About two weeks ago, a 5.2 earthquake, considered moderate, occurred in and around San Diego, California.
The elephants in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park felt the threat and immediately formed an “alert circle” around the more vulnerable members of their herd to protect them.
A surveillance camera at the zoo captured the event, and it is a beautiful sight! Notice that the elephants forming the circle are facing outward to watch for any danger coming.
Our very democracy is currently under threat, and the threat is not “moderate.”
The President of the United States and the U.S. Attorney General are openly defying the law and their oaths of office, while most of the totally unqualified Cabinet Members and an unelected and unaccountable billionaire are wreaking havoc with our government agencies and employees.
Meanwhile, the Republicans hold a majority in both Houses of Congress. They are actively trying to eradicate the social programs that millions of Americans have depended on for decades, just so that they can give away trillions in the form of tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
Our global allies are under attack, our national security is compromised, the health and safety guardrails are being eliminated, the economy is heading toward a free fall, the history of non-white and non-male Americans is being erased, and people Trump doesn’t like, including American citizens, are being “disappeared” without due process.
Although Trump and Company have had some legal setbacks, for the most part, they are working unimpeded as Trump issues one Executive Order after another as if they are royal decrees. EOs are not laws, and most of them are unconstitutional.
Of course, legalities mean nothing to Trump, who is even saying he’ll run for an unconstitutional third term.
Trump’s poll numbers are the lowest they have been since records have been kept, dating back to the 1940s. The numbers that are the second lowest were recorded during Trump’s first term.
Of course, Trump is calling those numbers “fake news” and calling for the prosecution of every person and organization daring to say negative things about him.
We who are on the right side of history and working to save our democracy and preserve our freedoms must form our own “alert circles.”
An "alert circle" focuses on forming a community-based protective network to safeguard society’s most vulnerable individuals.
Community Engagement: An alert circle involves active participation from community members who are committed to looking out for those who are most at risk, whether due to health, age, socio-economic status, or other factors.
Proactive Monitoring: Members of the alert circle may be responsible for regularly checking in on vulnerable individuals, ensuring their needs are met, and identifying any potential threats to their well-being.
Rapid Response: The alert circle is characterized by the ability to quickly mobilize support or intervention in the face of emerging challenges or dangers facing vulnerable individuals and governmental and societal organizations.
Collaboration and Communication: An effectively functioning alert circle requires open communication and collaboration among its members, as well as with external organizations or authorities that can provide additional support.
Empowerment and Education: The alert circle can also focus on empowering vulnerable individuals and organizations with the resources and knowledge they need to protect themselves better.
Building Resilience: Ultimately, an alert circle aims to foster a resilient community that stands united in protecting and uplifting its most vulnerable members and organizations.
The “alert circle” concept also relates to the Kwanzaa principle of Ujima, a Swahili term meaning “collective work and responsibility.”
Ujima emphasizes the importance of working together to build and maintain a community. It highlights the concept that shared effort and accountability lead to community empowerment and resilience. This principle encourages individuals to see each other's problems as their own and work collaboratively to solve them.
The “alert circle” concept also emphasizes the importance of collective responsibility and action in ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals, particularly those who cannot fully advocate for themselves.
Back in 2008, as he was running his first presidential campaign, then-Senator Barack Obama reminded us that “…we are the ones we have been waiting for…”
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