Liberty Assaulted


Liberty Assaulted 26” x 34”

 

I feel very strongly that racism, calculated deception and dishonesty won the presidency for Trump. His administration is an assault on people of color, women, the poor, education, science, facts, the environment and the personal freedoms and rights that made America the land of the free.

 

This is my piece for the Threads of Resistance exhibit.

I never thought a candidate fueled by racism could win the presidency, but with ‘alt-right’ bigots cheering him on, Trump did it.

On the morning after the election, I woke feeling despondent, with the image of a battered, sexually assaulted and crucified Statue of Liberty in my head. I saw a klansman, emblazoned with Make Amerika Great Again, using Liberty’s torch to light crosses marked with issues targeted by the Trump campaign.

Lady Liberty represents US:  the United States and US, the women and men of all colors and creeds that came here seeking a better life and freedom from oppression, as well as Native Americans and Hispanics, who have been here the longest.

 

I often feel numb these days.

I think there’s only so much trauma and shock we can be exposed to before we start to shut down our emotions, and feel a sense of despair about the future. At this point, even if Trump were to resign or be impeached, we would still have a religious fundamentalist in power and a GOP-majority congress of greedy, bigoted, uncaring, selfish politicians more interested in staying in power than doing what’s best for the country. It will be a struggle for at least 2 years, or longer, because of their crooked gerrymandering.

 

Now that we are 100 days in, it feels like a lifetime has passed, because of the constant turmoil. I believe our combined resistance efforts are helping to stem the assault on our democracy, but I really wish it wasn’t such a fight!

I’m a pacifist at heart. I don’t like fighting. I think a lot of us don’t like to fight, or at least not in the dirty way that now seems acceptable since Trump entered the picture.

Many of us choose to look at the world with more optimism and less fear. We think people should have equal rights to marry who they want. We do not want to control other people’s lives and take their choices away because we don’t agree. Live and Let Live!

We  want free access to information so intelligent decisions can be made that won’t cause harm to people and the planet.

I don’t want to FIGHT to maintain our freedoms, access to healthcare, and a clean environment, but I will.


71 responses to “Liberty Assaulted”

  1. You made a beautiful quilt, Judy. I agree. I don’t like fighting, either, but it seems that is the situation we find ourselves in to maintain what freedoms we have of choice that have been very hard won.

  2. What a powerful piece of work. Well done. I, too, feel exhausted from the daily fight to try to hang on to all the decent things that shouldn’t even be in the crosshairs of those in power – respect for all people, clean air and water, art and education, a habitable planet, affordable healthcare, facts, science, civility, care and empathy for the vulnerable among us, national parks, Native Americans’ sacred places, a sense of feeling safe in your own country, and so many more things I took for granted. But those of us who recognize and value the common good have to continue fighting for the sake of all those who will come after us and to honor all those who fought for it before we came along.

  3. I know people who voted for Trump because of the economic pain ‘globalization’ (or sending jobs to countries who hire cheap labor) has caused. They are not in the least bit zenophobic, mysoginist, or racist.

    Unless the left gets a clue about the economic situation in this country instead of focusing on identity issues people like Trump will continue to get elected. Please worry about the tens of thousands of Iraqui, Afghani, Syrian. Libyan, and Somalian civilians that Obama, Clinton, and now Trump are slaughtering. Wake up to bigger issues.

    • Thank you Oonagh. Everyone was hysterical over Mitt Romney because he was the devil behind job outsourcing. All these years later, Our government continues to give our money to India to educate their population and then what were well paying tech jobs are sent there. I voted for Obama the first time around and was hopeful that something would change. Nope.

      I would have voted for Bernie Sanders if he had been nominated – and I have been a Republican my entire life. During the campaign, Hillary – who is no savior for any gender said, “Why do we always worry about the jobs after they are exported?” Gee, that’s because that’s when American workers find out about the trade agreements your husband and Obama made to permit the exportation of them, undermining the fiscal stability of our social programs.

      There are indeed many republicans – some of us female – who are fiscal republicans who are concerned about the environment, biodiversity, the stability of social security (who is going to pay for it when the best jobs are all exported?), a woman’s right to choose, and the fact that all of us are equal in the eyes of God regardless of race, religion, and sexual orientation and should be so in the legal system. We’re tired of Washington urinating our money, jobs and dignity away. Will Trump get it back? Who knows. At least there isn’t another lying, perjuring, “the law doesn’t apply to me” Clinton in charge.

