he’ll care. He doesn’t strike me as someone who needs to feed off being celebrity adjacent, in fact I don’t think he’d welcome sharing the spotlight. As far as he’s concerned he’s the biggest celebrity anyway.
It’s the little things that will get to him. Like the ‘small hands’ thing. People rag on him for his many business failures, his vile opinions, his stupidity etc. and that doesn’t seem to bother him, but the really small petty stuff, that he fixates on. It’s going to be the off the cuff jokes and unflattering profiles that get to him. I’d hate to be any artist that gets stuck painting his portrait.
Pete Seeger is my dad’s all-time American hero, along with Woody Guthrie. He bought Sixlet Major a copy of a book about This Land is Your Land with a tribute to Guthrie by Seeger. I’ve still got it somewhere: it was one of our favourite picture books when the Sixlets were little.
I’m going to tell my dad that I internet-know someone who met him! How exciting!
Let me look up the book on Amazon. I’d highly recommend it to any Celebitchy with little ones…
http://www.amazon.com/This-Land-Your-Woody-Guthrie/dp/0316392154
Thanks for some levity Sixer. I too think it’s really unique that CB has met so many celebrities while she was a professional protester.
I live in Sweden and we’re in shock and fear here. For the sake of the world, please do everything to keep this man out of the oval office! He’s going to destroy the world, either shortly because of Nato and nuclear bombs, or slightly longer term considering his denial of climate change.
Hearing old chestnuts like “Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Donald Trump has got to go!” and “What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!” does my bleeding heart good. Keep it going folks, now is the time – don’t wait!
Would have been nice if many of these protestors hadn’t thought Hillary had it in the bag and stayed home last week.
Yep. While I’m sure the majority of the protesters did vote, I’m sure there’s a number who didn’t or who voted third party. (I have a ton of pissed off friends who voted Jill Stein because ‘Hillary and Trump both suck’ and were protest voting and are now mad that Trump actually got elected. Hello Nader 2000) Hillary couldn’t hold the Obama coalition together–she received less black, Hispanic and youth votes than he did in 2012 and 2008. It was key. Those who could be assumed to vote for Trump, based on votes for Romney and McCain, did so–no surprises there. He didn’t receive any more or less votes basically from white men. He actually got a decent Latino vote total. Blacks didn’t vote for him more than they did for Romney (ie low) but they didn’t vote significantly less either. Trump didn’t get different votes, Hillary got less. But the activism and energy level that surrounded Bernie wasn’t there for HRC unfortunately and we’re seeing the result.
An article in the New York Times that interviewed several of the protestors said many abstained or went third party.
Thanks for that, guys.
I voted for Bernie and then I voted for Hillary. If I had known that this was a real possibility, I would have switched parties and done my part to keep him from getting the nomination. Since I’m from Georgia, I’m going to have to switch parties to make my vote count. The Electoral college is a joke!! If you are a liberal in a red state, your vote just DOESN’T COUNT. That’s not right!! Nor is it right if you are a conservative and voting in a blue state! EVERYONE’S VOTE SHOULD COUNT. I think we would have more of a turn out if we were in a true democracy.
The electoral college has got to go, or be seriously re-worked. If nothing else, it should actually be representative of everyone’s votes in the state. Like… if 45% Of the state voted democratic, 45% of the electoral votes should go to the Democratic candidate. But in that vein, we might as well just abolish it all together. Get rid of the damn thing.
I’m Canadian, so I don’t really understand the Electoral College thing, but it seems to me that even if every person in a smaller state voted for Hillary, if that state is only allotted 5 electoral college votes, all she gets is those 5. Seems like if you live in a larger state, Florida or Texas for example, your vote actually counts more…maybe I’m mistaken, but that’s what it looks like to me, not that the Canadian Electoral system is perfect either
Woodstock, you’re correct that your vote “counts more” in some states — but only if you vote for the winner!! Otherwise your vote isn’t reflected at all in the final tally, like all my friends and family in Florida who voted for Clinton. They’re Florida voters, and they get catered to throughout the election season, but in the end… the electoral tally won’t include their voices at all.
