Ramona Grigg (an elderly American woman – my age) raised some important questions today for people enraged by the trump regime’s clear efforts to install a dictatorship in the US. 

If Speaking Truth to Power is Heroism in America, We’re in More Trouble Than We Know.

If it’s becoming brave to demand our constitutional rights, the need for resistance is NOW.

RAMONA GRIGG

MAY 09, 2025

Toward the end she says:

I’m not going to end this by attempting to come up with solutions, … other than to stress the ‘keep on fighting’ part. How we fight works on a day-to-day, minute-by-minute judgement call: what does this fresh hell require of me?

This right here is what I’m doing. It’s what I have the energy and the skills for. Praise you for what you’re doing! Whatever it is, it’s better than doing nothing. And maybe together we’re building a force formidable enough to make a difference.

“It’s what I have the energy and the skills for….” that jumped out at me.

It struck home and I felt compelled to message her:

Hey Ramona, keep up the “Shouting”! I realized recently that my days to actively participate in a physical protest at the US consulate in Halifax, or our city hall square, or on our waterfront are over! I no longer have the physical stamina to find a spot to park my car, walk to the protest with my sign, and stand around for even so much as an hour! I just can’t do it. No pretending any more. I think that’s part of what’s been immobilizing me – keeping me from being able to sew anything, to create anything. But, like you, I can still write coherently. Which I’m doing even though my audience is small and shows no signs of growing larger! Oh, well. I do what I can. Keep doing what you can, girl!

I’m frustrated by my declining physical capacity! I have no trouble getting around the grocery store, walking from my car to the change room at the pool three mornings a week, being physically active enough to do all the stuff I do in a day, in a week. What I can’t do any more is any extended walking – my knees and back have become cranky and push back when I overextend myself. I have to accept I’m not going to be able to participate in whatever the next protest is, or even the energy to instigate and organize one.

I wish I had a magic wand that would make my writing / shouting visible. I wish I knew what it would take to get a gazillion subscribers to read and converse with what I’m thinking. I have to accept there’s no reason to be noticed. I’m not some well known TV personality who’s jumped over to Substack and found an instant following. Not a well known academic or writer, or political figure who’s already attracted attention. Just carrying on, putting what I’m thinking out there when I have something to say.

I also know shouting publicly makes it likely I would be stopped at the US border where I to attempt a visit the US. Good thing that’s not on my agenda any time soon.

That brings me to Rachael Gilmour’s video today.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-163223839

I watch Rachel Gilmour’s commentary, but I don’t as a rule pass it on. This one is a doozy! She’s calling out the CPC for an email they sent out using serious falsehoods about the three automatic recounts happening from the election (because the results were very close) calling them “rigging” from Liberals!

This looks like how PP’s “cooperation” on a united Canada is going to play out. More stupid lying and confrontation. Too bad.

Please check out what Gilmore has to say – she’s right about how recounts happen in a Canadian election! Nothing to do with the party, directly. All overseen by a judge. Thank goodness there are actual paper ballots to recount!

And this is my today’s contribution to the Resistance conversation!