Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 19, 2026 /

“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by the myth of time; and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” ~ MLK Jr.

Ted and I attended our weekly protest on Saturday, and our Mayor was there, talking about when he was in college, how he (Jewish) and his friends wondered how they would have acted if they had been alive in Nazi Germany. He said, ‘How you would have acted, is how you are acting now.’

I feel like this is the danger we are in today. Not just the ICE agents and Trumpers trying to destroy our country, but also those who stay home and do/say nothing. We can all do something. We can all make a phone call, send an email, write a letter or postcard, attend a protest, donate to a cause. We can all do something. Something. The time is now.

28 Comments

  • Lisa’s Yarns

    January 19, 2026 at 5:48 am Reply

    I feel quite depressed about the state of the world because a large swath of the population doesn’t think what is happening is problematic! We can’t even agree that there is a problem so how can things change? It’s so awful here in Minneapolis. If you are a person of Latino or Somalian heritage, you have to carry a passport to prove you are a citizen. It is madness!!

  • nance

    January 19, 2026 at 6:46 am Reply

    Absolutely true. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of Evil is for good men to do nothing.”

    The New York Times today carries this article, about a derisive term for white women that is spreading among the right-wing, MAGA constituency. I’ve provided the link as a gift article from my NYT subscription, so no paywall.

    It’s important to know that you don’t have to write or call just your own congresspeople. You can call and write any/all of them. I often do, since their votes impact me one way or another.

    • J

      January 19, 2026 at 8:08 am Reply

      Wow on that article. A whole new level of depressing, right?

      That’s a good point about calling and writing other congresspeople. And my congressman got up at last week’s protest and said it is important to write to the politiicans you agree with as well, to let them know how you feel and what is important to you. I need more stamps. I guess I don’t need stamps to send emails.

  • PocoBrat

    January 19, 2026 at 7:42 am Reply

    Thank you, thank you, thank you, J, for all you do. <3

    You haven't wavered in over a year… I know you probably want something more fun or relaxing for your weekends, but you're always there. It's inspiring.

    • J

      January 19, 2026 at 8:09 am Reply

      Thanks Maya. I will admit that I haven’t gone EVERY Saturday. If it’s too hot and there won’t be shade, I don’t go. And I took some days off over the holidays. It feels good to be back at it full time though.

    • J

      January 19, 2026 at 12:41 pm Reply

      I’m fortunate that there is a dedicated group of people that protest nearby every Saturday. So I can take an occasional weekend off if I want to, and still feel like I’m doing my part most of the time.

  • Nicole MacPherson

    January 19, 2026 at 12:53 pm Reply

    ” ‘How you would have acted, is how you are acting now.’”
    I truly wonder how people who voted for the current president feel right now. Do they feel like “YES, this is what we wanted” or are they wondering how things went so wrong? I really and truly wonder. Are there large parts of the population who just think this is all okay? I mean, I could probably look this up. But I don’t want to. I spiral into despair whenever I read news from your country, especially commentary about my country. Anyway. It’s really, really terrifying.

    • J

      January 19, 2026 at 7:07 pm Reply

      I can’t talk about it with people who voted for him, because if they are my friends, these friendships are long and deep, and I don’t want to look into the dark recesses of their heart and know the answers. I am deeply flawed in this way, but it’s how I am coping.

      My understanding, based on stories I have seen in the newspaper, is that there are people who are horrified, and people who are thrilled. Mostly I worry about people who are worried and scared but doing nothing. If everyone who was worried and scared did something, I think we’d be in a different (better) situation.

  • Meike

    January 19, 2026 at 9:24 pm Reply

    I have been feeling sick to my stomach for the last year. I hope talking with my younger colleagues who don’t seem to be too worried will help, too, to some extend.

  • San

    January 19, 2026 at 9:26 pm Reply

    I applaud you for your activism. I know I could do more. I am not out there every weekend, but I have attended some of the bigger rallies. I actually ran downtown today because there was supposed to be a protest, but it was only 25 people or so in front of the Federal Building. I am still glad I showed up.
    I need to find other ways to engage. I donate and I write emails, but it doesn’t feel like enough.

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