Those of us of a certain age who took a typing class may remember typing the following sentence repeatedly: “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” I was told this practice fills out a 70-space line.
I always wondered about the origin of the sentence, which seems to have been written during wartime. It sounds to me like a call to military service. The most common attribution I found is a 19th-century man named Charles E. Weller, and it originally read, “. . . to the aid of the party.”
At any rate, it does sound like a call to action of some sort, and it harkens to a time when the words “man” and “men” were often used to represent all humans. In times when one’s country faces an existential threat, as during World War II, it is incumbent upon all people to do whatever they can to contribute to the effort to preserve their homeland.
Such a time has arrived.
“All across America—and even abroad—people are showing up at rallies by the thousands demanding change. We have not seen this level of civic engagement since the Vietnam War era. And it is drawing attention.”
But the threat is not from abroad; it is from within. Our self-inflicted danger comes from an administration that has run roughshod over the guardrails of democracy and common decency. It has done irreparable harm to our standing among the world’s leading democracies. It has made a mockery of the Constitution and the other branches of government.
But it goes far beyond threatening our form of government. The threats are also targeting immigrants, minorities, women, children, LGBTQ+ folks, seniors, and more. If you’re not a white heterosexual Christian male, you could be the next target. This is not an exaggeration. They are arresting judges and deporting children who are US citizens.
It’s beyond the pale.
I could go on and on. But this story isn’t about the litany of threats to our nation imposed by the current occupant of the White House. It’s about our response to them.
Earlier this week, Erin Smith wrote about Turning Empathy into Compassion, which is also a response to the current state of affairs. Erin wrote, “Empathy is a prerequisite of compassion, creating awareness of a problem. Compassion makes us empowering agents of change.”
She is right on the money. But how can you and I be agents of change?
We can call, write, and message our elected leaders to demand action. But what if they won’t listen?
We make them listen!
All across America—and even abroad—people are showing up at rallies by the thousands demanding change. We have not seen this level of civic engagement since the Vietnam War era. And it is drawing attention.
Tomorrow, May 1, 2025, will be another day of nationwide mass rallies that the organizers call “May Day Strong.” Here in Kentucky, gatherings are planned for Lexington, Louisville, Hazard, and Covington. I will be attending the one in Lexington.
It’s not much, I know. But gathering with like-minded Americans, holding signs, chanting, and listening to speakers energizes me. As I wrote after the last rally I attended, there is power in multitudes. Peaceful gatherings such as these are a longstanding tradition in our country. Movements like this ultimately led to the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s and the end of the Vietnam War.
Despite what some powerful oligarchs would have us think, we are not powerless.
This is something we can do. It’s something we must do. Please join us.