And when you compare population sizes to the numbers of electoral votes, it’s not always the *biggest* states that give voters more power. Sometimes it’s the opposite.
@Brittney – I see what you mean, the votes only count if you vote for the winner. But that’s also crazy, so if the Republicans won a state by a few thousand votes, they then get *all* the Electoral College votes, never mind the vote splits!
At the very, very least, the votes should be apportioned by counties instead of states, IMO.
Our Canadian electoral system is so far from perfect. I live out west. Everything is decided before our voting results even start coming in. Our country is divided in so many ways. I live in a rural area. People in big urban areas show such disdain for us. Think we are all dumb and non educated when in reality we feed people. Sunday morning on CNN there was a program talking about elitism and the rural vote in the US. He wrote a column about this in the New York Times. It is a good read. This is a problem in both our countries. We need to stop calling others names plain and simple.
Yep! Welcome to Monroe County, Indiana… There are 92 (!) counties in Indiana, that’s a lot!! We are one of maybe 3 or 4 that turned blue last Tuesday, it sucks. But don’t get me wrong, I love my town, Bloomington is one of the greatest towns in the world, but it’s hard to be Democrat in our state.
If there’s a silver lining to any of this, it’s that Michael Moore and Bernie Sanders will be up Trump’s ass every second that he’s in office, making his life a living hell. LOL. Gonna suck to be him.
I wish Bill Maher were on every week instead of taking months off.
I feel the same way. Maher has a devoted following. Taking two months off during this period of time is his choice, but he’s effective in rallying people. He gives people on both sides of this election a place to make their case.
Bernie Sanders is a gentleman & basically a good person. Michael Moore is a HUGE bag of sh*t. He gives me the creeps. He looks filthy & deranged.
I’m with you. It feels like a temper tantrum to me. I could understand the first night, since people felt angry and impotent to do anything, and protesting was basically what they had. But now, it’s dumb. He’s President-elect, nothing is changing that. Asking the electoral college to buck centuries of tradition to elect Clinton is a fool’s errand. There is so much important, critical work now to be done – but it’s behind the scenes. There are already people quietly building resources, infrastructure, etc. to address the coming years – but they’re not out there complaining or marching, they’re just quietly doing the grunt work. If more people did that, we might actually come through in one piece.
Yes, time to start building the underground railroads.
*pauses for Sam to get it**
It can never be enough. Speak loudly, as loud as you can, as long as you have to. History has taught us (some of us) that going gently did not work. Stop him now.
This was meant in reply to Sam the Pink. I guess the reply feature glitched.
Yes, time to start building the underground railroads.
*pauses for Sam to get it**
It can never be enough. Speak loudly, as loud as you can, as long as you have to. History has taught us (some of us) that going gently did not work. Stop him now.
@ Sam the Pink
” There are already people quietly building resources, infrastructure, etc. to address the coming years – but they’re not out there complaining or marching,”
How do you know that, exactly? I’ve seen so many people calling out protesters as “complainers” and even racist memes that show black protesters and imply they’re on government benefits. You don’t seem to be one of those people, so I urge you to reconsider your sweeping generalizations.
Dozens of my friends and family members have marched in the past week, and many of them are ALSO building resources and forming organizations and working from within the system to effect change. They’ve been doing this for years, but they’re turning up the dial and doing their best to protect everyone’s rights. They work for the ACLU, for Planned Parenthood, for free clinics; they sit on city councils and school boards; they (myself included) volunteer with immigrants and refugees and low-income families. They’re doing the work. And because they’re doing the work, they know that protests have played crucial roles in EVERY major social change in this country. Because they’re doing the work, they know how important it is to show solidarity with women and other minorities right now, to show that their supporters outnumber those who would strip their rights away.
