Enemy of the State
ME, little ol' me, a threat? No, no, no. I am a FORCE.
**I ask you for some grace if any of this piece comes off as harsh, unfortunately I fear with honesty, sometimes, comes harsh realities.
I will start by saying I know I am far from alone in being, what we will call awake1 for the sake of ease. I have been inspired by so many before me and that surround me now and I am forever grateful for their guidance and teachings.
Now I will say, sometimes it feels like I am isolated in my thinking where I am geographically. In North East Ohio.
Thank fuck for the internet.
Also, it has showed me how many who have had the same privilege as me, have chosen the “out of sight out of mind” mentality when it comes to…well our existence beyond ourselves.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you can surmise that the change of administration in my country has been rather…overstimulating and disheartening. Not only is the news constant, so is the processing, the conversation, the worry of “talking about it all too much”, the guilt of it still not being as bad as other places in the world, the reminder of how little power we have on this huge spinning ball in the sky.
I oscillate between fear and anger. Wanting to curl up and stare at the wall and wanting to scream in the faces of all who voted for Mr. Trump. Mostly though, I just want to talk. I want to talk and talk.
Everyone seems to be exhausted, fair. Or…not awake. Which is frustrating. So I will write, and if you wish you can read.
There is duality to it being difficult here but it also being unimaginable elsewhere. I am writing that reminder for myself, perhaps you need it too.
Palestinians are still being murdered daily by Israel. Child miners in the Congo continue to be exploited. Los Angeles families are facing devastating crisis following fires that stole neighborhoods and futures.
These problems feel so huge that we can never have an impact, I just want to remind you, us, that we can. By having conversations about how things are here. By connecting the dots. By seeing that the mother’s dying in Gaza are the same mothers dying in Texas. They are also the same mother that brought their child home in Melbourne.
We are all one, honey bunny. It is time to accept that. Our pain, our struggles, our love & joy are all the same. Different, yes. But also the same. Two things can be true.
My brother in law and I would have hated each other in 2016. We may have been civil due to familial obligations, but I know I would have judged him. He has admitted the same.
In 2016, I was an avid Bernie fan. I had set aside any religious ties or obligations. I abhorrently hated Donald Trump.
In 2016, Mason was a MAGA and evangelical christian guy.
Today, he is one of my best friends. One of the few people I trust with my child. He’s one of my heroes— a huge part of that is because of his growth from who he was, to he is. It’s a lot like my growth from who I was. But opposite, kinda.
We are just a couple of commie bastards ready to make America red! True enemies of the state. Hilarious how true this is in America. Hilarious that the average American views Socialism as the enemy…Oh sweet little Americans, can’t you see if you just opened your eyes a bit more that THE AMERICAN DREAM IS A LIE TO KEEP YOU A SLAVE. Pardon my volume.
Mason is the reason I have hope that the others, on all sides or teams, could “see the light”. He found his way from hatred to love, just like me. I don’t hate Donald Trump, he makes my heart unbelievably sad. Maybe some would think that is radical to say, but I have been working hard to remove hate. Doesn’t mean I replaced it with tolerance either.
In these passed couple of months Mason and I have heavily relied on each other to keep our hope alive in regards to people waking with us. If we can, anyone can! Right?
Just the other day Mason asked me if I thought it was just his algorithm or if I think people are actually starting to see it. I think that conversation gave me more hope than anything has in a very long time. Mason and I represent medians of two different pools of the rational American, or so we like to think. So if our algorithms are showing it maybe just maybe it is happening.
And yet, and yet, the ones in charge, the “kings” as they like to be called, continue on. They continue their relentless reign and continue to build their regime. They no longer hide it. They “s*** heil” at the end of their speeches. The White House posted an “ASMR” video of immigrants being deported, while an immigrant gains access to sensitive and personal financial information of all Americans. “Trump Gaza” was possibly the most disgusting thing I have witnessed in my life.
Yet, they continue. They continue to hate and get away with it.
Yet, when us rational people question them we are told that we are in fact the ones who are full of hatred. We are unforgiving and cruel.
Only one team is trying to erase humans.
Here is something that may sound strange to read so bear with me, humor me, if you will.
Growing up I loved being white. Not because “I was white” but because it felt like it meant I was a white board. These are child thoughts remember. I used to imagine, while we learned about all different cultures and peoples, my skin getting covered with the lessons of culture from all those around me. I imagined traveling the world and experiencing, learning it all. Tasting every cuisine this world has to offer. Trying all the fashion!
I am an adult now, I can see how indoctrinated of a world view that is. To have the privilege to have one’s own culture, alone, and then to also be able to explore and share culture is unheard of for many. I see how that was colonization, colonized in my mind. I see how what we were really being taught a lot of the time was that we had a “right” to experience all culture because of our skin color. Because all other culture was exotic and ours was the “normal”.
The funny thing is I cannot think of a less cultured group than Americans. Present company included.
I can see the sentiment behind a desire to admire and appreciate culture, of course. The line between cultural appropriation and appreciation are much thinner than I saw when I was young. Or maybe, there isn’t a line at all. The whole thing is so much more complex structure and to minimize it into a 2D idea is asinine.
Apply the above logical to all socioeconomic discussions.
The answer feels simple though.
Be kind.
Is your plan going to take healthcare away from millions? Maybe trash it.
Does it involve dehumanizing an entire gender of people simple because of your own inability to see passed your penis? Try again, Bud.
Perhaps, if things play out your way you and all of your rich friends get richer, while children starve? Then your plan is shit.
Don’t use cruel words. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Be fair. Make sure everyone has firsts before you ask for seconds. Return your mother fucking shopping carts.
Why is it that the world is being run by people who would be unable to pass a kindergarten manners test? How do you get to be bad, so blatantly bad, and still be constantly rewarded? Which leads me to ask— why bother being good?
I think that’s what they want us to ask. They want us to feel defeated and useless. They want us so overwhelmed that we freeze, unable to figure out a place to start, let alone organize. They want so badly for us to forget the most important part of being human in this world.
Connection.
There is nothing we can’t do if we come together. Also, when we come together and are open, we find that we really are all the same. We are all one. So we all have to stick this out together.
We have to. We cannot let the hate win. The love will over come.
A friend of mine recently reminded me that if I am not feeling hopeful, I probably need to get more involved with my community. My friend is a genius and I am lucky to get to love them. Below are some links for some communities to get involved with if you are feeling hopeless! Remember, the only failure is ignorance.
"Abortion Everyday" Newsletter
Party for Liberation and Socialism
Conscious to the truths of the class war, our impact as United States citizens (both now and in our history) on the world, and our responsibility to make amends— as not defined by us, the U.S.
“Why is it that the world is being run by people who would be unable to pass a kindergarten manners test?” Viscerally honest…Thankyou for your courage to think above the mess