It was a year of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer, of Muslim bans and white supremacy, of presidential Twitter tantrums and brazen obfuscation, of Donald Trump and Roy Moore, of tax cuts for the rich and tax hikes for the poor, of environmental malice and governmental incompetence, of Puerto Rico left to languish and Utah national monuments opened for fossil fuel drilling, of the quickly cresting Russia investigation and the Republican efforts to shut it down, of censored language at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a callous attempt to kick transgender people out of the military, of nuclear standoffs and disinterested diplomacy, of Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, of norm-shattering in Congress and Fox News turning into a state propaganda outfit, of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history and zero response.
And that’s only part of it.
But as much as 2017 was a Year of Outrage, it was also a Year of Resistance, a year in which we took to the streets in response to the Trump administration’s bigotry and creeping authoritarianism, a year in which we protested en masse attacks on immigrants and refugees, a year in which we blanketed members of Congress with phone calls and emails begging them not to destroy our health care system, a year in which artists and musicians and chefs used their crafts to help marginalized populations, and a year in which women said “no more” to rampant sexual harassment and abuse.
And again, that’s only part of it.
We stand on the precipice of 2018, which is certain to be another roller coaster, culminating in critical mid-year elections and possibly fraught with constitutional crises that will necessitate us storming the streets once more. But for now, let’s reflect on the year that was.
In the INDY‘s last issue of 2017, we wanted to take one final look back at this Year of Resistance. Here you’ll find our writers discussing the stories and trends that mattered this year, while our photographers provide a visual narrative of the last twelve months.
For better or worseand truth be told, mostly worseit’s been a hell of a ride.
