Firsthand Democracy

Yesterday, I was at the WTTW studio for a kickoff broadcast and stream event for FIRSTHAND: DEMOCRACY. The event description said:

We’ll preview the documentaries, hold a panel discussion about democracy in Chicago and Illinois, and field questions from local residents. Brandis Friedman, Chicago Tonight Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Anchor, will host this live studio audience event. 

Reading this description, I was under the impression that we would see the documentary, which didn’t happen – we saw only small excerpts of it. However, some of the people featured in the documentary were present either on the panel or in the audience and shared their thoughts.

WTTW will run this initiative for the whole year, documenting how individuals and local organizations are responding proactively in their own communities. FIRSTHAND: DEMOCRACYwill present documentary films, investigative reporting, and a series of public events and conversations focused on civic participation, accountability, and the role of everyday people in democratic life.

To be honest, I feel very sad as the 250 annivesary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is approaching. I was anticipating this year, this date, for at least twenty years! I was imagining how awesome it will be to be here, and celebrate with the rest of the country. And now Trump ruined it all, and I am contemplating being out of the country on July 4.

This is probably a coward tactic, and probably the right thing to do is to be here and not let Tump ruin this day. It’s our day, not his. But I am unsure how I will feel. Yesterday’s event participants talked about the strategies one can deploy while talking with someone with opposed political views. They were giving really good advices about listening, finding out what drives this person’s views, what are their values, where they are coming from. It’s true that many people just do not have enough information, or do not have time or mental capacity to research information, or their information sources are very homogeneous, and as soon as thye are exposed to a variety of informaiton, their views might start shifting.

All is true. However, today, I wen to search for the photo which people reference as a “Rockwell Kent St-Paul photo,” and ran into the whole series of MN photos again. And started to cry again. I wll never get over it. The announcement that ICE is leaving Minnesota came out yesterday, confirmed and approved. Not just the 700 presiously announced, but basically everyone – the whole operation is shutting down. But I will never get over over it. I will never get over the fact that it had to be blood to make it happen. Death is irreversable.