Eleanor Davis's Blog

I have a new book coming out called “Why Art?” from Fantagraphics! I will be giving a presentation of the book in DC/NY/Montreal/Toronto in the upcoming week, please come!

COME TO MY BOOK RELEASE PARTY FOR YOU & A BIKE & A ROAD ON SUNDAY!!! Downtown Athens, GA, at the wonderful BIZARRO WUXTRY! 6/4 at4PM!!! SNACKS CRAFTS RAFFLE! (If you buy a book at the party before 5:30pm you’ll be entered in a raffle! 2nd prize is this beautiful bike bell!!!)

EDIT: WOW I got VERY SICK after TCAF! I’m rescheduling my book release party!
Please come! SUNDAY JUNE 4TH!! 4 PM!! The wonderful BIZARRO WUXTRY!

Last year I went on a solo bike tour starting from Tucson, Arizona & heading for Athens. I kept a comics diary during by trip & when I got back I expanded those scrappy drawings into a book. It’s called “You & a Bike & a Road,” & its out now from Koyama Press! Come hang out with me at the spectacular Bizarro Wuxtry in downtown Athens GA! There will be snacks, prizes, fun things to do!

Last year I went on a solo bike tour starting from Tucson, Arizona & heading for Athens. I kept a comics diary during by trip & when I got back I expanded those scrappy drawings into a book. It’s called “You & a Bike & a Road,” & its out now from Koyama Press! Come hang out with me at the spectacular Bizarro Wuxtry in downtown Athens GA! There will be snacks, prizes, fun things to do!

I did a poster for TCAF! I will be there in May with my new book, You, a Bike, and a Road from Koyama Press.

I am also auctioning off the original art (pictured above!) with all the proceeds going to the Southern Poverty Law Center. There’s no one more worth supporting. They’re on the ground fighting hate, teaching tolerance, standing against the snakes. It’s a big beautiful watercolor & color pencil piece. 18″ x27″, on heavy 300lbwatercolor paper. If you have the means, you love art & hate fascism, consider it! 

I wrote a thing abt my experience as a first-time citizen lobbyist for Athens For Everyone! Jokes, thoughtful nugs, etc

Thousands of people were at the Atlanta airport Sunday protesting the Muslim ban. It was peaceful but because there were so many protestors, it was also disruptive. Muslim+black+brown+asian+white+etc etc etc folks; all genders, all ages, were there. Protestors were joyful & screaming. It was a defiant, furious show of support & love. We are in a time where showing love is a radical thing.

Whites make up only 63% of America. White hegemony is unsustainable. These conservative policies aren’t coming from a position of strength. I believe these are the last desperate attacks of a weak, scared, desperate thing. They don’t have the numbers. They don’t have the power.

Folks are scared. Me too. But not when I’m at a protest!!! When I’m protesting I feel great!! To put it in the language of our people: protesting is a form of self-care.

Lawmakers are watching these protests. It will affect if they’re emboldened to fight against Trump, or made scared of cooperating w/ him. Trump & Bannon are going to tell America to be fearful. They are going to say protesters are crazy, anarchists, a risk to national security.

PLEASE PROTEST. If you’re “safe” seeming: white, older, female, cis femme: I believe we have the RESPONSIBILITY to protest. If the frightened parts of America sees people who look like them protesting they will be less likely to believe that protestors are the enemy. It’s wrong that the Women’s March is seen as “peaceful” while BLM is seen as “dangerous.” This is racism. It’s also the reality we live in.

If you’re white, support PoC at protests. Every time you put your body out there it screws over these white supremacist assholes. Dangerous maniacs are running our huge, complicated, hopeful, monstrous, precious country. The tools you & I have to fight with are simple.

Don’t be silent, don’t stay home. Come together, find one another. Not all battles are winnable but this one is. They are not strong.

There will be more protests.
Join a group to keep you updated.
Buy posterboard & markers.
Get your body out on the streets.

<3

Here is a shortened version of a letter I just sent to my conservative uncle. I am not an expert in politics, race, or communication, but I wanted to speak to him as best I could from the common ground we do share, using words I hope he will be able to hear.

Sending love. Don’t give up.

Dear Uncle, it meant a lot to me to talk to you last week. I believe you are breathtakingly wrong on almost every single issue, but of course our underlying concerns are the same: we want good lives for our loved ones, and for Americans, and for human beings in general. We want people to be good to one another. We want things to be fair. We want as many people as possible to live in dignity, health and safety, with access to as much happiness as this often cruel world will allow.

