A Wrinkled Radical

And other inspirations from Maggie Kuhn

One of the good things that has come from living under the Trump regime is that I’ve realized what a patriot I am, and how much I love my country, and how much I love democracy. I’m not a political writer. I write about growing old. But growing old and politics have collided in my life, and today, I can’t look away. I have to find whatever steps I can to resist the regime and fight for democracy.

Yes, I know, not watching the news would ease a lot of my anxiety. But I also know that in order for democracy to work, we must have an educated and informed citizenry. So, I read and I watch and I’m aware that the Congress and our President are behaving and functioning like an autocracy.

These are historic times, and the changes are coming so fast and furious, it’s hard to keep up with everything, let alone wrap my head around all of it.

The hardest part for me is that this administration, which should really be called a regime for accuracy’s sake, has overt qualities they’re not even trying to hide. MAGA’s embrace of cruelty, harm, and greed as their brand is painful to witness. That’s not how I see my fellow citizens, and it is unfortunately how I see too many of our “so-called” leaders.

Congress was a once noble institution where statesmen passed legislation to address the needs and concerns of everyday Americans. Republicans and Democrats worked across the aisles to balance budgets, expand health care, build roads and enact laws which would benefit the country. Then, the Republican party sold its soul for the sake of power, and the party died. What’s left is the MAGA party, a lock-step, unthinking, unfeeling cult who worship the golden calf of Donald Trump. Perpetrating violence against Americans is, for this regime, just all in a day. And violence isn’t only the Nazi-like round ups of people with dark skin to disappear them; this regime’s violence is taking away food and medical care from children so that billionaire and rich corporations can get a bigger tax break. We’ve reached a Great Gatsby moment and it will cost the middle class and the poor the most.

But you know all of this.

A new day stretches out ahead of us. We know to call our representatives frequently; to find ways to protest and resist, in marches, in art, in speech and in kindness. It’s up to us to model for each other what it looks like and means to be citizen of this country.

One heroine I turn to during these times is a woman named Maggie Kuhn. She was an American activist best known for founding the Gray Panthers movement. In 1970 when the law mandated retirement at the age of sixty-five, Maggie Kuhn was forced from a job that she loved. Along with other retirees, Kuhn formed a movement that became known as The Gray Panthers. Originally it was called The Consultation of Older and Younger Adults for Social Change.

The slogan for the Gray Panthers was “Age and Youth In Action.” The organization wasn’t just older adults, but young people, who Maggie Kuhn thought were smart, creative and should have a voice in our culture. She was one of the first to truly stand up and fight against ageism. Teenagers that others may not take seriously and old women who may not be taken seriously by a culture which tends to stereotype, actually have a great deal in common, not the least of which is that they are both underutilized resources of energy, organization, creativity and passion!

Maggie lived in Philadelphia where she owned a home. During her activism years, she shared her home with young people, college students mostly, and gave them a break in rent for helping with chores. They also offered companionship. She called this little community, her “family of choice.”

I love the Maggie Kuhn story. She died in 1995, but her light was not extinguished. We have the same opportunities that she did. We can create a “family of choice,” create communities that can help us through the bloodsport politics of the day. Think about the possibilities:

1. A group of elders working with a group of teens in schools or youth centers to do postcard campaigns to their representatives or call-a-thons to representatives.

2. Do you have art skills? Administrative or logistical skills? There are organizations and representatives who would be thrilled to have you volunteer.

3. Can you make political art that can be turned into post cards, fliers, tee-shirts and signs?

4. How can we best talk to our neighbors, our friends, our representatives about what matters to us as Americans? How can we better listen?

5. With schools, hospitals, senior centers and the like losing funding, how might our volunteer spirit make things better for people around us?

Let’s be a part of this historic time. Don’t let your legacy be, “During the Trump regime, I tuned out because it was too stressful.” If there was ever a time to embrace the stress and let yourself be motivated to action by the very real fears around us, now would be it! Feel the fear and take action anyway.

There are probably dozens of possibilities for activism that I haven’t even thought of, but I’ll bet you have. Let’s take our creative imagination and see what kind of good trouble we can create.

With appreciation and goodwill to all of my readers. The title of this piece came from how Maggie Khun referred to herself, a wrinkled radical. I think many of us could do good work under the banner of that phrase. What do you think?

do not lose heart

believe in salvaging and saving

in creating anew

hold life

as love

‘til the darkness

shatters

and light comes flooding in