Like many of you, Yellow Dog has had a tough week. The return of Trump to the White House is a frightening prospect, and emotions are running high. The next four years will test our resolve, our political institutions, and whether a government of the people, by the people and for the people can persist under the leadership of probably the most flawed national figure in American history.
As Southerners, we know how bad it can get. From the martyrs of Freedom Summer to the dark days of Jim Crow and the waves of terrorism at the end of Reconstruction, we have seen the worst of America’s political culture. Yet we have overcome. Our region is increasingly multicultural, economically dynamic, and in many ways as good a place to live as it has ever been. Progressive victories on civil rights, welfare state policies, and respect for minority rights have fueled this growth.
Today, we need to remember once again that we shall overcome. The conservative agenda is incoherent, with their only agreed upon aim being cutting taxes. There is little unity beyond that. Trump and company give lip service to welfare state programs to which McConnell and his ilk are ideologically opposed. Their campaign message each election is finding different ways to belittle this or that group to motivate turnout with hate. Conservative thought is little more than a series of pretexts for efforts to use raw power to enrich themselves and frustrate the democratic will.
The near future will try us all. For our part, Yellow Dog commits to never yield anything without a fight. To provide love to those targeted and speak up in support of just and humane treatment of all. To stay true to what we believe will do the most good for the most people. Please take time to consider your values. Affirm your commitments. To find power in solidarity. And together we will have the strength to do what is needed in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Yellow Dog