Recently, I listened to Stephen Colbert’s interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. One of the questions he asked her was what had surprised her most about the campaign she ran for president last year. Her answer was impressive: capitulation.
The audience’s vocal response to her powerful answer was a show of overwhelming support. It was support perhaps not so much for her and her campaign and her policies as much as it was for finding a word that identified the weight each of us carries along this rocky road that has come to represent degradation and disregard for all but the wealthy. It’s clear that the latter has lost all regard for common decency and compassion and a most certain belief in an entity greater than any of us can even begin to imagine. The destruction of basic human rights is on the chopping block.
Enter capitulation: the action of surrendering or ceasing to resist an opponent or demand. Enter Trump and his minions. We all know who they are, so I will not waste anyone’s time with a reiteration of the list of well-knowns who continue to wreak havoc throughout the land.
Why is it that I’m suddenly reminded of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, even knowing that their appearance will most likely not materialize? But we can dream and we can hope, by making certain that we find ways to not surrender — capitulate — to the atrocities that will, most assuredly, continue for much too long.
Who will you emulate? Little John? Friar Tuck? Or the boldest of them all, Robin Hood? Perhaps, in order to fight the obvious evils among us we must be a bit of each — one of the good guys sprinkled with a fine coating of an outlaw, erring on the side of caution. It’s a fine line, so tread lightly but with intent.
Kathleen Jacobs is a West Virginia native and author living in New York.Â
