There’s an article circulating from Counterpunch by Margot Kidder titled “My Fellow Americans: We Are Fools.” Kidder is the actress best known as Lois Lane in “Superman” opposite Christopher Reeve.

The very emotional article was written after watching the DNC convention & reflects the disgust most progressives felt watching war mongering, rightwing political figures like Leon Panetta & Michael Bloomberg cheered by thousands of delegates. Kidder regrettably conflates that stadium of political hacks with all of the American people so her article is a sustained reproach to the rest of us, as if most of us shared a damn thing with the trained seals clapping their asses off like fools.

In fact, polls continually show the overwhelming lack of trust most of us have in Clinton & in the DNC. For decades, the majority of eligible voters in the US haven’t even bothered to register. Polls also show a majority of Americans oppose US wars even though they are not mobilizing against them. Partly that reflects the disunity of the antiwar movement & not just lethargy on the part of Americans.

We live in tough times. Screw that Chinese proverb about crises being opportunities. They’re hell to endure. But giving up on the human race is not an option. Historically, we in the US have proven to be slow on the uptake, conservative in acting. But our history also shows decisiveness once we get off our political asses.

Misanthropy doesn’t serve political action or social transformation. Kidder can say she’s Canadian & wants no part in all this but those of us who believe social change is necessary & possible don’t indulge defeatism or contempt for our fellows. That isn’t how things get changed.