stuff&things

Thoughts on the State of Things

I’ve been trying to write some thoughts about everything happening and I’m sure like many of you I find it all at times all-consuming and suffocating. As others have have shared elsewhere, some of that is by nature at the US Federal level; some of it in the tech (and others) world is a manifestation of the centrist mindset, “Both ‘sides’ are a problem; we’re neutral.”

To be clear: neutrality is a political statement.

The choices in the current US menu are 1) a side that wants to work towards making life better for everyone as imperfect as they may be at it or 2) authoritarianism and fascism. The “both sides” argument typically boils down to neither side being “civil” in their disagreements and wanting to bring back some bipartisanship. First, there is quite literally nothing civil about fascism and authoritarianism. It is their structure to be uncivil - the bending of the will of the people until it breaks. Second, I don’t want bipartisanship with fascism and authoritarianism. Some of you have seen the meme of “meeting halfway” where the line is constantly moved. Authoritarians operate in that manner and the GOP in the US in general has done that over the past 20+ years. Compromise happens under good faith and the GOP ran out of most forms of true faith years ago. Neutrality in the face of this is a political statement.

But … but … but …

But let’s dissect something else in the US and that is largely the Democrats muted response to what is happening. There are some speaking out (AOC, Bernie Sanders, etc. etc.). But largely it’s been: THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE SEND MONEY. I have spoken to a lot of Dems and a good chunk of them are sick of the calls for donations when there’s little evidence of any response, coordinated or otherwise.

Of course we hear the arguments from some Dems, mostly centrists, that the Dems can’t do anything because they’re out of power. I’ve said this before, probably on Mastodon somewhere, but what did they do when they were in power? They held all branches of government at one point and did not codify abortion rights, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, civil rights, and the list goes on and on. So that we expect anything from them out of power I guess may be shame on us? That’s not to say Dems have always been even good on this front. We (should) know the history of the US on rights: “All* men are created equal. *Please see pages 14 through 28 for exceptions to this.” As George Carlin said, “Rights aren’t rights if someone can take them away,” and there are a lot of people in this country going back centuries that were never “given” them in the first place. I quote it because I think I’d amend his quote that, “Rights aren’t rights if someone believes they can give them to someone.”

And as a friend recently pointed out, the GOP out of executive power, voted time and time and time again to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Not because they knew it would succeed – well, the vote anyway. But they knew the power of the message to their base: we’re doing something about it even if we don’t have the votes.

And the base ate it up.

Dems nationally also need to stop blaming everyone else for their failures. It wasn’t supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that lost the election. It wasn’t supporting immigrants that lost the election. It wasn’t speaking up about Gaza that lost the election (because most didn’t anyway). It was a messaging catastrophe and backing a candidate that should not have run in the first place. If people keep telling you prices are high and your response is, “BEST ECONOMY EVER,” you’re going to piss those people off. (I won’t debate today whether some people used egg prices to mask their racism and xenophobia because that’s not really a debate.)

Ok?

The opposition party today sits mostly on their hands at the national level. Thankfully there are other organizations out there using the levers available, primarily the judicial system, to fight back. There are groups organizing protests and rallies in the face of the encroaching authoritarianism. I also still contend that the local level is where the immediate action happens. Run for something, anything. Start taking back the local offices that will help enact some of the Federal executive orders (think Dept. of Education orders and who controls your school board).

And at the local level we can work directly to protect vulnerable communities from immigrants to trans people. Your non-profits and mutual aid organizations work locally. Find out what they need. Sometimes it’s just time; sometimes it’s money or supplies. But they’re usually happy with whatever you can give.

The next few years will not be easy. And there is no lightswitch that will turn this all off at the next election. Whatever’s been done will take time, who knows how long, to unravel and rebuild. Take care of and build trust with your community and some of that rebuilding will be smoother. Be realistic.

That’s enough

It’s ok to breathe, too, and sit in silence. And it’s ok to yell into a paper bag. Be mad; be angry; be hurt. It’s ok to be paralyzed by everything on some days, too. But it’s also ok to laugh and enjoy things as well. Keep your humanity close. Love your trans brothers and sisters and immigrant families, and everyone who makes this world a beautiful and special place. It’s still it out there. I know it’s hard to see it.