Freaking Finally the message from the left is breaking through to those who need to know that we have their backs. Even if they are so brainwashed to hate everything about the left they cannot hear or comprehend that the left fights for all American’s freedoms, not just the right’s.

Before Tuesday’s overwhelming repudiation of the administration’s cruel policies and money grubbing ways, I have to admit it was feeling a little bit like the boys at the barricade in Les Miserables. There they were, fighting for the little guy, fighting to make everyone’s lives better and, after a long dark night with the loss of Eponine, they came to the realization that no one was coming to fight alongside them.

If you are interested, the song is called “Dawn of Anguish” and is track 34. With thanks to Victor Hugo who wrote the seminal book and Cameron MacKintosh who wrote the musical.

Enjorlas, the leader of the revolutionaries, is singing mostly to himself at the beginning. Perhaps to give himself courage. His words echoed how I was feeling on Monday. When he is informed that the revolutionaries are low on ammunition and the rain has ruined the gunpowder, he addresses the small crowd.
“The people have not stirred.
We are abandoned by those who still live in fear.
The people have not heard.
Yet we will not abandon those who cannot hear.”

This neatly sums up how I have been feeling since January.

In the 2012 movie Les Misérables, after Enjolras states this, the street urchin and revolutionary child Gavroche pipes in with an echo of his song and the main Les Mis theme.
“Do you hear the people sing?
It is the song of angry men.
It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again.
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!”

I spent a lot of time recently listening to Les Mis, especially after the latest No Kings protests on October 18th. Yes, I realize that the story is somewhat problematic and some of the words are not PC, but I enjoyed my deep dive into the source material.

Les Misérables is a tragedy as nearly all of the revolutionaries at the barricade are dead. However, there is some hope there too. In Marius and Cosette’s story.

However, even if the revolutionaries at the barricade would have won the battle of the barricade, they would have to come to grips with the realization that the battle of the barricade is just that, merely a battle. A battle win is not the winning of the war.

The election results on Tuesday, November 4th are not the war. They are merely a skirmish during the war.

Yes, we had an amazing turnout for an off year election. Yes, we had most of the amazing wins, including the four marquee races in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia, and California.

This is not the time to let off on the pressure. There will be more skirmishes and battles to fight.

Keep the faith that what we on the left are doing are for everyone.

But be aware that this is not done.

See also the refusal of the administration to fund the SNAP benefits, even after 2 judges told them they had to, and another judge affirmed it.

Yay us on Tuesday November 4th!

But there is work to be done.

Volunteer to be a poll worker.

Keep up the phone calls.

Continue to protest in the way that you can.

And maybe donate some food kits to a food pantry. If you are able to.