The Resistance Wins the High Ground; What It Sees Below Must Be Eradicated

There always had to be real heft and a core energy brewing behind this Resistance Movement to make it a vaunted, viable fighting force. And look, it simply HAD to be successful. But it was never going to be solely enough to be reflexively anti-Trump — even if not to be, signaled a severe disorder. Yes, snapping back and to attention was what had to be done in the moment, but lining the countryside with motivated, sustained, semi-calculated brigades of Resisters, able to respond to all this madness was going to be the only way to start winning major battles again.

And if this is starting to read like wartime correspondence, I am telling you: “Welcome to the Army of the Resistance, soldier.”

As the wake of another blistering round of political primaries quietly recedes into the quaking blue wave, it is evident that the backbone of the Democratic resistance to Trump and his cheap-shot, cowardice GOP is a multi-faceted, multi-colored, multi-idea army galvanizing into a helluva clever and diverse band of do-gooders. Except these very good folks are madder than hell, and aren’t going to take it anymore. Go ahead. You go low, sonny. All of us see you from on high because you have become very easy to spot. Just makes you easier to eradicate. Why do you think cockroaches scurry from the light?

There are African-American candidates running for their state’s highest offices in Georgia, Florida and Maryland. There are a record number of Native American candidates running for myriad offices across their land — one of whom should be the first Native American ever to represent her state in Congress. Hispanic candidates? Too many to count. Transgender candidates are running and have already won offices at the State level. And women overall? We have never seen anything like this. And if you are licking your chops and saying, “It’s about damn time! Let’s roll!” Then I’m an old, white guy saying “#Metoo. Point the way.”

There is a palpable energy in the party of Obama that this time will not allow itself to be buttoned down by any patrician rules that often only serve to douse enthusiasm. There is ample room under the big, blue tent to a throw a sharp elbow or two at a colleague, just as long as you make good and damn sure to help that fat-lipped, battle-tested friend off the mat when all your skirmishing is done. “Vote blue no matter who.” That’s how this war will be won.

In the minutes following her unexpected loss to upstart Andrew Gillum in the Florida Democratic primary for governor Tuesday night, favored Gwen Graham went out with this: “Now, Andrew, go out and win this damn thing, because this is too important! The future of Florida is at stake!!!”

Damn right, Gwen. Damn right.

And how much is at stake? Gillum’s opponent waited literally one day to grab hold of Trump’s nuclear-powered dog whistle to fire up the GOP malcontents in the party of white anti-America. Apparently this vile, Trump-endorsed lowlife spends a lot of his miserable, spare time using anti-social media on Facebook to gin up hate of, among a litany of others, African Americans, children who survived shooting massacres, immigrants, and lately, John McCain …

This isn’t some made-up, awful thing. It is a very real awful thing that is right there for all of us to see through tired, dewy eyes. I fully expect things to get worse and we will witness terrible things over these next two months — things that used to be reserved for other places of moral outrage and strife across the globe. Trump and his GOP will stop at nothing to hold power by doing what they do best, holding Americans down. Their assault on truth, justice and our American way will test every bit of our resolve. They will go so low it’ll singe your combat boots.

But no worries, Americans, we’ve got the high ground. And there’s more of us showing up all the time.

We are The Resistance.