Why have we come to such different conclusions about how this could come about? I think it’s partially because we have a fundamentally different idea of what our world looks like now. Our sources for news hardly overlap, and we both think the other’s preferred media outlets are biased & inaccurate. That can make discussion seem impossible. I’m sure you feel the same frustration. This is a challenge we have to face when talking together. 

Why does Trump’s election disturb me so much? Policy-wise, I suspect another republican would have supported most of the same things Trump will. I profoundly disagree with, but am used to: financial deregulation, social conservatism, funding cuts to & privatization of government institutions, rollback of environmental protections, shrinking of social safety nets, tax cuts many consider unnecessary, etc etc etc. Beyond that, I think Trump lacks the competency or temperament for the job, that he’s morally bankrupt, that he lies, & that he’ll use the office for personal gain. The thought that he will be this country’s Commander In Chief is a grim one.

A weird thing about Trump is he’s crappy in ways I had thought most of America agreed on: he’s vulgar & vain & mean & often incoherent, he’s disrespectful of POWs, etc. I don’t think that personality stuff is more important than the policy stuff, but it makes his popularity feel very bizarre.

There are many other more serious issues. The way Trump treats & talks about women is one, his VP’s policies towards gay Americans is another. I am afraid his belief that global warming isn’t real poses an existential threat for humanity. But the thing that is most heartbreaking to me about Trump’s popularity, and his election, is how it will affect non-white folks living in America.

In Trump’s speeches & his rhetoric about Muslims and Mexicans, I see a man talking to majority white audiences and telling them that their complex economic worries, & their fears of violence & discord, can all be blamed on a convenient other. I see him say that America’s problems will go away if this other goes away, through deportations and building walls. I see how his audience reacts when he says these things. Now he’s chosen Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, Lt. Gen Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser, and Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist. As you know, Sessions was declined a position on the federal court in 1986 because of his statements to and about Black Americans, & his biased handling of civil rights issues. Flynn calls Islam “a cancer” - here is a video he posted on social media. And you are familiar with the kind of articles published by Breitbart.

Do you think Trump’s campaign, and the people he is inviting in to the White House, are going to bring us closer to our mutual hope for good, dignified, safe lives for all Americans? Do you think they will help us to see one another as human beings, who have been made by and are loved by God?

Do you remember how non-white people could be treated in this country, legally, just half a century ago? Do you really believe those old ways are safely behind us forever?

America is a diverse country and that is not going to change. I’m scared for the people living here who are not white. I believe they have never been given an even playing field - economically, educationally, politically, or within the criminal justice system. They’ve been denied this even playing field while we told them, and each other, that we were living in an egalitarian, post-racial society. If they haven’t thrived on this uneven playing field it’s been held against them, and sited as proof of their inferiority. Now I believe we will have a president who will not serve them and who will actively work to undermine them. I am scared their lives will get worse; possibly much worse.

I believe that in supporting him you’ve made a terrible mistake.

Thank you for listening. I don’t think I’ll convince you of anything - I wanted to ease my own conscience, and I believe that if there is going to be a United States in the future then nieces and uncles and grandparents and cousins and neighbors are going to need to come together and talk about this stuff. I love you. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

Your niece, eleanor

Here is a shortened version of a letter I just sent to my neo-con uncle. I am not an expert in politics, race, or communication, but I wanted to speak to him as best I could from the common ground we do share, using words I hope he will be able to hear & understand.

Sending love. Don’t give up.

Dear Uncle, it meant a lot to me to talk to you last week. I believe you are breathtakingly wrong on almost every single issue, but of course our underlying concerns are the same: we want good lives for our loved ones, and for Americans, and for human beings in general. We want people to be good to one another. We want things to be fair. We want as many people as possible to live in dignity, health and safety, with access to as much happiness as this often cruel world will allow.

Why have we come to such different conclusions about how this could come about? I think it’s partially because we have a fundamentally different idea of what our world looks like now. Our sources for news hardly overlap, and we both think the other’s preferred media outlets are biased & inaccurate. That can make discussion seem impossible. I’m sure you feel the same frustration. This is a challenge we have to face when talking together. 

