Righting our ship of state by Sue Robin

Sixty-nine years ago, on the playground at Van Nuys Elementary, I punched Benjamin in the nose because he called my grandmother, who was born in Kiev, a commie. No clue as to how this exchange between two eight-year-olds started, but it ended with both of us in the principal’s office with at least one parent on each side. Turned out we were two of the three Jews on the campus and our grandparents were from the same area in Eastern Europe. He was admonished for being a bully and I for my one direct hit to his nose and we were both sent back to class. Only time I have ever resorted to violence.

 In the past month I have wanted to throttle several in the new administration, oddly enough over bullying, Kiev, and communists. No need to list who they are as I know I am not alone in my disdain. Instead, I am making every effort to find more effective ways of countering the ugliness, from letter writing for Vote Forward to attending online townhalls and honoring boycotts.

In 2017 when Trump’s first term began, and the Senate joined him in his demeaning efforts, I sent out one hundred mini-compasses with a note reminding the Senators to not lose sight of their moral compass. I might just do that again.

I kept my commitment to self and bought nothing on February 28 and have the same commitment to not shop on Amazon for a week, starting on March 7. The objects of the other two boycotts are not my stores.  

Having read an article about a woman who weaned herself from Amazon, I have taken a few tentative steps in that direction. The things I have loved about Amazon include the joy of getting packages, no matter that I am the one paying for them — sometimes there is even an element of surprise as I forget what it is I ordered. There is the convenience of finding almost anything in one place (my sofa!), often at lower prices, and the miraculous rapidity with which they are delivered and, of course, I do not have to drive anywhere.

All that said, I am always a little guilt-ridden when I see how many Amazon trucks are on the road and how much cardboard is piled into the blue recycling bin. Since Bezos has become one of Trump’s sycophants, it is increasingly desirable to find other sources for whatever I need. I will have to learn how to deal with limited sales staff just as I had to deal with program glitches on the computer. I will also need to be ever-watchful of each new venture, whether on-line or in person, vetting them for their connections. Thanks to Ruth for publishing the sites where that can be done.

I will relish the challenge, as I believe every little thing we do will be part of the righting of our ship of state.