Stop Acting Defeated. Get Furious and Fight!

One afternoon, I was feeling low and irritated while visiting downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. I figured I’d clear my head with a walk—big mistake. I had no idea I was about to get mugged.

Out of nowhere, as I turned a corner I’d walked before, some punk jumped right in my face, screamed at me in Spanish and snatched my cell phone.

I knew damn well I couldn’t chase him down—not with these 74-year-old knees. So, I did what I had to: I grabbed the bastard by the shirt, yanked him onto the ground, and slammed my weight on him like a ton of bricks.

He flailed, punched, scratched—like a coward. But I wasn’t about to let this scumbag win. I used a wrestling move I learned in high school and locked him in a Full Nelson. The harder he fought, the harder I squeezed.

By now, traffic had ground to a halt. People were gawking. A few finally jumped in—one grabbed my phone from the pavement, another picked up my hearing aid. They handed them back to me while I was still pinning that jerk to the ground.

I got up, breath ragged, heart pounding, scratched and bruised—but not broken. Not today.

And you know what? I felt vindicated. Because that thug thought I’d be an easy target. He figured I’d lie down, take it, and cry about it later. He was dead wrong.

And that brings me to this: We Democrats stand up for our rights and fight back against the fascist bully. We’ve been moping around sad and discouraged, while a fascist bully squats in the White House, throwing tantrums and torching rights like it’s a game.

Enough!

We have to fight back. Not tomorrow. Not when it’s convenient. Right. Damn. Now.

Remember what Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said after ICE arrested him for protesting? “I refuse to back down to Trump and his extremist, inhumane agenda, even if they try to silence me by arresting me.”

That’s the energy we need. Stop whining, stop wallowing, and get loud. Join a protest and drown out MAGA hatred with truth. There’s power in numbers, so let’s use it.

The ACLU has been body-slamming Trumpoleon in court—support them. Send a tax-deductible donation. Fuel the resistance.

And don’t you dare say this isn’t personal. It’s damn personal. That Mango Mussolini is not just a problem for TV pundits—he’s a wrecking ball aimed at your rights, your family, your community.

Fight back

• Become a Democratic precinct committee person. I’ve done it for 19 years. I get a list of friendly neighborhood Democrats, visit them in person and ask what political issues concern them. I make sure they know the truth: Democrats deliver, and Republicans destroy.
• Host a house party. Simply invite everyone over for snacks, sodas and conversation. It will make your neighbors feel confident to see that they are not alone.

• Register Democrats to vote. More than 1 million voters switched to the Republican Party in 2024, especially in suburban areas. Contact the Pima County Democratic Party and your local Legislative District to find voter registration drives.
• Do something—because while you’re hesitating, they’re steamrolling everything we care about.

That should light a fire under every single one of us. Fight for every vote. Block by block—street by street.

This is our David vs. Goliath moment. And Goliath is loud, bloated, and arrogant. Are you going to run away, or are you going to whip a rock at him and take him down?

Because I’m not running.

Like David, it’s time for you to pick up the sling.