Notes from the 2016 Gathering - August 27-31

Notes from our final session facilitated by Nancy Ramsden

Is our democracy going to survive? Are we at the tipping point? These were questions that were sparked at dinner the night before when the question 'Is Hillary as bad as Trump?' was heatedly debated.

Joan: We're facing fascism and it is terrifying. Many groups in this country, previously of low profile, are susceptible to this bullying way of thinking. They are now encouraged by Donald Trump's ersatz populism. We have to understand the power elite.

Char: Trump couldn't have gotten where he is without the Mob. If Hillary is elected, how will she handle this fascist uprising?

Paki: Fascism has already arrived. "They're wearing everyone down. I'm concerned about the day after elections."

Joan: People being arrested and jailed for immigration reasons: its open fascism: terror imposed on an entire underclass in this country.

Char: We're not there yet, or we would have been rounded up. The militarization of the police with the excesses of war, the fact that globalization is not working, and robotization taking over the workplace, are all factors leading us into an oppressive future. How are we all going to deal with fascism? There are some factions of the power elite - the Rockefellers, for example - who do not want to go there. What is to be done? Mindless activism is not the answer.

Nancy: I am scared to death. How many voters may look at the situation and simply decide not to vote. How can we save ourselves before we fall off the cliff? How can we stop it? How can we protect the human race?

Joan: We have each other. Relationships is the most important thing we have. Talking together as we are doing here is basic.

Marlena: Each and every day there is a new crisis...

Barbara: We're in a fascist transition. We must think of ourselves as a resistance force. Become more focused.

Joan: The Reichstag fire in Germany was blamed on the Communists and led to a rule of terror against workers. That is the definition of fascism. Black people have been terrorized during and after slavery. Trotsky asked "what is fascism?" A middle class that is angry and willing to attack...

Nancy: It is important to get our questions to the candidates (the first debate is September 16). How can we reach the campaign aides?

Virginia: What are our questions? We don't want to use loaded phrases such as 'what is fascism?'.

Robin: We could join up with others, equally concerned... and perhaps at the Washington World Beyond War Conference on the weekend of September 23?

We decided to write up this discussion and disseminate it for further discussio.

Women expressed an appreciation of the deep wells of knowledge that participants brought to this discussion.