By Veronica Fernandez
It has been less than a month that President Donald J. Trump has taken office, and in such brief time it seems as if all havoc has been unleashed. The president has signed eight executive orders thus far, which include to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the immediate construction of a physical wall between Mexico and the United States. Many fear the power of these executive orders, as the United States proceeded to cease pass to individuals from seven Muslim countries a week and a half ago. In this case, the entire world has witnessed firsthand the immediate consequence generated from this executive order. What is to say about the executive orders before and proceeding it?
However, in response, the American public has not sat by the sidelines, in turn they have demonstrated its discontent with protests all over the nation in major cities ranging from New York City to Los Angeles.
The National General Strike that is to take place February 17th through the 20th is yet another step to contribute to impede this reign of terror. Strike organizers encourage participants to refrain from going to work, school, and to refrain from shopping. Although the call to action is to partake in a crippling action that will affect the economy to attract attention to the malfunctioning political system in place, the complications are deeply embedded into considerably more than just the political system. There are components of racism, ignorance, misinformation, lack of accountability and fact checking, among an array of others.
What remains is the crucial question, is it enough to simply stay home from daily obligations and responsibilities?
As the strike quickly approaches, participants should take this opportunity to vocalize all concerns about the political and social tribulations that are currently being undergone. Participants can contact Congressman Daniel Lipinski serving the 3rd district of the state, Congressman Luis Gutierrez serving the 4th district of the state, and finally, Congressman Danny K. Davis serving the 7th district of the state via letter or email. Partakers can also contact their state representatives Lisa Hernandez or LaShawn K. Ford, and senator Martin A. Sandoval in the same manner.
Another alternative in which participants can approach the National General Strike is to combat ignorance and prejudices with phenomenal enlightening reading material:
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Critical Race Theory: An Introduction by Jean Stefancic and Richard Delgado
Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil by Hannah Arendt
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen
Notes on a Native Son by James Baldwin
Racism without Racist by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild
The Chicago Guide to Fact Checking by Brooke Borel
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
In a time when there is significant strain, torment, deception, fear, discomfort, and constant anxiety of the days to come, the people of this diverse nation must unify as one. Action is required to keep from the complete derailment of decades of progression. We must prove that the individuals that fought vigorously and relentlessly before us did not sacrifice themselves in vain.
These are the individuals that were voted into office to represent and serve the people; now it is time for the people to raise their voice.
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