With the active support of the United States, Israel has attacked Iran. Iran has naturally responded with retaliatory attacks.

The whole mess could go nuclear.

State legislators in Minnesota are being gunned down in their homes.

Across the continent, other elected government leaders are being wrestled to the ground, handcuffed, and arrested for having the audacity to speak out on behalf of the people who elected them.

Mass police/ICE actions are happening daily in Los Angeles. The U.S. Marine Corps is preparing to take action against U.S. citizens. People are being taken from their homes by ICE in the dark of night, grabbed at schools, outside courtrooms, and on the streets — across the country.

The U.S. Treasury is being pillaged. Public resources are being moved from healthcare, food for those in need, parks, education – indeed, from just about every public institution you can think of — to the accounts of those at the very top.

Anyone who’s paying any attention whatsoever — anybody who cares anything at all about our collective community — knows without a doubt that we need serious, positive, immediate change.

Whether you’re following right-wing news channels, left-wing podcasts, or corporate/centrist mass media, you’ll see and hear the same madness.

The information is delivered via different filters, but it’s madness nonetheless.

Unless they are stopped, President Trump, Vice-President Vance, Defense Secretary Hegseth, and their entire cabal will continue dragging us into an authoritarian abyss.

They live for opportunities to prove how strong and bad they are. They are control freaks who love it when people fear them.

At the slightest provocation, real or imagined, they’ll push down on that LAUNCH button. Then, there’s no turning back.

Where are the adults in the room? Where are those who’ll listen, build coalitions, and come up with solutions based on real facts and solid information?

Enough already with ketamine, testosterone, “big body” posturing and warrior ethos.

Rational, civil, values-based adult conversation is desperately needed in Washington, D.C., and around the world.

Our planet needs more of the “truth and reconciliation” ethos espoused by Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa.

Mandela spent 27 years in prison, emerged to negotiate the end of apartheid, brought peace to his racially divided country, and led the fight for human rights around the world.

If we’re to move our planet towards an era of peace, justice, and true prosperity for all, we need to somehow rid ourselves of the bullying, bad-boy, tough-guy, warrior ethos flaunted daily by Hegseth, his boss in the White House, and their friends.

How do we get there? The task at hand seems insurmountable, but doing nothing — just giving them the keys — is not an option.

There are no easy answers or textbook solutions, but it starts with thinking globally, acting locally, showing up, and non-cooperation.

Showing up sends several messages, loud and clear: We’re not afraid. We’re not going to cooperate. We’re not willing to look away and pretend we don’t see the insanity on display EVERYWHERE, every single day.

We’re all in this together. We can, and we MUST, stop this madness.

But we gotta show up —
On the streets, holding signs in towns and cities everywhere.
At public meetings, government hearings, and community town halls.
In letters to the editor, on social media, in email to government leaders.

Trust me on this: Show up. You’ll feel better.

When a majority of us join together, show up, speak out, and refuse to cooperate, the madness will stop.

“¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!”

The people united will never be defeated.

*Note – the above is an edited version of original post which previously focused on encouraging people to show at the June 14th protest gatherings held – everywhere. At the request of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, I’ve updated, strengthened and rewritten the piece which is now posted above.

Gary Hooser
http://www.garyhooser.com
former Hawaii State Senator
retired and just trying to do the right thing