How do we cope with these times

      I am 75 years old and I live in Vermont, which is a very progressive and forward-thinking state of mostly open-minded people and a lot of cows and sheep. We have Bernie Sanders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s.

      We have the most effective Businesses for Social Responsibility organization in the nation. Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery. We make the best maple syrup in the world. Bill McKibben, the famous environmentalist, teaches at Middlebury College, and the band Phish got its start here.

      We hold town halls every March and democratically make decisions about our towns and our state. We are deeply independent and rebellious, and it was our very own Ethan Allen who kicked off the Revolutionary War by attacking Ft. Ticonderoga and winning it from the British.

      So, what does all this have to do with my ability to cope while living in a country that is rearing its very ugly head toward white nationalism and fascism? Vermont has made me optimistic.

      Vermont helps remind me that Richard Nixon won his second term by capturing all but one state—yet, one year and nine months later, he resigned in shame. Change, I keep reminding myself, is the most constant thing in the universe.

      I remind myself that America has always been a racist and misogynistic country, but in the past, we have shamed racists into silence. And we can do it again.

      Mr. Big Mouth and Super Racist Dude came into power wearing a red baseball hat inscribed with the letters “MAGA,” which sounds like something you would cough up during a respiratory illness. His hate-filled agenda is out in the wide open and displayed on prime-time TV every day. We can see the fox is in the hen house, and we can see our democracy being throttled.

      But if you can see something clearly you can fight against it and we are fighting. We are the majority being ruled by the minority and that gives us a tremendous advantage.

      I truly believe the American electorate is slowly turning away from Trumpism, and even some of his staunchest voters are witnessing a self-professed king all bloated and incoherent. Trump voters are realizing their king has no clothes nor does he have any ideas that benefit their well-being, and in fact he is hurting their livelihoods. They are waking up.

      It is particularly refreshing to see more and more young people stepping up and digging into this moment. What a relief, because my generation is just a few years from checking out and we are tired.

      But we are still here, all of us revolutionary hippies—those who were members of SDS and raged against an unlawful war, or dropped LSD and partied at Woodstock. We, too, are rising up, making signs, speaking out, marching, protesting, giving away our savings to our candidates. We are still rallying, and our voices can be as strong as ever.

      So that is how I am coping. I am optimistic that America will do the right thing and defeat the MAGA movement and get back on track. I am hopeful we will hand the leadership of our country to a younger generation, so they can determine their own future, and I know they will chart a better course for humanity, the planet and their children’s children than we did.  

So, lift up your heads and your hearts – stay engaged – be informed – embrace your awareness, steady your inner strength, and give it all you got!! I know we can do this – together. and love always wins out over hate!