Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

It has been a few weeks since I last published a post. We had a recent move and I had to regroup to center myself in our new home. I didn’t step away from the news though as there is just too much to stand up against right now.

During my hiatus from writing, I had time to just observe, process, and reflect on what is happening in our great country. I was able to just sit back without wondering what I might write next, and in some ways, from a distance that felt tethered to the realities without being surrounded by the realities.

What I observed is the country remains in chaos, with so much to absorb and keep up on, that we (a collective we) seem to be latching on to it can’t get worse, or all politicians are the same, or who has time for politics when I have to figure out how to feed my babies, keep a roof over their heads, and praying to God they don’t get sick since I can’t afford health coverage with no benefits at work where they only let me work 26 hours a week at both of my jobs.

Times are tough. But there really is only one party who is sticking it to us and turning us into indentured servants to our employers while also ensuring we can’t get ahead— the Republicans.

Republicans are taking away our safety net.

Republicans are cutting benefits and trying to starve children and families.

Republicans are taking away health care from the neediest among us.

Republicans are voting to give their own members millions of dollars.

Republicans are causing high prices on food, rent, mortgages, health care, gas, and the list goes on.

Republicans are allowing U.S. citizens, legal immigrants, and children to be abused, shot at, pepper sprayed, and deported illegally.

Republicans are allowing priests, pastors, elected officials, and the elderly to be pushed, shoved, shot in the head, arrested, and sometimes hospitalized, for peaceful protesting.

Republicans are allowing parts of the White House to be torn down and the rest of the People’s House to be desecrated with tacky gold and lettering.

Republicans are allowing the president to blow-up boats with, since no evidence has been given otherwise, fishermen trying to feed their families or earn a living.

Republicans are allowing the Qatar government to bring their own military personnel onto a U.S. base.

Republicans are allowing military personnel to terrorize cities on a daily basis.

Republicans are allowing billionaires to buy their fealty while the rest of us suffer.

Republicans are allowing the president to accept what most of us would call bribes from foreign countries.

Republicans are allowing the Russians (and other countries) to interfere with our elections, along with most likely, the billionaires to do so as well since they are now controlling voting machines without oversight.

Republicans, to top it all off, are allowing pedophiles to be protected and not brought to justice, full stop!

What are the collective we doing as a nation, almost nothing. We are going about our daily lives as if what happens in the Mayor’s office, the County office, the Sheriff’s office, the Statehouse, the Governor’s mansion, the U.S. Congress, and the White House doesn’t affect our daily lives.

As an example, I once had a fellow teacher tell me she had never voted because nothing politicians do affected her life (granted she was a white heterosexual married Christian woman, so they do affect her less than others, but affected her nevertheless). I let her know that as an educator, all elections affect her life. It affects how much she is paid, what curriculum she teaches, what tests are mandated, who hires the superintendent, and not the least of, who controls education funding. Elections at all levels matter.

Yes, I will fully admit that I am angry at many in the collective we right now. The collective we is doing what my mom used to say, “cutting off our nose’s despite our face.” We are sitting things out even as we see things getting worse around us.

If those of us who aren’t billionaires, and that is almost all of us, don’t start standing up as one, our country is doomed and the only ones who will win are the billionaires.

No matter the color or your skin, we must fight back together. No matter your gender, we must fight back together. No matter your sexual orientation, we must fight back together. No matter your job or your income, we must fight back together. No matter your religious beliefs, we must fight back together. No matter your political affiliation, we must fight back together. No matter your age, we must fight back together.

If you truly know right from wrong, if you truly believe in freedom, if you truly believe in democracy, we must fight back together!

You can no longer buy from Amazon and expect things to get better. You can no longer buy from Hobby Lobby and expect things to get better. You can no longer buy from Apple and expect things to get better. You can no longer buy from WalMart and expect things to get better. You can no longer buy from Target and expect things to get better. You can no longer support Hard Rock Cafe and expect things to get better. You can no longer support Tesla, Jimmy John’s, AT&T, PayPal, AirBnB, and many others and expect things to get better.

In reality, it is almost impossible to break away from everyone who is supporting the end of our freedoms, liberties, supports, and democracy. Too many corporations are, unsurprisingly, acting with profits in mind rather than what’s good for the country. They will act as we allow, which we do by supporting them financially. Which is where our power lies.

We may not be able to fully stop supporting these large corporations and their billionaire owners, but we can put a dent in their profits. We can voice our displeasure by going old-fashioned and paying with cash over credit cards. We can buy less from Amazon by forgoing some convenience and buying locally or from an online competitor (as aside, I’ve actually been able to find things cheaper outside of Amazon, get free shipping, and only wait a couple of extra days for by order to arrive). We can eat at the local mom and pop restaurant rather than McDonald’s, Papa John’s, or Arby’s. Buy furniture from someone other than Ashley Furniture. Buy groceries somewhere other than Publix Super Markets. Go to a Discount Tire competitor instead. If you buy jelly or bread, don’t buy Wonder Bread or Smucker’s. Stay away from Disney Land and Disney World. Vacation in a blue state. Small choices and minor inconvenience can go a long way (the app Goods Unite Us can help).

Sorry, but you (we) can no longer afford to sit this one out.

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I’ve often said we all need to be involved in saving democracy in the ways which fit our lives and our comfort levels. These can be blogging, reposting on social media, calling your elected officials, letters to the editor, donating to organizations, and/or marching in the streets. Nothing is too little or too much. Here are some ways to get involved whether from the comfort of your own homes, or on the streets, over the next few weeks:

Participate in the Mass Blackout of only shopping local (no big box stores and no large companies, such as Amazon, Apple, Target, WalMart, Home Depot; only shop with cash so the credit card companies can’t collect fees) starting on Black Friday, November 28, ending on Tuesday after Cyber Monday, December 1.

Sign up for General Strike and commit to participating.

Download the app Five Calls to help let your elected officials know you are paying attention and don’t approve. Website: https://5calls.org/ 

Join a local group of Indivisible.

Participate in the action items of 50501: 50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement.

Continue to boycott companies who have bent the knee or no longer believe in equality. Don’t buy from national chains or companies, such as Target, Amazon, Tesla, Walmart, Apple, Disney and any others who are bending the knee and capitulating to authoritarianism and the billionaire class.

Write letters to your local papers expressing your disappointment and tell your stories of how the Republican administration is harming our families.

Do something, anything, peaceful to fight back!