It will be up to us and the people

Submitted by a "Do Something" Indivisible SouthCoast NE member

Yesterday was the winter solstice – the day the sun is above the horizon for the least amount of time. It is the darkest day.

It is a good time to meditate, appreciate the quiet of night and the blessings you have, reflect inwardly, and to be with those you are closest with.

It also marks the day after which every day has more light (until the summer solstice).

Although these are dark times, I am confident that things will improve. However, unlike with the sun (or a pendulum as some like to talk about), the improvements we hope for will not happen unless we make them happen. No improvement for any large group of people in this country, from African Americans, women, children, or, generally, the working class, happened without a large number of people working very hard and with many difficulties and sacrifices over many years. Improvements were made through force...not generally by convincing those in power to be kind.

And by force, I do not mean violence – but by building enough power to threaten the power of those who were well off politically and economically.

Now, after 45 years of neoliberalism transferring wealth from the bottom and middle class to the very wealthy – as whole agencies are dismantled, as the USA is isolating itself through dissolution of its substantial soft power and obvious corruption, and as power is being removed from the government and the law – that is, now that power in and of the government is being weakened, there is opportunity for the people to make real change.

These things take time and things will get worse before they get better.

But changes will be made. I believe we can and will make positive changes that were considered impossible – or are considered impossible right now. Universal health care, mandated parental time off, getting big money out of politics, etc.

But it will be up to us and the people we can get on board to make those things happen.

Keep your heads up, take rest when you need to, be with each other and lean on each other - we are all interdependent, keep resisting, and remember this may take a long time – but will be worth it in the end.

Happy (celestial) New Year!

Looking forward to a year of making changes!