Pussy Hats in a Post-Fact World
Recent political events have made some of us wonder if we understand anything about how our country works and its role in the world. So many things that we thought of as accepted truths have come into question. I decided to wear a pink pussy-hat and participate in the local version of the Women’s March on Washington to take a stand in favor of reasonable, respectful treatment and civil rights for everyone and protection of the environment. Here’s what I posted on Facebook before marching:
My participation in Saturday's march has little to do with simply losing an election. It is all about the real risk we are facing of losing civil rights, losing protection of our environment, losing our status and respect in the world, loss of civil discourse, disrespect for education and science, increased economic extremes and the real threat of war, possibly for a frivolous reason. Every citizen who values our democracy and all the achievements our country has made over recent decades must step up to responsibility for countering these threats to our values. The march is one way to demonstrate our values and our determination to fight for them.
The Seattle Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2017, was the celebration of common values that I had hoped for, values that recent political events have put in jeopardy. The huge size of the participation, possibly 170,000 in Seattle and as many as 4 million people around the world, demonstrates how widespread the fear is regarding recent changes in the world. It also demonstrates the high level of determination felt by the public to speak out in favor of common values, truths that once appeared to be unquestioned by educated people. Here’s my list of obvious truths which now appear to be in jeopardy in this new post-fact political environment:
1. Education is good and should be free for all children through high school. Those who have obtained graduate degrees and professional certifications should be respected for their achievements and expertise.
2. Scientific knowledge and the scientific method of inquiry are important in day-to-day life and for progress in the future. Advancing scientific knowledge is good for society and should be publicly supported.
3. Protection of the earth and a healthy environment are essential for the well-being and survival of humans as well as for the balance of all life in the natural world.
4. The Golden Rule is expressed in a variety of ways by most major religions and most people accept the principle that we should not do to others what we wouldn’t want done to ourselves.
5. All people should have an equal opportunity to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
6. Those who are disabled or otherwise unable to care for themselves should receive assistance from the government.
7. Capitalism is an economic system which allows individuals and groups of individuals to pursue private opportunities to earn money by producing and selling goods and services. In order to function properly for the good of society, businesses must be regulated in regard to safety, environmental protection, working conditions, competition and fraud. In order for businesses to function, government must provide certain basic services for which businesses will pay their fair share.
8. Everyone in society shares the responsibility to pay for important public services and amenities such as fire and police services, streets, schools, parks and recreation, the court and criminal justice system, scientific research, water and sewer systems, and public health maintenance.
9. Culture is important to society and the well-being of its citizens. Cultural services such as libraries, museums, performance groups, and arts of all types are deserving of support by the government as activities which are valuable to all members of the public.
10. Newspapers, magazines and other forms of journalism are essential to the education of the public regarding current affairs. Reporters that work within the bounds of the law and accurate reporting should be respected as important figures in our community and essential to the success of democracy.
11. Voting is an important responsibility of citizenship and we should all work toward maximizing the number of citizens who are able to vote.
12. Our country should honor our Indian treaties and agreements reached with other countries, especially in regard to protection of the environment.
13. The world has an urgent need to decrease use of fossil fuels which contribute to global warming and our government must prioritize the fight against global warming in order that life on earth as we know it may continue for our children and grandchildren.
14. All people deserve to receive the services of medical care providers when they are ill and to receive preventative medical advice and services. It is the proper role of government to help make sure everyone has access to the medical care they need.
15. People who constantly lie and are unconcerned about the truth of their statements should not be employed in government jobs that involve service to the public. All public officials should avoid conflicts of interest and should respect common expectations regarding public disclosure and ethics in government.
16. We should all strive to communicate with neighbors, business associates and the public in a respectful manner.
This list is not complete, but my ability to create it quickly is partly a result of my experience in the Women’s March. Since so many basic truths and the concept of truth itself have been challenged by recent events, the many homemade signs in the march covered a very broad range of topics. While some people viewed the march as anti-Trump, and some signs were specific in that regard, the majority were in favor of the many positive values women see as threatened and worth fighting for. Donald Trump is now our president. While people will try to get him removed before his term ends, that may not be possible. As I said in my facebook post stated above, every citizen who values our democracy and all the achievements our country has made over recent decades must step up to responsibility for countering threats to our values. This is not a partisan issue. Our way of life and the survival of human life on earth are at stake. We must do everything we can to advocate for the values important to our democracy by educating and motivating those public decision-makers who are willing to learn and who care about the people they are elected to serve, so that they will stand up to the bullying and threats which have recently become a way of life in national politics. We need government and elected officials who will honor the Constitution, the civil rights of all people, protection of the environment, and responsible regulation of business, public officials who will work to improve society rather than repealing and discarding the accomplishments of the past.
For millions of people, wearing a pussy-hat in a public march was a reflection of our commitment to counter the hateful rhetoric and negative direction of our current government. For many it was a first step. I’m counting on it not being the last.