    • If I were to write about everything I was concerned was happening, there would be a book and not a blog post or simply a quilt. There is no waking up necessary, I’m not thrilled with everything Obama did, or the Clintons, but I think Trump is far more dangerous a character, doing extremely destructive things that hurt a lot of people.

  4. Very powerful piece…gives me chills. Thank you for bringing it and its messages into the universe.

  5. I completely disagree, but absolutely defend your right to voice your opinion (especially since this is your website! LOL).

    You don’t know me, yet you call me racist, bigoted, misogynistic, anti-science, anti-environment and anti-liberty. Not terribly loving, tolerant, or inclusive of you, is it?

    But I will defend your right to shout it from the roof-tops. Will you grant me the same courtesy?

    That you had a vision of the Statue of Liberty sexually assaulted following the election of Donald Trump was interesting to me. Did you feel the same with President Clinton when he paid Paula Jones $850,000 to go away? Did you weep for America then? I’m thinking probably not, since I don’t recall hearing a hew and cry from the Left about the former president once again occupying the White House and being free to prey on interns once again.

    I’m not claiming one side is right and the other wrong. I’m pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of the Left.

    We survived 8 years of President Obama (notice the honorific?). I’m sure you on the Left will manage to muddle your way through 8 years of President Trump.

    Respectfully yours,
    A far far far right conservative who is pro-abortion, pro-choice (a Glock 19 is my personal choice), pro-death penalty, pro-environment, and pro-fracking, oil sands, and pipelines.

    P.S. Being pro-science means never saying the science is settled.

    • Barbara, I am very offended when you say ” Judy called you…”, She simply created a beautiful expression of her and many other people’s feelings. My Mother use to say “If the shoe fits, wear it. I refuse to wear all the beliefs you share and believe they are the problem with many supporters of the current administration. I call it confusion.

      • Well, I’m very sorry you’re offended, but since I am pro-Trump it would seem to me that I wear all the epithets on Judy’s piece.

        How interesting that I’m not offended being associated with all those hateful things, but you are offended by … what exactly? I’m really not sure.

        Seems to me that we would ALL be better off being less offended at the drop of a hat. Peace.

          • You’re probably the token conservative in your art group too, eh? LOL! Yeah, we’re tough old birds!

        • Anyone who is pro-trump agrees with his policies. His policies are racist, bigoted, misogynistic, anti-science, anti-environment and anti-liberty. It’s logic. . I’m sure as a republican Drumpf supporter, logic isn’t familiar to you, but honey if you lay down with dogs, you’ll rise with fleas

          • Not feelin’ the love, pdxknitter. I thought you were the party of tolerance and inclusiveness. Of course the hate demonstrated from the Left the past few months makes a mockery of that claim, but oh well.
            Peace baby.

          • “Anyone who is pro-trump agrees with his policies. His policies are racist, bigoted, misogynistic, anti-science, anti-environment and anti-liberty.”

            Tell it to mjkasz. According to her, I have offended her by presuming that Judy was applying all those epithets to me.

            Oh, and by the way, name calling isn’t necessary. I get that you are filled with hate. You don’t have to prove it to me.

  6. Judy you have expressed my feelings of the weeks after the election in a beautiful way and sadly I see little change in what is happening. I pray each day that other members of our combined government will recognize their need to be strong and support our Constitution and make the best decisions even when they are not popular with the boss.

    • it has been a hard time for so many of us, we just have to keep pressuring the people in government who are supposed to be representing us to make policies that we want and not take away the things we need.

      If I consider making a print, I will let you know. 🙂

  7. Wow, just, wow! You nailed it. This is so evocative of the feelings of myself and my daughters. I gasped when I opened this in feedly this morning.

      • thanks Mary.

        I’m sorry you’re having a hard time, I think we’re all worried. I wish we could go back to a time when we didn’t have to obsess over the news everyday for fear of some new trump induced catastrophe. My advice don’t look at the news in the evenings or spend too much time on social media. I’ve found when I’ve unplugged for a few days, I feel much better.

  8. I am in mourning. It seems my life is consumed with negative thoughts and I can’t seem to get past it. Your piece is remarkable and sums things up in a visceral, visual way. it is simply perfect.

  9. This is an amazing piece which so clearly expresses your thoughts……..and sadly, the reality of today. Thank you for making it and for sharing your thoughts. You truly are not alone and each of us is “fighting” for what we believe in and will continue to until this outrage ends.

  10. Well done! I LOVE this piece Judy! It speaks to so many issues right now, and just so expressive. It hits an emotional chord that resonates with my experience. Thank you!

