The Artists’ Job (Merlye Streep)

​The Artists Job – Meryl Streep – is to remind people of their humanity. That is why the arts have always been referred to AS the humanities. 

The Fascists job is to remind people how to get rid of their humanity. 

The President Elect is a petulant manchild who has exposed this country’s greatest weaknesses. It’s racism, it’s homophobia, it’s sexism, it’s myopic world.

Essentially, he’s a mirror held up to the American public to show it’s mediocrity. 

And it isn’t pretty. 

It’s petty. 

It’s slow, and slothful, and stinginess. 

Why do you think the klan backs him? why do you think the skinheads back him? 

Hell, the evangelicals? 

Sure –  his supporters are loud as fuck. 

But they’ve always been loud. 

Because their certainty is threatened by anything other than those who look, act, and live outside of what they’ve deemed as ‘acceptable.’

These people will target artists – because, well – we make easy targets. We don’t live in direct relationships to certainty. 

We are not addicted to the opiate of absolutism. 

We question the world around us. 

We are constantly in the world’s ear asking, “Are you sure?” 

We are doubt. 

We are their conscience. 

Their hesitation.

And when they tell someone to shut up and act, or shut up and sing, or shut up and write – they’re telling their conscience to shut up and stop reminding them of their shared humanity. 

No one ever runs into an abortion clinic shouting, “IM NOT SURE!!!”

No one flies a plane into a building shouting, “COULD BE WRONG!”

No one ever murders someone saying, “Things are kinda fuzzy but just in case….”

No, those who do – do so knowing with 100 percent clarity that what they’re doing is right. 

Those that that purports to have the greatest of faith usually have the least and the bravest person in the world is the one who stands in uncertain times and stands in truth. 

Even if it’s detrimental to them.
I’ve refused – in part- to accept this since the election. I’ve advocated for – and still do – calm. But the notion that my life and others lives are in a heightened state of danger given that this election went the way it has – makes me afraid. 
And I HATE being afraid. 
Meryl Streep was right, a democracy is only as strong as its media. We’re only as strong as those we send in to question the establishment. The writers, the journalists, are the ones who advocate for transparency. 
Donald Trump may have the most powerful position in the country – but he is still a servant of the people. And he WILL bow to the WILL of the people – all of the people- or he WILL be replaced. 
I will NEVER bow my knee to fear. 
I will NEVER allow anyone else to either. 
And I will NOT allow Donald Trump to assume that he’s free of the watchful eye of the fourth estate just because he thinks he ought to be. 
He’s in for a shock. 
Thomas Jefferson’s final line in The Declaration of Independence was thus: “… we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
A written DOCUMENT that has survived the ages. 
Our grandparents showed us fascism can be defeated. Our forebears showed us tyranny can be shrugged off. And as long as mankind has walked the face of the earth, the pen has always been mightier than the sword. 
Authors, artists, actors, singers, we have a sacred obligation not just to America, not only to each other, but to humanity. We’re the ones who’ve been left stewards of it. 
As Patrick Stewart once declared, “The line is drawn, here. No further.” 
It’s time we explain that. 
 https://www.cpj.org/
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