Why does Trump’s election disturb me so much? Policy-wise, I suspect another republican would have supported most of the same things Trump will. I profoundly disagree with, but am used to: financial deregulation, social conservatism, funding cuts to & privatization of government institutions, rollback of environmental protections, shrinking of social safety nets, tax cuts many consider unnecessary, etc etc etc. Beyond that, I think Trump lacks the competency or temperament for the job, that he’s morally bankrupt, that he lies, & that he’ll use the office for personal gain. The thought that he will be this country’s Commander In Chief is a grim one.

A weird thing about Trump is he’s crappy in ways I had thought most of America agreed on: he’s vulgar & vain & mean & often incoherent, he’s disrespectful of POWs, etc. I don’t think that personality stuff is more important than the policy stuff, but it makes his popularity feel very bizarre.

There are many other more serious issues. The way Trump treats & talks about women is one, his VP’s policies towards gay Americans is another. I am afraid his belief that global warming isn’t real poses an existential threat for humanity. But the thing that is most heartbreaking to me about Trump’s popularity, and his election, is how it will affect non-white folks living in America.

In Trump’s speeches & his rhetoric about Muslims and Mexicans, I see a man talking to majority white audiences and telling them that their complex economic worries, & their fears of violence & discord, can all be blamed on a convenient other. I see him say that America’s problems will go away if this other goes away, through deportations and building walls. I see how his audience reacts when he says these things. Now he’s chosen Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, Lt. Gen Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser, and Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist. As you know, Sessions was declined a position on the federal court in 1986 because of his statements to and about Black Americans, & his biased handling of civil rights issues. Flynn calls Islam “a cancer” - here is a video he posted on social media. And you are familiar with the kind of articles published by Breitbart.

Do you think Trump’s campaign, and the people he is inviting in to the White House, are going to bring us closer to our mutual hope for good, dignified, safe lives for all Americans? Do you think they will help us to see one another as human beings, who have been made by and are loved by God?

Do you remember how non-white people could be treated in this country, legally, just half a century ago? Do you really believe those old ways are safely behind us forever?

America is a diverse country and that is not going to change. I’m scared for the people living here who are not white. I believe they have never been given an even playing field - economically, educationally, politically, or within the criminal justice system. They’ve been denied this even playing field while we told them, and each other, that we were living in an egalitarian, post-racial society. If they haven’t thrived on this uneven playing field it’s been held against them, and sited as proof of their inferiority. Now I believe we will have a president who will not serve them and who will actively work to undermine them. I am scared their lives will get worse; possibly much worse.

I believe that in supporting him you’ve made a terrible mistake.

Thank you for listening. I don’t think I’ll convince you of anything - I wanted to ease my own conscience, and I believe that if there is going to be a United States in the future then nieces and uncles and grandparents and cousins and neighbors are going to need to come together and talk about this stuff. I love you. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.

Your niece, eleanor

I just called my senators & congressman & asked them to make public statements that they oppose Trump’s appointment of Steve Bannon as his Chief of Staff.

Here’s what I said:
“Is Senator _________ aware of Bannon’s ant-semitic comments, and that he is supported by white supremacist groups like the KKK?”
“Well, I know that Senator ___________ is as appalled by ant-semitism & white nationalism as I am. I encourage him to publicly state his disapproval of Bannon, making it clear that extremists like him have no place in public office. I look forward to hearing his statement.”

Then I ask if they need my zip so they know I am a constituent.

WHAT GOOD WILL THIS DO:

Conventional wisdom is that 1 phone call to a congressperson represents 50 unheard voters. We need to let our politicians know we are mobilized.

We need to make it clear to conservatives that siding with Trump is going to be a political risk for them. Many Trump voters don’t actually love Trump, and republicans know that. They are on shakey ground. We need to drive a wedge within their party.

If by some miracle we stop Bannon’s appointment it will make for a saner 4 years. It will also be a symbol of Trumps weakness. Trump followers hate weakness. It will make him lose face.

If you have a progressive congressperson: Let them know they have your support in speaking out, or your gratitude if they’ve already done so. You can email them or write if you don’t want to overwhelm their phone lines.

Be nice to the person you’re talking to. They are aides.

SAVE YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE’S NUMBERS IN YOUR PHONE. YOU WILL BE CALLING THEM A LOT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

GEORGIA PEOPLE: These are our senators, and the rep for GA district 10:

Senator Isakson
Local office: 770-661-0999
DC office: 202-224-3643

Senator Perdue
Local Office: 404-865-0087
DC Office: 202-224-3521

Congressman Hice (GA district 10)

Local Office: 770-207-1776

DC Office: 202-225-4101