Fahrenheit 11/9 - A Must See For ALL Americans

Holy smokes. I just saw Fahrenheit 11/9 last night, and I can't get it out of my head. And neither will you. Because you simply MUST see it. There's so much in it that hasn't been in the news, that you don't know about ... I honestly am still having a hard time shutting my jaw.

You might have a bias against Michael Moore, because you think he's slanted or bombastic or whatever, and he certainly can be (like when Trump's voice comes out of Hitler's mouth- but the point is made). But this one is equally critical about both sides of our government - and it SHOULD be. One talking head makes the point that we're still TRYING to be a Democracy, as how can you say we've been a Democracy when not everyone has even had the right to vote for very long. We're still working TOWARD a Democracy. And Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans sometimes.

I left this film with a whole different feeling toward Obama too. Did you know that he went to Flint, Michigan (Moore's hometown - it's personal), and they all thought he was coming to save the day and call their poisoned water a national disaster (with the funding that goes along with that), and he came to town and asked for a glass of water to drink to show that it was o.k (when it is literally killing people and making their babies' hair fall out from lead poisoning!)?! While sitting next to the absolute EVIL villain Michigan Governor Snyder?! Did you further know that after all they've suffered through, Flint citizens awoke one night to being BOMBED by our own U.S. Army - using their abandoned buildings as target practice - without telling anyone it was going to happen?!?! It looked like an Iraq style bombing. OUTRGEOUS. And the people of Flint are imprisoned there, because who's going to buy their homes so they can move? No one. It's enough to make you defect. But to WHERE? The whole world feels corrupt.

There are images and statements from the current Despot/President that make your skin actually crawl, and look for barf bags. Then, just as you're fully nauseous from that pig's face, you have to admit that it was the Democrats that put him in the White House. Some of us already knew that, because we tried with all we had to elect Bernie Sanders - who a thousand percent would have won. To watch the delegates (while people who previously thought their votes counted watched and sobbed) LIE and give Hillary Clinton the nomination from states that Sanders 100% won, was to watch corruption at the highest level - and the death of Democracy (that we barely even had yet). No wonder so many people didn't bother to vote - they were made to feel like their votes didn't matter anyway. I personally lost good friends over being for Sanders over Hillary (absurd), but now I feel like maybe I should have been the one to dump them over it. The Democrats blatantly CHEATED - and now we're all paying for it. On that note - we simply MUST abolish the Electoral College. It's outdated, and was created for slave states. The popular vote being allowed its victory would never have placed us in this situation ... going back at least to Gore.

People (including myself) were yelling at the screen. Laughing out loud. Crying out loud. Hissing. Booing. Clapping. Mortified. Inspired. Inspired because the PEOPLE really DO have the power, as demonstrated by the West Virginia Teachers' strike earlier this year, that had tears running down my face at how dedicated and in solidarity they all were. THAT is what it takes. And the marches. And the activists. And the young people getting involved. And the individuals that take a stand against all of this ... what a wonderful montage that one is. I wish Moore would have ended on that (it ends on a sad, but powerful note), so that we could keep the momentum of the PEOPLE in our hearts as we left the theater ... but you still can. I can't beg you hard enough to PLEASE SEE THIS MOVIE. And then PLEASE take whatever action you can personally, because that is what it is going to take. VOTE - that's the very least you can do. DEMAND the end to the Electoral College. SUPPORT new candidates that REALLY want to improve this country - and it's obvious who they are. Only then will we be able to rightfully claim that this big experimental country really IS a Democracy. Because it sure ain't right now. It's in our hands, and history will not be a kind judge if everyone just keeps looking at their phones and thinking they can't make a difference anyway. YOU. CAN.

PLEASE go see this outrageous (in the truest sense) film as soon as you can. Even if just so I can talk to you about it.

Fahrenheit 11/9 opens everywhere tomorrow.

The Incredible, Beautiful Women's March - Los Angeles!

The Women's March on Los Angeles took place on last Saturday, and it was one of the most incredible, beautiful experiences of my life. 750,000 women and the people who love them took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles to make our voices heard, to stand up for social justice for EVERYONE, and to show that we are all about love. My heart swells anew just thinking about that glorious day.

My friends and I had attended the Anti-Inaugural Ball with Prophets Of Rage the night before, and got a room at the Ace Hotel so we could stay over and not have to deal with getting into downtown the next morning. This turned out to be an extra-smart decision, as the lines to get on trains and buses were hours long, if you could get on at all. We got up to go down and have breakfast, and were delighted to see that the lobby was FULL of people dressed in pink and carrying their hilarious, pointed signs of protest and solidarity. It was already excellent before we even stepped out on to the sidewalk.

