To the Editor:
Re “After the Women’s March” (column, Jan. 24): David Brooks fails to see that Donald Trump’s rallying cry of “Make America Great Again” is identity politics. White identity politics. Make America Great Again was a campaign promise to Mr. Trump’s largely white base that he would restore us to a time when white identity was at the head of the American power structure.
Mr. Brooks rightly points out that protests have been effective for civil rights issues, but dismisses their possible effectiveness here. What are equal rights for women but civil rights issues?
He then suggests that effective change comes from inside government. We are aware of that, and Emily’s List was front and center at the march. So don’t worry about us, Mr. Brooks, we will have our “mass therapy” and run for office, too.
Perhaps the biggest of all of Mr. Brooks’s misconceptions is that patriarchy isn’t the problem. When you have a group of men in a room witnessing someone who inserted the word “pussy” into our common vernacular sign away access to health care for women around the world, patriarchy is the problem.
Our pink hats might not suit Mr. Brooks’s notion of what patriotism should look like, but I prefer to see them as a symbol that we’ve woken up and won’t stand for even subtle displays of sexism without making ourselves known.
XOCHITL GONZALEZ
Brooklyn
To the Editor:
While I generally agree that identity politics is too limiting to deal with the larger threats of a Trump presidency, the sheer size of the march shows that it was not simply about identity politics but was instead about mass revulsion in response to Donald Trump’s bullying, unstable character and Orwellian disregard for the truth. In fact several of the people in the group I marched with are conservative and have historically voted Republican.
The key now is not to become complacent in the face of an administration using terms like “alternative facts” with a straight face. Coming together to acknowledge unacceptable behavior is the first step.
JENNIFER ROFF
New York
To the Editor:
There is not a person I know who attended a march who is not already following up with practical action. We were fortified and inspired by the sheer numbers, true kindness and striking diversity of all the people who joined us on Saturday.
Thanks for the mansplaining, David Brooks, but we got this … and pussy hats in formation are just the start.
JULIE MARKOFF
Long Branch, N.J.
To the Editor:
David Brooks misses the boat in his condescending critique of the Women’s March. For most people who participated, the march was not an end in itself. Rather, it was Day 1 of ongoing political action that will mobilize the time, energy and resources of women and men across the United States to counter the Trump/Republican agenda in every way possible.
Women of all colors and backgrounds are a huge untapped resource. If some of us are well off, we can provide time and money that will be needed to fight the retrogressive policies that are quickly being forced down our throats. If some of us have experience with political organizing, we can teach others how to work most effectively to promote our alternative agendas. If some of us have personal stories to share, we can tell them so that others will recognize and identify with our humanity, and be inspired to join our cause.
The Trump campaign showed us that rallies that whip up enthusiasm from followers can be extremely effective in garnering media attention, which, in turn, contributes to shaping public opinion that eventually translates into votes. Let’s learn from that experience: We need to engage the hearts, as well as the minds, of our compatriots if we are to regain control of our ship of state.
RUTH B. GOLDSTON
Princeton, N.J.
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