Paula vW. Dáil - We Rise to Resist: Voices from a New Era in Womens Political Action

Also by Paula vW. Dil
and from McFarland

Mother Natures Daughters: 21st Century Women Farmers (2017)

Hard Living in Americas Heartland: Rural Poverty in the 21st Century Midwest (2015)

Women and Poverty in 21st Century America (2012)

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

e-ISBN: 978-1-4766-3295-7

2018 Paula vW. Dil and Betty L. Wells. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Front cover image of Womens March on Washington 2018 katiebordner/Flickr

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com

This book is dedicated to every woman who is protesting,
in some way, the political climate in 2017 America,
and to her sisters and brothers in this battle,
around the nation and around the world,
who are supporting her efforts.

Editing a book of collected essays is not the same as writing a book. To be successful, the task requires a high level of harmonious cooperation among a lot of people. Bearing this in mind, the essays in this book would not have been possible without the committed, collegial efforts of a lot of people, including the essayists themselves. Each essayist has been deeply dedicated to the herculean task of making womens voices heard during what is, for many women, a frightening political era in American history. Each has been truly great to work with and deeply committed to doing whatever needed doing to help women speak out, loud and clear, even when it involved several revisions. These women (and men) are perfect role models for how people of differing backgrounds and perspectives can work together toward an outcome that benefits everyone. Members of the United States Congress should heed their example.

The essayists who were not included in the book helped us out by allowing portions of their essays to be quoted. You are all brave, articulate women and it has been our great pleasure to get to know you and work with you.

Several ad-hoc reviewers assisted in making decisions regarding specific topics we didnt have the expertise to judge on our own. Other colleagues listened as we hashed out ideas and tried to thread our way through topics during times when events were changing faster than we could possibly keep up with. Others read drafts, offered comments, read again, and then again maybe a third or a fourth time.

Katilyn Peck put in many hours as a reviewer, and then as a line editor for every essay that we accepted. Professors Chuck Park, Alice A. Thieman and Edna Park were faithful followers of the project from the beginning. They read, thrashed out ideas, and sent valuable information, contacts, and ideas our way on a regular basis as we progressed. If there was an idea in there somewhere, these folks helped us find it.

The project never wouldve happened without Bill Ladewigs heartfelt, serious commitment to help out. In many respects, this book was his idea to begin with, and he stepped up to the challenge by reading, suggesting revisions, re-reading, and discussing every essay we received. This amounted to more than 400 hours of concentrated time spent making sure the essayists voices were clear, and twice that much time discussing the essays with Paula to be sure the essayists messages were powerful and to the point. The book was always on his mind, just like it was on ours.

As the lead editor, I (Paula) also want to acknowledge Betty Wells. She is the other person without whom this book would never have happened. She recruited essayists, reviewed essays, and pursued ideas I never could have possibly followed up on. Her efforts made the book much richer and more complete.

This book belongs to all of you!

Paula vW. Dil

The world will never be the same.Cher

January 1, 2016

How serious are Americans about electing Donald Trump their president? the young German tourist sitting across from me asked. Weve been worried about that too, the middle-aged woman sitting next to the German, whose name tag indicated she was from Nova Scotia, echoed. As Americas neighbors, we have more than just a casual interest in American foreign policy, she said. Europe is very concerned about the Trump possibility, the German said, looking directly into our eyes.

We were having this conversation over lunch on New Years Day, 2016, during a day trip on a ship passing through the Panama Canal. Both my husband and I reassured our tablemates that Donald Trump was a flash in the pan. Once Americans start voting hell be knocked out of the race pretty quickly. I dont see anyone taking him very seriously, and I dont think hes that serious either, my husband said. Unless Vice President Biden decides to enter the race, and it doesnt look like he will, its fairly certain Hillary Clinton will be our next president, I added, with a broad smile and a thumbs-up.

Well, anyone would be better than Donald Trump, the German remarked, adding, he [Trump] would be a disaster. We all agreed, and turned our attention back to our canal guide.

November 8, 2016, at 9:15 p.m. central standard time.

Whenever I feel anxious about something, I head straight for a Mexican restaurant, and election night was no exception. My husband and I had decided to eat Mexican food with friends, who had invited us back to their house for dessert afterwards, and to watch the election returns. Our plan was to celebrate the election of the first woman president of the United States and Id brought a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion.

We walked into the living room and Joe flipped on the TV. Wolf Blitzer, looking as stunned as a deer caught in headlights, was saying that all projections indicated Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States. All four of us stood in the middle of the living room with our coats on, saying nothing.

An hour later, each of us was standing in the same place. We still had our coats on, had never taken our eyes off the television screen, and were too dumbstruck to say anything.

Finally, Joe broke the silence. Jesus Christ, he said. I didnt serve in the United States Marines and fight through two tours in Vietnam to end up on military disability and then have my country wind up in the hands of this [descriptive expletives deleted]. Joe had been a proud Marine, and I saw his bottom lip quiver as he swiped his hand down his face. My husband, an Army officer during the same era, echoed similar sentiments, only louder, then hung his head.

Julie told Joe that if he died while Donald Trump was president hell would freeze over before shed accept a flag from the president of the United States on behalf of a grateful nation during the military rites at his funeral. Me either, I whispered, faintly nauseous at the thought of Donald Trumps fingerprints on anything affecting my personal life.