Not exactly how I’d planned to start using this site, but…needs must.
OK, friends, listen up. Today, we celebrate. January 20, 2021. I’ll be the one with the smile and the kleenex. Waiting to say President Biden and Vice President Harris.
And it’s painful to write this, and burst anyone’s bubble. We won a very close thing. We didn’t defeat Hitler, the tides aren’t turned. We handed racism, greed, bigotry, and hate a setback – we did not defeat them.
The sun will come up tomorrow, and…
*QAnon is still going to be there.
*The Quiverful movement, with their goal to reproduce themselves into the majority will still be there.
*White supremacy will still be there, and they’ll still be emboldened by the fact that the rock has been turned over, and they KNOW that a portion of the country finds them acceptable.
*Subtle racism, sexism, bigotry in all forms is still there.
*Greed is still going to be there – the super rich aren’t going to go gently into that good night.
And at the end of all of it, there are many people who are afraid. They’re so afraid of losing what they have, of losing what their family and friends have scraped together, that any kind of CHANGE is frightening. They’re going to follow the message that tells them they can keep what they have…and that they’ll be safe from change.
In 2024, a new candidate will face President Biden. He – and there is NO doubt in my mind that he’ll be a white male – will NOT be a buffoon. He will not have a history of grift. He will not lie so openly that he can be fact checked into oblivion.
He’ll be cultured, and urbane. He’ll be congenial. He’ll appear conciliatory.
And…he’ll appeal to the ones who are frightened, and the ones who are afraid of change. He’ll appeal to the portion of 45’s base who voted for him originally for a single issue…and they didn’t vote FOR Biden, so much as against 45.
This tide could turn again.
*Our black and brown family will not be safe.
*Our LGBTQ family will not be safe.
*People fleeing oppression and tyranny, trying to save themselves and their families will not be safe.
We’re only as safe as ALL of us are safe, friends.
So, we celebrate. But we can’t put down our rifles, no plowshares here. The fight is just beginning. It doesn’t start in 2024, it doesn’t start in 2023. It starts now. Today. Tomorrow, January 21st, 2021.
Where do we begin? All around us. It’s on us, all of us, to say no. Enough. Call on the subtle racism that we see. Call out when someone uses a racist, homophobic, or other slur – it’s not acceptable.
Are you part of the hiring process in your company? Do you look and see nothing but white faces as far as you can see? Advocate for that to change. We’re better for more viewpoints, more diversity.
I’ve spoken at quite a few conferences – I’m the white chick. The chick part would have been novel once, now it’s not. Encourage conference organizers EVERYWHERE, in all fields, to share the mic. To seek out diverse speakers. And shell out a few bucks for those who may not be able to take on travel expenses and such. Quit giving us pens – give us more viewpoints.
Act locally. The race that I did the most research on was the local judges. Research your local candidates – including sheriffs and police departments. What do they stand for?
Contact your legislators at ALL levels. Let them know your views, and what is important to you.
Look to causes and candidates that you can support. Financially, physically, spreading the word.
Look out when you’re in public – going along to get along is what got us here, friends. Stand with those who need us – use your damn white privilege for something worth it.
I hope to never see a Wall of Moms again. I don’t want to hear that another black man called out for his mama as he died. Because he called, and I for one am pissed as hell.
I’m not perfect – not by a long shot. I can look at times in my past, and see when I did NOT stand up. When I did not say something. When I should have.
And I’ll make mistakes again. But I want 2024 to be different – I want US to be different. I want all of us to be safe, and all of our voices heard. I want the world to look at us with respect, not laughter and wincing.
And if we don’t quit going along to get along…2024 will show us a more polite and polished version of the racism, sexism, greed, and bigotry we are fighting against.
Join me? Will you stand up and work for something different?
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