Tomorrow is my birthday

[choie]

and I am feeling despondent. We have lost our country, or what our country was supposed to be, and I can't see how we're going to get it back. I don't think I'm going to live to see a return to democracy, decency and the rule of law. There will be no accountability for the crimes that are being committed in front of our eyes. Sorry for being so gloomy, but that's where I am.

[Permanut]

1. Hear ya loud and clear..

This clearly is not on your top ten birthday memories.

But we will get through this. Another DUer and I, both over 30 years sober, haved planned to hoist a scotch on the rocks to to toast the end of this nightmare.

Hang in there, better days are coming.

[choie]

14. Thanks Permanut,

I will try! And congratulations on over 30 years of sobriety!!

[Deuxcents]

2. Happy Birthday 🥳 Give yourself the best gift ever and don't let anyone or anything take away your joy

This is your special day because there is no one else in this world like you. Celebrate YOU! 🌺

[choie]

15. Oh thanks Deuxcents!

Trying to find joy!

[a kennedy]

3. Happy Birthday, and just remember the "No Kings" rallies!!!!!! They moved this country's spirit......they moved

something in us. The MAGA’s are turning on him…….we’ll get through this. Am watching “The American Revolution” on PBS. WE WILL WIN!!!! Don’t lose hope. We will survive.

[choie]

16. Thanks! and you're right a Kennedy..

those No Kings rallies were amazing and inspiring that so many people are with us! I'm saving "The American Revolution" for Thankgiving weekend. I'm so looking forward to it!

[Solly Mack]

4. Celebrate yourself and your family and friends.

Then back to the fight and keep fighting.

Happy Birthday.

[choie]

17. Thanks Solly Mack!

Excelsior!

[Unhappycamper78]

5. Birthday Buddies!

My birthday is tomorrow as well. Wishing you a wonderful day filled with comfort.

[choie]

18. Happy birthday to you Unhappycamper!

Wishing you a wonderful day as well!

[Dear_Prudence]

6. The news is gloomy

I get that sinking feeling often these days. I recommend the DU Music Appreciation Forum. It is like taking a break with friends. I do hope you have a happy birthday, choie!

[choie]

19. that's a great idea Dear_Prudence.

Music is a great way to buoy one up! Thank you!

[H2O Man]

7. Happy birthday!

We will get the country back. We will institute progressive advances. I promise you that. I would not say this if I did not know, beyond a doubt, that we will.

[choie]

20. Thanks H20 Man!

You sound very hopeful, I'll try to foster that feeling!

[ShazamIam]

8. I understand your despair, please don't give up. We survived the Civil War and we will survive this. nt I do think the

ten or so months will be challenging and I equally believe we will then enter a new progressive era. This era began with Reagan's election to the presidency in 1980 election, 1981 presidency. I firmly believe our democratic (small d) leaning government will continue we might even lean more democratic after this harsh test.

[choie]

21. Thanks Shazzalam, I hope you're right,

but we're in a much worse situation than we were during Reagan's presidency. We didn't have the poison of social media infiltrating our body politic. And at least Reagan and subsequent presidents believed in our institutions. Now our institutions are being destroyed.

I definitely won't give up, but it's hard not to despair at times.

[calimary]

9. I recommending a protest group for Friday!

Ours is every Friday afternoon (unless it’s raining). At a big intersection where there’s a sprawling Fred Meyer store and a large parking lot.

No, it won’t immediately change or improve whatever you’re protesting against. BUT: the camaraderie among your fellow protesters and activists there will be like a tonic for what ails ya! You’ll feel energized and inspired by others there, many of whom have started making it a “regular weekly thing”! At ours, I’m regularly impressed and even tickled by the clever protest signs and sloganeering, AND the upbeat mood everybody’s in!

It’s a tonic to feed the soul. I’ve seen the same folks week after week, and everybody just gets kind of a “contact high” from the others who’ve joined in. Even those of us who are technically still strangers to each other! We still nod to each other in appreciative recognition. We’re ALL “cousins under the protest signs”! Sometimes there are a few folks who turn out in wheelchairs (often with an assistant), and they, too, tend to be in a great mood.

