White Rose Movement 2.0

There was a time when those whom we think of today as "the Founding Fathers," were doing something radical, and more than a little bit foolish.

In the late 1700's, to stand against the might and power of the British Monarchy was foolhardy, to say the least. But some brave men actually did. They had names which were well-off, but not particularly well-known. Names like Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, Payne, Washington, Hancock, and Madison.

And what they wrought was a democracy which lasted almost 250 years.

Until this past November 5th, that is.

But their boldness came at a true fulcrum point -- a moment in history when great Men (in the non-gendered sense) are either made, or fall. In the end, their gamble paid off, and they forged a great democracy. It didn't last forever, but it was the first of many to follow.

Now is such a time.

There was also a time when people stood up to the likes of Adolf Hitler within Nazi Germany. They knew they were risking their lives to do so. They knew the price of failure. But they chose to stand up for what was right and good anyway. They chose to fight.

Their anti-Hitler movement was known as the "White Rose" movement. Many within it died. But a good many others succeeded after Germany lost the war.

Now is such a time.

Now is the time for the likes of Oskar Schindler (of "Schindler's List" fame) to stand up and save lives.

Now is the time for the likes of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to stand up for human rights, just as Jesus Christ would have in such a situation.

Now is the time for "Tank Man" to stand up to the massacre of Tiannamen Square. Remember that news story? When a lone, Chinese man, armed with only a shopping bag, stood up to a line of tanks and shouted, "Why are you attacking us?!" That type of courage is needed right now.

And we should also remember another great man, Mahatma Ghandi, who, like our nation's founding fathers, stood up to the might of the British Empire -- and won.

In all these crises, those who stood up were not always the ones who were victorious.

But they were all remembered.

Now is that time. Now is OUR time. White Rose 2.0! Now is when we fight back against Trump and Trumpism, as all people of conscience must.

Now is when we succeed, or fail. We may not win. But in resisting, we will never lose.

Either way, we will be remembered.

Eric

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