The tea party was heavily into protests and they control Congress now.
@ Sam the Pink-White supremacists are running the white house. These are the same people who used to ride around and lynch black men because they had nothing better to do-and that was only about 70 years ago. We must get up from our houses and march. I for one am NOT willing to see one more body hanging from a tree. NOT.ONE. The time for working ‘behind the scenes’ is over.
It is never dumb to protest. The ability of people to air their grievances publicly, including on political issues, is a fundamental, invaluable aspect of democracy and people should never, ever forget this. I spent the past five years working in an authoritarian country where even a beer tasting at a local bar could be cancelled because the police don’t want people gathering. Protesting is such a valuable right, the ability to vote is an amazing privilege people literally risk their lives or jail and torture for.
I agree with you that there’s a lot of work to be done in other areas, like organizing behind the scenes, becoming more involved in local elections. But the visible, loud, possibly commuting-disruptive stuff? Yea you need that too. I can never come down on people for expressing their political will in public peacefully, which is what the majority of the protests have been.
this was in reply to Sam the Pink (don’t know what happened to the reply button!)
Andrew Cuomo posted a statement on his facebook page which I thought was pretty inspiring.
And I didn’t like Andrew because he’s so anti union. I didn’t know how good I had it.
You go C|B!! I’m an old woman now, grew up during the 60’s protests. I keep reminding myself that America survived those dark days, and we will have to do it again. I’m going to dust off my old marching shoes, oil up my artificial joints, and get out there again, too.
I live in portland oregon and we’re f*ing furious . We have had riots and protests for days. I live in a state that is thankfully blue, but it is important to me that we show the world that we’re not going to take this dictator lightly . He is my enemy and we reject him.
Shout out to Portland! I don’t currently live there, but it’s home for me.
It’s blue, but it’s only blue down the I-5 corridor. My black A** won’t go east beyond the Gorge.
I’m pissed. Still pissed. Pissed at how this went down. Pissed at the GOP precision and efforts to suppress votes to push their agenda without regard for the people on which they are pushing this agenda. Pissed that people are asked to empathize with the White working class voter when at no point in history has anyone empathized with the Black working class or the Hispanic working class. Pissed that the only reason Trump was successful is because he “tells it like it is”, which really means he talks at the level his voters understand, even though he’s not saying anything.
This, exactly this
Hey Lama!! You’re absolutely right on all counts .
Can’t remember where he got it from but my husband showed me a pic someone drew up of the “new” north America where California, Oregon and Washington were their own country. I really hope #Calexit happens and people don’t forget about it…and maybe take Oregon and Washington too. We can’t move to Canada so I’m hoping against hope CA and maybe some others just decide to secede.
I think CA, WA, and OR, as well as MA, NY, CT, RI, NJ, and MN should try to join Canada (got this idea from a Canadian poster on Jezebel who offered to acquire the Pacific Northwest). It’d probably be easier than just seceding and starting a new country, and Canada shares many of the values of the U.S. coastal liberals. (However, I seriously doubt Drumpf would allow any states to secede. That would definitely trigger another civil war and/or world war)
I have to give a shoutout to Debra Messing – she’s been doing yeoman’s work during this nightmare. Most of the links I posted the last couple of weeks came from her twitter site. She’s caught a lot of hatred for her stand also. Even her young son was savaged on her IG by vicious lowlife trolls. Check out her twitter and it’ll keep you updated on every filthy move the trumpers make.
The Electoral College is in Article II of the Constitution and was altered by the 14th (?) Amendment. It’s not going anywhere. America couldn’t even rouse itself to vote in majority numbers for the election. BUT only 2 states don’t follow a ‘winner take all’ formula and allow for a more proportional distribution. THAT is where some real change could come in. If HRC had received a proportional share in many of the swing states she’d be President-elect right now.
