Manifesto for Resisting Tyranny

Watched Soundtrack to a Coup d’etat on the flight to Atlanta and was reminded that we have a long legacy of outrageous injustice hidden under the flag of “freedom.” This is an odd film, mixing jazz musicians with Khrushchev’s visit to the U.S. in 1960 and the C.I.A.-sponsored/ Eisenhower-endorsed assassination of the freely elected Patrice Lumumba, who was joining the movement to free the whole of Africa from the horrors of colonialism. Shameful, shameful, as so much of our history is. In truth, just about any country’s history, but few crow so much about our great “democracy” while committing atrocities. 

 

Am I apprehensive about returning home to our own emerging freely chosen coup d-etat? Yes, I am. So I’m steeling myself to resist without being brought down by the effort so I might continue to sow jazz, joy and the sweetness of life in the midst of the turmoil. I found something I wrote in 2017 that well-expresses the two-sides of that coin, in fact the same conversation noted in the E.B. White quote in the “About Me” blurb on the right hand side. For what it’s worth, here it is:

 

Manifesto for Resisting Tyranny

 

1.    Wake up.

2.    Wake up to what’s happening.

3.    Arise.

4.    Rise up and speak out.

5.    Drink orange juice.

6.    Don’t drink the Kool Aid.

7.    Write in your journal “Here is my comment.”

8.    Write to your Senator. “Here is my comment.”

9.    Call your family.

10. Call your Senator.

11. Go for a walk.

12. Go for a walk—with thousands of protestors.

13. Exercise your body.

14. Exercise your right to free speech.

15. Stretch your body.

16. Stretch your thinking.

17. Work for money.

18. Work for justice.

19. Feed your children.

20. Feed truth to your children.

21. Talk to your friends.

22. Talk to everybody.

23. Sing. Dance. Laugh.

24. Sing. Dance. Laugh. Grieve. Feel outrage. Sing again.

25. Rest.

26. Never rest.

27. Sleep and dream.

28. Stay alert and dream the new world.

 

Repeat as needed.