Tuesday, March 11, 2025

everything's still on fire, but at least it's not so cold?

...and everything's an hour earlier because of DST, but at least I got to see this beautiful sunrise on the Maple River on my way to work?

Now it's late and I'm up prepping for my panel talk about the first 50 days of the Trump administration. 
Rather than squandering attention and energy on the administration's own use of language, which is mostly bad faith and bluster, I'm choosing to focus on how to use language to build community and solidarity in the resistance.

This is the description I sent the organizers: 

“Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down: Rhetorics of Resistance to the Trump Administration 2.0” will reframe how resistors use verbal and visual rhetoric to organize information, laughter, courage, and counter-memory to resist and counteract the administration’s barrage of bluster and dehumanization. The presentation will focus on the warrant of resistance, the emphases of satire and subversion, the support of counternarratives, and the appeals of solidarity and calls to action. We’ll look at examples from a range of modalities, including maps, flags, crochet, speeches, book displays, annotation, memes, newsletters, poetry, and so on, in order to explore how compassion, solidarity, and humanistic mutual aid are—and can be—practiced.

I better go do all the stuff I said I'd do. Wish me luck!

14 comments:

Lisa's Yarns said...

I hope the talk goes well! It sounds fascinating!! Will it be recorded? I love that you are focusing on building community. That is really what we need to get through these dark times!!

Nicole said...

Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum!!
I had a moment of "yes, it's an hour earlier but at least I got to see the moon fall" yesterday.

Gillian said...

Good Luck.

StephLove said...

Good luck!

Nance said...

Resist! We've been here before. We can do it again and rely on each other.

Life of a Doctor's Wife said...

This talk sounds excellent! I love the focus on building community and solidarity. Hope it goes well!

Jeanie said...

Your talk sounds terrific. I wish I could hear it -- will it be recorded or public? And love your sunrise. You're a brave soul, being able to shoot sideways on that bridge!

maya said...

Thank you, Lisa! (It wasn't recorded :/)

maya said...

it's a beautiful moon, isn't it? I had to look up "moon fall" what a beautiful term!

maya said...

Thanks!

maya said...

Thank you, Steph!

maya said...

It feels different from the last time around... but yes, we definitely should rely on each other! XO

maya said...

Thanks, Suz!

maya said...

It wasn't recorded but was open to the public, Jeanie. But all the way in Alma! I know I shouldn't be using my camera, but it was so pretty, and there was no traffic (and the weather and road conditions were good). I know it's still bad... my family would be mad if they knew :)

that it's only a doorway, that I'm only a door

So I go bravely before memory pet my parents so gently and secretly check  that they breathe the day begins or it does not I can no longer j...