Reps in several atates have passed legislation to go around the electoral college system. It’s called the national popular vote interstate compact and it gives all electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote. Not enough states have passed this law for it to take effect. We need enough states to equal 270 electoral votes. Check out the website below, and if you live in a state that hasn’t yet joined the interstate compact, please pressure you state representatives to pass this legislation.
Forgot to add the website:
http://www.nationalpopularvote.com
If there’s a #notmypresident bumper sticker, I want one.
Honest question here & please, be thoughtful in your response – Do you foresee any way that the two sides can work together over the next four years? What are areas the left is willing to compromise on if they had Trump’s ear? If you could be an advisor to him, what would you ask for? I understand why you feel the need to protest but being A-type personality, I’d rather focus on the constructive and tactical ways we can go about bringing this nation together. And “#notmypresident” or “he’ll never give in so why should I?” is not an acceptable answer. He IS the president elect and maybe he will – you won’t know until you ask. So again I ask, what areas are you willing to compromise on OR is it not even possible at this stage and we’re heading towards a civil war because both sides are stubborn?
How do you compromise with a man that has promised to make life a living hell for anyone who is considered an “other” by the people that voted for him? If he really wanted to “bring the country together” his first actions as president-elect would not have been so provocative. See all of the cited examples in the various articles from today. Besides, he’ll claim victory for even the smallest of compromises the democrats dare to make with him and he’ll gain legitimacy from it.
It’s also hard to answer that question because the Trump campaign never mentioned how exactly he’s going to accomplish any of the great things he’s promised to do for America. I don’t know a single policy he’d enact that doesn’t have something to do with punishing Hillary (apparently just for breathing in and out at this point), oppressing a minority, or undoing anything and everything President Obama managed to accomplish while in office.
My children and I will be attending the Women’s March in Seattle!
Great that women are pulling together and I hope we learn from this debacle. My cynical side is already saying “fat chance” though, based on what I’ve seen so far here in NY.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/12/hillary-clinton-liberal-feminists
We need those street protesters as long as they are peaceful because they are our front line of defense so to speak. They are loud, vocal and visible. Then, we need people too who work behind the scenes. Those who will write their reps and constantly calling on them to do their jobs.
I don’t really like to call the rallies as “riots” as they are not violent. So I am still mad at my church for calling it as such.
Never my President. Never.
Trump definitely would love to divide and conquer. Have one group think they’ll prosper at the expense of another. Protests show unity. How I wish there was protest near me.
Protests aren’t important??? Ummmm….can anyone say “Vietnam War”?
For those of us who are too old to march any more, or have small children at home, or are pregnant, or for whatever reason cannot physically participate in a protest – we still have the power of the internet right in front of us. We can write emails to our Senators and our State Representatives. (And don’t let any article that says hand-written letters are better ever stop you from sending an email. Back when there was the anthrax scare, they didn’t want handwritten letters any more, all they wanted was emails!)
We can work towards changing our individual state law regarding how electoral votes are cast in future elections. We can work towards our own individual states having in-place laws regarding a woman’s right to choice, just in case Roe vs. Wade would get overtuned.
Do NOT think that email letters are of no value, Even if never read individually, they are most definitely categorized and counted by the office receiving them! And there is a big difference between a legislator receiving 10 emails about something vs. that same legislator receiving a thousand emails about something.
Our country has survived its share of bad presidents. President Richard Nixon’s criminal perversion of the Justice Dept., the FBI and the IRS (to name just a few of the agencies he and his henchmen were using as weapons against those on their “enemies list”) lives on in the minds of many of us who are “old timers” today.
Do not even think of “going along”. I personally don’t feel I “owe” Donald Trump a damn thing. I didn’t vote for him. I surely don’t believe in what he stands for. I’m a Democrat and proud of it.
Do you know what I hope? Now he has won and, barring injury, death or his own mistakes, he is in for years, I hope he is a fantastic President.
Protesting is appropriate when someone’s rights have been violated.
Protesting because you didn’t get what you want is called ‘Crying’.