Our gang all met in the lobby, took some group photos, and then headed out to the start of the march at 6th and Hill streets. Before long, we were sandwiched in by several thousand people deep on all sides. The remarkable thing about the entire day was the love and support given and felt by everyone. It was extra polite, extra compassionate, and overwhelmingly wonderful all day long. It's not easy to stand in one place for so long, and the only complaints I heard all day had to do with full bladders. One guy in the crowd declared that on this day all bathrooms were for ladies first. Bless him.

We stood at Pershing Square and listened to speakers for so long (Venice's own Lydia Ponce among them!) that the  crowd began to chant, "Let's March, Let's March!" only to find out that we couldn't march forward at all because the City Hall area we were meant to be marching to was already full of thousands, so there was nowhere for us to go. Rivers of humanity began to branch off into all the streets and alleys, flowing as close as we could toward the general area of City Hall, chanting all the way.

The signs were so clever, witty, and creative that we were pointing them out and cracking up all day. Someone absolutely has to make a book of them all compiled, as one was better than the next. I loved the one that said "I'm with Her" and had arrows pointing out in a circle around it to all of us. There was so much solidarity and love flowing through the city, that I caught myself choking and tearing up about every five minutes or so. People shared their snacks, made way for people to get through, gave each other shirts and stickers and fun stuff, and generally smiled ear to ear in awe of it all. There are some who say marches don't matter, but to anyone who was there, they know better. We know that the entire world is watching, and that they saw who we really are on this wonderful day. That the good in us vastly outweighs the abysmal. That we will stand up and speak out against prejudice and hate. That love will always prevail and that the People will always have the Power. And the entire World had our back, showing out in nearly every country in solidarity, even down in the Antarctica!

My gang never got close enough to the City Hall stage to hear those celebrity speakers and bands, but I heard all about it, and it sounded cool, but we were more than happy to see the regular, everyday people all in it together. I was impressed at the number of men marching together in support, and particularly loved one young man who wore a jacket emblazoned on the back with "She Is We!" Amen. Awomen.

The day was exhausting, but spirits never once lagged. When starvation began to set in, and the sun began to set, we stopped into a pizza place to grab a slice to tide us over for the journey back home. It took forever, as most everything did on this day of the incredible turnout that no one could have expected. Once we got our slices (burnt, after twice asking about them), I heard a young, black man in line yelling that he wanted his money back, that he'd been ignored twice, and was not leaving until he got his money back. He was upset, and it was the first inkling of any bad mojo I saw or heard all day. That didn't sit right with me, so I went over and asked him if I could help. He went off, chest all high and amped up, about how he'd asked twice for his calzone and they were ignoring him because he was black, and he wanted his money back. I told him that we too had waited long and asked twice, and that it really had to do with how crazy busy the day was, and nothing to do personally with him, I was sure. He eased up a bit, and I told him that we're all in this together, and the message I took from the day most was that we all need to look out for each other now, more than ever. I hugged him, and when I pulled away, he looked a little teary, and said, "That was really brave." I didn't feel that way at all, I just really felt like we're all one. It's about time we start acting like we're just one race, the HUMAN RACE. I think we both walked away from it feeling a little better about it all.

That's what the entire day was about, really. Making us feel a little better about it all. Letting us know that the People hold the power. That Love will always trump Hate, every time. I truly hope you got to be at a March in whatever city you're close to, because it was one of the most beautiful examples of humanity that I've ever been a part of ... that the WORLD has ever been a part of. And it MATTERED.

Venice had a strong showing at the March, as I ran into friends all day, even in the crowd of nearly a million like-minded Los Angelenos. There was not a single arrest among 750,000 people gathered together in tight circumstances. I only saw one traffic officer all day. No one was hurt. It was all love, as you would expect from an event organized by and for Women. The torrential rain we're finally getting took a day off and gave us the brightest, bluest skied day possible, only to return to downpours the next. It felt divine, and as a friend of mine said, "God knows what She's doing."

Eternal thanks and love to all who came together for the outpouring of love and strength that was the largest protest march in American history. It doesn't stop here. We must stay vigilant. We must stay united. We must resist hate and prejudice wherever it rears its ugly head, and we've got our work cut out for us with that one, for sure. We must always act with love.

ONE LOVE!!!