It's Duplessis time in America.
As in Maurice Duplessis, the backward and corrupt premier of Quebec (1936-1939 and 1944-1959). Get to know this dude: He was a true harbinger of Trump.
He was anti-union, pro-"family values," anti-women's rights, pro-Catholic Church, anti-secularism, anti-social services, anti-city and pro-rural yahoos. In 1936 he put a crucifix on the wall of the provincial assembly. (It's still there, but perhaps not for long). The only schools he supported were Catholic. For some reason, he hated Jehovah's Witnesses. He also demonized his Liberal Party opponents. (We kid you not. He literally implied they were from hell.) His reign earned the nickname "La Grande Noirceur" — The Great Darkness.
But there's a happy ending. After Duplessis checked out from a heart attack in 1959, Quebec turned away from autocracy and ushered in The Quiet Revolution — throwing off the oppressive policies of the Church and moving toward the diverse, secular society that it is today. (One caveat: Nationalists in Canada have tried to rehabilitate Duplessis's image. Don't let them, True Northerners.)
Which brings us to today. In the United States — with children in cages, healthcare threatened, the Iran deal scrapped, a Muslim ban in place, NATO in the cross-hairs, women's rights under siege, climate change ignored, corruption rampant, Russia interfering, the rule of law flouted, the judiciary stuffed with Neanderthals, Trump on the rampage and the GOP complicit — we've entered our own Great Darkness.
Yep, it's really, really, really dark. But we can't wait for anyone to come along and save us — we have to do it ourselves. We have to register, run, donate, canvass, vote and win.
Next year, let's have our own revolution — and not a quiet one, either. We cats PURR.
(PHOTO: Johan Ferret)
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