It’s been a while, and a lot has happened. I’m not sure what to say. Luckily, I don’t have fans that I know of, let alone fans who clamor for me to generate content to distract them from thinking about the scary reality around us.
In all actuality, I wish I could. Even I have actively sought distraction from facing it for too long. When I stop and seriously think about it, sadness gives way to depression that slips into despair, and no one wants to feel cornered because it is at that point thoughts become dark. That scares, or at least should scare, a normal person.
I do not know what to do in all honesty. I’ve sought advice from others, listened to lessons on human psychology, contemplated the worse, then I can’t take it any more and go play a video game or watch some of the best comedy in the world: 8 out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown, etc. In many ways British comedy is so much better than American comedy, but some shows like After Midnight and Have I Got News For You are trying to bring that style of comedy show to America like Whose Line is it Anyway tried. But I digress.
I now fear a lot of things. I fear my income will simply stop. I fear I’ll lose the house and struggle to keep my children fed and safe. I fear that because of their skin color, they’ll get snatched up in some kind of immigration raid or, worse, enslaved to replace the migrant workforce that currently gathers our nation’s crops. My fears become worse from there because the worst part is that I know it could happen; it has happened, and we failed to properly teach every generation since to keep it from happening, so here we are: looking down the barrel and feeling powerless.
The man who conned the judicial system and installed judges loyal to him, and controls the legislative system with fear will now be handed the football to nuke the next hurricane he hears about. The country that boasted itself as the hero that rescued Europe from a maniacal tyrant has just voted the next one into the most powerful office in the world. What one wanted has just been given to the next one.
I fear the death this will bring, the poverty, the oppression, and I fear the death it will take to give freedom back to the people. Liberty or Death. We can only have one, and the moment you take away anyone’s liberty, it will end in death. Maybe the oppressed, the oppressor, the resistant or the innocent, there will be death. The resulting river of death will relentlessly flow and rage until a lake of liberty is finally reached, but the river is long and that liberty will be filled with all the blood from those lost in the fight.
I know not when, how or what form it will take, but we are racing toward it with no one seemingly brave enough, strong enough to stop it. They fear the tyrant because they know what tyrants do, and they lack the courage to risk life for liberty.
There are already news reports of rampaging racists who feel embolden to publicly oppress others. This should be a siren, but some media want to appear to be non-biased so they don’t beat the drum while others activity oppress the truth. Keep the truth quiet so lies can be repeated. Journalism lost its way when balanced coverage meant putting lies next to facts. I’ll say some still try, but corporate controlled distribution nullifies the effect.
People believe what they are told. Enlightenment only comes from questioning and finding the why behind the story. I’m not talking so much about why events unfolded in the story the way they did; I’m talking about why the person said the story. Then ask why again and again and again. That’s true critical thinking; the trick is that everyone hides the true why, even from themselves. It is the hardest question to answer and the easiest to dismiss.
The rich and powerful don’t want you to know why they do what they do; they just want you to be on their side. But this isn’t a sports game in which one side loses, one side wins and everyone safely walks home while talking shit to one another. This is serious real life, and life is complex with no rules, anything goes. We either all win together or we all lose. That’s reality. Respecting everyone allows us to remain united and standing proud; fearing our neighbors, hating choices that don’t affect others and forcing others to submit to opinions divides us until we fall.
We must be kind to every one. You don’t have to believe what another person believes or make the same choices another person makes, but that does not prevent people from being kind. And if you can’t be kind, refuse to be kind and just harbor resentment and hate; the problem is you. Take a deep breath, be kind, and the world will change for you.
Or don’t; that’s your choice. After all, hate has always been the answer, just ask whatever god you believe in. (Note: If this sarcasm is lost, please re-read the penultimate (second to the last) paragraph. Thank you.)