Fellow liberals, I have a petty complaint. At protests, I see a plethora of signs with cute and clever jokes and slogans poking fun at President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. I understand the need for humor to keep our spirits up. I understand how humor can be a thorn in the side of these men who take themselves so seriously. But if I can’t tell what you stand for and why you’re out on the sidewalk, then someone less politically engaged certainly can’t.
We must not become ourselves a part of the cult of Trump (just on the hater side) — because President Trelon doesn’t matter. The forces they embody are ongoing. Over-privatization, corporate welfare with meager returns and attacks on civil liberties have been enacted to variable extent under other presidents. They have accelerated under Trump and the tech oligarchs.
What actually matters is checks and balances; voting rights; due process; access to justice; money’s influence in elections; retirement security; balance of power; a livable planet; freedom of expression; national security; transparency; livable wages; and public oversight of health care, roads, airspace, prisons and schools.
Can we please make that clearer in our most public messaging?
Holly Hess, Edmonds