  11. Hi Judy, what a beautiful piece with a powerful impact. Just reading the comments attests to that. However, we all must endure the political climate in this beautiful country we call home, “America”. Unfortunately, the key word is “endure”, I feel that which ever side one is with, is a losing side, politics in this country is fueled by power and greed, has been for too many years, therefore, we all come up losing. That being said, I love your work, I always have and like all of us in “America” we have the right to stand up for what we believe in, no matter which side it’s on. Keep on making your beautiful work because ultimately, that is what makes you and many others, including me, happy! Hugs!

    • Thanks so much Joan! You’re absolutely right, trumps divisive rhetoric is destructive to Washington functioning in a bipartisan way, each side has become the enemy. The world is changing fast with technology, we need to be inclusive and work towards solving problems instead of destroying the system.

  12. Thank you for voicing the feelings of so many Americans. I have gotten to the point that I can’t watch the news for the fear of my mental health. As you said, it going to be a long two years but hopefully this great country will remain intact.

    • I hear you! News vacations may be our only hope. We are all addicted to the news since we now live in fear of what he’ll do next, he never seems to sleep. We have become a very stressed out country! but we must persevere!

  13. Judy, that is an extremely powerful piece and exactly how I feel. It is a sad reality that ignorant bigoted misogynistic people are ruining the country the environment, education, opportunity, everything American stands for. You’ve expressed it perfectly.

  14. I am gobsmacked. Your beautiful art expresses opinions shared by many & you expressed in such an eloquent way.

  15. WOW! I am in awe at how beautifully you expressed your concerns in an absolutely stunning quilt as well as your writing about your own feelings and concerns. Thank you for being such a strong voice for justice and compassion!!

  16. Stunning piece for your Threads of Resistance entry, Judy! Job well done and it speaks directly to the political situation we are experiencing right now. Trump followers can continue to bury their heads in the sand. One day, 45’s shenanigans will catch up with them.

    • Thanks so much Barbara. I keep hoping something will stick and take him down, the list could have taken out about 10 or more democrats already. It won’t happen any time too soon! We need a break!

  17. Amazing quilt ,visually stunning to look at regardless of you political feelings.Then add political feelings and you get the comments as above.Wondering about how the exhibition will be recieived…..

    • thanks Faye! I’m sure there will be some negative feedback about the exhibit when it comes out, but I have to tell you when we started approaching venues about it every single one said yes almost immediately. The call for entries closes in half an hour and we have 550 entries!!! I think there are a lot of people wanting to express their feelings.

  18. Words cannot adequately express what your creation has stirred inside me, Judy. A stunning piece full of emotion and depth of feeling. You have also verbally described the thoughts of so many of us at this time, and I thank you for your eloquence and your incredible creativity.

  19. I had to look at this magnificent piece several times over several hours to absorb it all. I believe it does a wonderful job of “telling it like it is.” I no longer watch the news, any political shows, etc., because it makes me physically ill. Your piece states all the things I have been unable to say, and I thank you for making it and for sharing it.

  20. We agree; this is wonderful and your work important and very thought-provoking. I just go to as many resistance actions as possible and hope to educate those we meet.

    • Thanks Mary. I try to do those things too and them I’m astounded by remarks that say they felt just like this about Obama and I scratch my head dumbfounded at the logic behind that. It’s like we live in opposite realities.

  21. I don’t usually appreciate “statement” works of art, but this piece not only gets an important point across, it is also very beautiful. It is a fabulous piece and I think it will probably have a strong presence in the art world. Thank you for creating it.

  22. Amazing Quilt! Thank you for expressing my feelings and fears!!! My fears increase each week as Trump’s business entanglements show how vulnerable he is to the influence of other countries demands. Then his actions and words continue to show his lack of mental & emotional stability, and his ignorance on soooooo many levels make him even more vulnerable to being influenced, even controlled, by other companies. AND…I’m tired of paying $3 MILLION a weekend to support his trips to Mar a Lago, and more $$$ to support the Trump Tower, etc. He bragged about not taking a paycheck. Since we spend so much to support him at at least three different locations, he makes more off us each month than his yearly paycheck! It was shameful to watch him take millions (billions?) away from the Federal Parks budget then make a big ceremony out of giving them a written check for $78,000 dollars!?!? This man has no shame…no integrity… I would love to be proven wrong

  23. Powerful and meaningful piece! Thanks for a great weekend and a mention at the SLO Guild Monday night! Terrific presentation!

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