by Barley Lewis-McCabe

You have to do something, we all do — but look at Stephen Colbert; something is the worst thing you can do. Something could be cause for some gullible asshole to come knock on your door and throw you in the back of a van. Something will make you an enemy of the state, what could be more dangerous than Something? Nothing.

There isn’t a day that goes by in our country where the effects of the Trump Administration’s ever progressing fascist blueprint aren’t felt in our most vulnerable communities, and there’s no sign of it stopping. Why would they give up? From their perspective, it couldn’t be going better. Now, that’s not to say there isn’t pushback against the ICE Gestapo, or nationwide protests, but for a movement to work it needs consistent pressure on the forces that encroach on us. We just haven’t seen enough of what we need in these last eight months. 

Let’s look at what kickstarted Newsom’s good spirited power grab. Back in July, Texas republicans drew up a new district map — one that would alter five democrat-leaning districts to result in a likely loss for five democratically elected senators. Districts are demographic boundaries for where people live, and the people who live there elect someone to the house of representatives. Gerrymandering is the legal process where a party in power redraws those districts so they feature a higher ratio of people who support their party to people who don’t, giving them more power in the House of Representatives.  

Here’s something to consider: Gavin Newsom is a slimy, politicking bastard who doesn’t primarily work to serve the people of California. He works to fuel his own ego and lusts for attention and presidential ambitions… but what politician doesn’t. The thing that sets our fair governor apart is his methods of doing this. Newsom fucking hates any and all republicans. But this hatred — and quite possibly warped moral compass — pointing in the right direction for once, leads to some great things, like when he defied the law and started marrying gay couples as mayor of San Francisco.

Newsom’s compulsions make him one of the strongest opponents to the Trump Regime. He has thrown as many punches as he’s taken, such as restricting ICE agents from entering schools and hospitals without a warrant. His gerrymandering to nullify Texas’ gerrymandering is another example. 

The Trump regime is only gerrymandering and attempting to suppress voters because they know chamber control from an opposing party could put an end to their hoop dreams. But, we have to remember the “opposing party” is still one of empty promises and virtue signaling. 

The democratic party leadership lost sight of the people long ago and decided to support the forces of global evil, all while they planned their own parades and called themselves the last defenders of the American populace. Still, they drunk text about how they just need one more small donation before midnight. Believe it or not, they could create some real change. They might just be on the verge of death rattling some pushback before a kinder group of people take their place.

Here’s what I think — redraw ‘em! I think every state should redraw their maps to kick out their fascist representatives. I think it’s a horrible disfigurement of our constitution and a gross overstep of power, but what do we have to lose? 

The worst case scenario is already here; life in our country is worse than we could’ve imagined in 2016. We have to do something to put an end to the infection of fascism in our government. 

So, please show up this November. I say, vote for the redistricting, remove representation for your fellow statesman. Just know what you’re doing, and hope it was worth it. 

Barley is the photo editor and an untraditional reporter who focuses on social change and stories with a real human impact. If you’d like to reach him for whatever reason email bl258@humboldt.edu