For those Americans who had long been fearing the possibility of the re-election of former president Donald J. Trump, the events of the night of January 5, 2024, meant waking up to a new reality on the morning of January 6, 2024, that was, if anything, more internally lacerating than that of the night before.
Plus there was now an urgent question: “Where do we go from here?”
With this inquiry in mind, WitnessLA gathered public musings on the topic by variety of people who published their thoughts via social media.
The majority of those whose words we selected are professional writers. A few are politically involved. Yet, they are advancing no big plans. At least not at this moment. Like the rest of us, most seem to be regaining their balance. Still, all seem to write with a sense of urgency—whether they communicate in a single line. Or through an essay.
So….read on.
*****
Paul Krugman
Nobel laureate. Op-Ed columnist, @nytopinion, author of “The Return of Depression Economics,” “The Great Unraveling,” “Arguing With Zombies,” and more.
“Don’t ask whose fault this was. Plenty of time for second-guessing and recriminations. Ask instead, what can you do? For my part, that means telling the truth as I see it, as long as I can. The media will be under a lot of pressure to toe the line; don’t capitulate in advance.”
*****
Anne Lamott
Mother, grandma, wife, sister, writer, activist, Sunday School teacher Writer of Bird by Bird, Help Thanks Wow, and more. Her Latest book is Somehow: Thoughts on Love.
“I don’t even have the words for not having any words. We stick together. Breathe. Keep the patient comfortable. Feel like shit. Take care of the poor, each other and ourselves. Look around for all the light that remains and can never go out. Sending you all a big quavering hug.”
*****
David Plouff
Campaign Manager and White House Senior Advisor for Barack Obama. Senior Advisor for Kamala Harris for President. strategist, analyst and book author. His books include The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory
“It was a privilege to spend the last 100 days with @KamalaHarris and the amazing staff led by @jomalleydillon who left it all on the field for their country. We dug out of a deep hole but not enough. A devastating loss. Thanks for being in the arena, all of you.”
*****
Katrina Vanden Heuvel
Publisher, part-owner, and former editor of the progressive magazine The Nation.
“The day is dark, the forces arrayed are tenacious, but as the late Nation editorial board member Toni Morrison wrote, ‘No! This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.’”
*****
George Gascón
Los Angeles County District Attorney, who was just defeated on Nov. 5, 2024, in his quest for a second term by Nathan Hochman, a politically conservative former federal defense attorney. In addition to his four years as LA DA, Gascón is also former Assistant Chief LAPD, former Chief of Police, Mesa, AZ, former District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. He has also known Vice President Kamala Harris, “for decades.”
“The rightward shift across America last night is heartbreaking. Democrats have a long road ahead, but the work is more vital than ever, and our commitment will not waver. Nevertheless, I have called Mr. Hochman and wish him the best as Los Angeles County’s next district attorney. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past four years and grateful to the communities who have been and will always be the heart of criminal justice reform.”
*****
Andrew Weissmann
NYU Professor, former Assistant US Attorney, co-host of the podcast, Prosecuting Donald Trump, and co-author of the bestselling The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary,.
“My heart goes out to so many people today, but my first thoughts today have been about the courageous people of Ukraine, fighting with and for their lives for democracy and freedom. We let them down.”
*****
E. Jean Carroll
Journalist/Author, Advice Columnist most recent book, What Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal She successfully sued Donald J. Trump twice in her two high ticket defamation lawsuits having to do with sexual assault.
“I tried to tell you.”
*****
Chasten Buttigieg
Teacher, speaker, advocate, husband of Pete Buttigieg, bestselling memoir author, and children’s book writer of Papa’s Coming Home,”
A million thanks to everyone who volunteered, told their stories, and sacrificed so much for our country and families.
Take time to gather your strength. Hug your kids. Take a break. And when you’re ready, lace up your shoes, roll up your sleeves, and get back in the fight.
I can’t wait to join you.
*****
Rebecca Solnit
Journalist and Author. Of her books, she is best known for “Men Explain Things To Me.”
Below is what she posted on X today:
What I Wrote Last Night
They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving. You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in. Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is. The pain you feel is because of what you love.
The Wobblies used to say don’t mourn, organize, but you can do both at once and you don’t have to organize right away in this moment of furious mourning. You can be heartbroken or furious or both at once; you can scream in your car or on a cliff; you can also get up tomorrow and water the flowerpots and call someone who’s upset and check your equipment for going onward. A lot of us are going to come under direct attack, and a lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary. Gather up your resources, the metaphysical ones that are heart and soul and care, as well as the practical ones.
People kept the faith in the dictatorships of South America in the 1970s and 1980s, in the East Bloc countries and the USSR, women are protesting right now in Iran and people there are writing poetry. There is no alternative to persevering, and that does not require you to feel good. You can keep walking whether it’s sunny or raining. Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself, because you are interwoven with the ten trillion things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn, but is still being woven and mended and washed.
*****
Margaret E. Atwood
Legendary author, and now also Substack commenter, Atwood is particularly well-known for The Handmaid’s Tale.
What she wrote today on X was short but to the point.
“Despair is not an option.”
Third world politics in full effect with the election of him.
The sheep have no clue that their wool are soon to be sweaters with their chops on the grill.
The sheep dog did his best, but the wolf betrayed many of them. Fact and fiction unified by reality.