And at rallies in the night with all the torches burning bright
We are passing through Rhode Island, just leaving Kingston. The sky is overcast in a way that looks faintly sulfurous through the tinted windows of the quiet car; the trees flickering past the tracks are the autumn colors of construction paper. There are ghost-dusted birches and a field of cattails as dry gold as an old photograph. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
derspatchel is coding a piece of interactive fiction in the window seat and I am reading a very helpful script by ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kore for calling my congresspeople about Trump's appointment of Steve Bannon, because I am not in favor of a white nationalist strategizing for the government of the country I live in. The last thing we need is more people in power endorsed by the KKK. (The fact that we are facing any tells you how far the Overton window of reality has shifted since last week.) As of the last time I checked, Senator Ed Markey had already issued a press release and Senator Elizabeth Warren had posted a statement on Facebook and a related series of tweets. I can't see that Representative Michael E. Capuano has said anything either way, so as a resident of Somerville I'll be asking him to. The music I have stuck in my head is a setting of one of the songs from Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V for Vendetta (1989), the nightclub number about the sexiness of fascism. So if some blond and blue-eyed boy would care to teach me strength through joy—it's difficult to sing along to. But it's been in my head all morning. And when they say heil . . .
[edit] Since I made this post, Capuano has issued a statement about Bannon on Facebook. Going by his example and Warren's: I take it that public statements on social media now carry the same formal, official weight as a press release?
derspatchel is coding a piece of interactive fiction in the window seat and I am reading a very helpful script by kore for calling my congresspeople about Trump's appointment of Steve Bannon, because I am not in favor of a white nationalist strategizing for the government of the country I live in. The last thing we need is more people in power endorsed by the KKK. (The fact that we are facing any tells you how far the Overton window of reality has shifted since last week.) As of the last time I checked, Senator Ed Markey had already issued a press release and Senator Elizabeth Warren had posted a statement on Facebook and a related series of tweets. I can't see that Representative Michael E. Capuano has said anything either way, so as a resident of Somerville I'll be asking him to. The music I have stuck in my head is a setting of one of the songs from Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V for Vendetta (1989), the nightclub number about the sexiness of fascism. So if some blond and blue-eyed boy would care to teach me strength through joy—it's difficult to sing along to. But it's been in my head all morning. And when they say heil . . .[edit] Since I made this post, Capuano has issued a statement about Bannon on Facebook. Going by his example and Warren's: I take it that public statements on social media now carry the same formal, official weight as a press release?
no subject
The other thing I added was that I would ask Sen/Rep to make a public statement against Bannon's appointment, as other politicians already have done. I dunno if Trump (or Gingrich or whoever wanted this) would cave under the Sen and House telling him "FUCK NO," but I figure the more possibilities of public denunciations of Bannon, the better.
no subject
Agreed. Will do.
Thank you!
no subject
I am sorry that your country is becoming far more like V for Vendetta's fascist dystopia than any country should, and glad to see people pushing back.
no subject
You're very welcome. Would you like me to send you the tracks of the EP? There are the two songs and some very good incidental music.
I never saw the film, but I'm glad to hear that Valerie's story stayed in it; it meant a lot to me when I first read it in the early 90s (that, and Moore's Halo Jones, still one of my favourite female characters).
Valerie's story is one of the standouts of the film. It really got more impressive on rewatch.
I am sorry that your country is becoming far more like V for Vendetta's fascist dystopia than any country should, and glad to see people pushing back.
Thank you. I think it is entirely unreasonable that this is the future we seem to be heading toward. It is my hope that we can arrest it before we get to the Guy Fawkes mask stage. (Besides, we don't have Houses of Parliament or the Old Bailey and Canada will just call us copycats if we burn the White House down again.)
no subject
That would be lovely! Although your mention of Pete Seeger's Big Muddy song has sent me off on another minor musical digression (my mother likes protest singers and I spent much of my childhood listening to them, which probably resulted in my liking them in self-defense, although that never worked with her other passion, opera. I found myself singing Tom Paxton's Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation to my kids one night recently when they were refusing to sleep, because it's catchy and I know most of the words, and it worked but they are getting to the age where they will start singing the words as well, which is probably not ideal)
no subject
Great! Do you have a preferred e-mail address?
I found myself singing Tom Paxton's Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation to my kids one night recently when they were refusing to sleep, because it's catchy and I know most of the words, and it worked but they are getting to the age where they will start singing the words as well, which is probably not ideal
That's wonderful. I also grew up on protest music, although I think my introduction to Tom Paxton was his children's music like "The Marvelous Toy." (That said, I almost can't remember not knowing "I'm Changing My Name to Chrysler" and "All Clear in Harrisburg.")
no subject
no subject
WE CAN BURN THEM DOWN FOR YOU. NO PROBLEM, HAPPY TO HELP.
(Why yes, I have Feelings about our current government.)
(ETA: I mean, at the moment they win comparative points in the Not Actually Literal Fascists category, which is not insignificant, but fucking hell, this should not be a category we have to use.)
no subject
Seriously. I bet Mike Godwin feels terrible right about now.
no subject
no subject
You're welcome!
no subject
Have a great reading!
no subject
Go, you! Excellent icon.
Have a great reading!
Thank you!