Consider joining one of these impromptu events at one of your local corners. We changed the time of ours as the afternoons started fading earlier, so they’re now scheduled for Fridays at 3:30-4:30pm. I’ve observed budding friendships, sympathetic vibes, and good moods from one end of it to the other, AND spread across the street to at least two other opposite corners. Sometimes somebody shows up with his or her dog. Sometimes there’s a lady on hand who has a few boxes of ready-made protest signs to share or sell. It’s just nice all around. A genuine “upper”! And it’ll make you feel secure in the realization that You Are NOT Alone!!!

And, btw, the appreciation from motorists is impossible to ignore. You’re acting for them, and they not only notice but also honk and wave and give thumbs-up signals as they pass by.

It’s just a damn fine way to spend an hour “out among ‘em”! It’ll put roses in your cheeks! HIGHLY recommended.

[choie]

22. Thanks, think that's a spendid idea Calimary!

I'll do a search to see if there are any protests in the offing in the next few days. I was also thinking of volunteering for thanksgiving meal delivery. Perhaps that will make me feel better!

[calimary]

31. Wonderful idea! Thanksgiving meal delivery!

And yes, if you can find a local protest, join in! It’ll make you feel like you’re “doing something”. And you’ll be adding strength and numbers to that protest and making it bigger.

The bigger it gets, the better the message delivery it has. And the more likely you are to encourage others who are just as galled about what that S.O.B. is doing but don’t know what they can do about it. They might be motivated to join you!

And Happy Birthday to you, too!!!

[usonian]

10. Control what you can control (namely you), support and influence people that you can.

That's how we won our rights and how we will win them back.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219813493
Disheartened? These people never gave up when faced with enormous obstacles.

And read every recent post in Activist Headquarters!

[choie]

23. Thanks Usonian!

Very good advice!

[HeartsCanHope]

11. Happy Birthday, Choie!

I've been feeling that way, too--that there's no accountability for all these malicious, unspeakable crimes. I'm trying hard to have faith, though, that better times are coming. I look at all the wins we had with the special elections, the No Kings Protests, the Epstein Survivors coming forward, the Epstein Files to be released, etc., and I have hope that we can keep the momentum going. People are beyond angry with Trump and the repugnant party. All of Trump's shenanigans are meant to make us give up, and I refuse to let that absolute PIG of a man win! His health is precarious, his hold on the party is slipping as fast as his mind is going AWOL, and more people are FINALLY waking up to his absolute evil. Hang in there, choie! I'll be thinking of you on your birthday, and wishing for the best day ever!

[choie]

24. Thanks so much HeartsCanHope!

You're right - I have to keep the protests and the recent elections in mind. And in NYC, where I live, we'll have our first Demoratic Socialist, which is mindboggling! Hopefully that bodes well.

[summer_in_TX]

12. A happy birthday to you, choie.

The despondency is natural, but like H20 Man I know we will emerge from this period and good things are coming.

Millions of Americans are unafraid and standing up all over the country. And former supporters are abandoning Trump in droves. His polls are in steep decline on issue after issue.

[choie]

25. Thanks so much, summer_in_TX!

I'll not to let it consumer me.

[SheltieLover]

13. Happy Birthday!

Keep the faith while you celebrate.

[choie]

26. Thanks so much SheltieLover!

I'll try hard to keep the faith!

[underpants]

27. ❤️ Happy Birthday 🎈

[justhanginon]

28. Happy Birthday to you Choie! While I agree with you please do not despair. This evil too will pass.

I do hope democracy will return to our country and hopefully be stronger than ever having seen the horrific damage caused by a dictatorial regime. I'm hoping it happens sooner rather than later as I am 89 and do not want to spend eternity in a bad mood caused by a corrupt two bit real estate hustler from New York.

[quaint]

29. Wishing you bliss for your birthday

...and no politics.

[malaise]

30. Happy Birthday

😀