I hate to say this, but as a black female born in the US I have been subjected to the hate and racial discrimination my entire life. You are never not reminded that you are not a white person and that you don't have equal standing. So when I saw Kamala Harris was chosen for the Democratic candidate, I was shocked. I knew what she was up against. I had serious doubts that the country would elect a black woman. I hoped it was possible, and I was even excited about the possibility. But, I had lived the reality. I have been passed up for 10 years for promotions that were given to less qualified white men. I know how Kamala feels.
But, I was still shocked that America chose the most narcissistic man that has ever walked this earth because he is a white man. It is appalling.
It's just one more disappointment that minorities have to endure living in this country. The only difference is all of the subtlety of racism and misogyny has been replaced with blatant and emboldened hate displayed in public for everyone to see.
I took the loss very hard because it felt like all the difficulties I have faced personally were playing out on the national stage. And then to go to work and hear Trumpers gloat about the fact that they won is really all too much.
But many people ignore the truth about the founding of this country. It was built on white supremacy and black oppression. It is baked into our DNA. Trumpers have just been more upfront about it and are now embracing it.
This election has made me much less inclined to sugar coat my criticisms of this country since they're now so clearly out in the open. Your response was very much like that of my wife. I was the foolish one for thinking this would be the pivot point that would change the world in our lifetime. We still have to work for that point. Thanks for your thoughtful comment Sarah!
Harris and a Democratic congress would have been a bandaid on a cancer. Now we have to look the cancer in the face, which we hoped we wouldn’t have to do. Our society is sick. It’s destroying the natural world and the beings that inhabit it. We have to face how deeply wrong and twisted it is and how we participate in it, and how abnormal all the systems and thought forms that support it are. Tinkering around the edges just puts off the reckoning that’s coming. The next four years are going to be tragic and chaotic and nasty, but maybe we will start to rebuild our culture along little islands of kindness, interrelationship and beauty. If not, we’re done.
The Democrats didn't put try to put a banbaid over the cancer, they were fighting against it. Trump is the cancer and the Republicans have allowed the cancer to matastisize and having been feeding it for the past 10 years with misinformation and lies. Now the cancer will spread across the country with no gaurd rails. You assume this will only happen for 4 years. How quickly you forget that he encouraged an insurrection last time he was voted out. He already told his supporters, "If you vote for me, it's the last time you'll never have to vote again."
Hello? Is anyone else paying attention???
The systems that we complain about now will be burned to the ground. We will be left with chaos and destruction. Trump and his cronies will loot government coffers and rip the social safety nets out from underneath the old and vulnerable.
I see no silver lining in any of this. We are already doomed.
Yes, it could be the end of our democracy, that’s a possibility, although we’re not Germany in the ‘30’s. I think the vision of American culture needs to be larger than liberal/conservative as Americans define it. It need to be more along the lines of compassionate/ uncompassionate or generous/ greedy. Americans are detached from nature and the web of life more than any other culture I’ve lived in, which, if it were the size of Switzerland wouldn’t be a problem, but we’re a giant on the world stage. That’s a serious issue. In my view, Republicans are only part of the cancer.
Thank you for this beautiful conversation. I too have brought these points up to people I thought were better than they really are. Such disappointment as they are now lost friends and lost family. These people either don't want to know, think the earth is flat or just don't care. History be damned. It makes me disgusted.
I agree, we are disconnected from nature. The problem is the country is built on greed and oppression. It's just become more blatant over time. It's at an all time high. And I fear we're not much better than the Germans in the 30s because Trump has used Hilter's words to demonize immigrants. And if he does go through with using the military to deport people and build detainment facilities, we are looking at a lot of potential violence.
I hope this is true. This is my husband's point of view (and I have a great deal of respect for it, and for him) ... that we need to "live through it" in order for people to understand, and in 2016-2020 we only got a small "taste" of what Trump & MAGA really wanted to accomplish.
Now, we'll experience it. I don't know, however, given the apathy and disinformation that so's pervasive, that we will be able to right the ship.
This is the one idea that keeps hope flowing for me, and the one area which I can find gratitude for what has taken hold. We could have done this the easy way, but we have chosen the most difficult path. Oy.
Is that what I feel? Betrayal? Having experienced that sense only once in recent memory, I am not sure. I do know my trust in my fellow Americans is weakened and I doubt it will regain strength in my lifetime.
I truly expected this country to improve. Instead, it degrades before my eyes. Is the constant propaganda to blame? Is the constant distraction pushed on us from various sources at fault? Is the involvement in casual cruelty withering our sense of connection to other human beings?
Betrayal. It seems to be a numbing experience. Shutting down or off is preferable to the perpetual state of rage I feel when considering what will run this nation into the ground for the foreseeable future. Why we are relinquishing the nation to rogues, thieves, criminals is something I will never comprehend. This is beyond hate of others. This is a death wish come true.
You sound resigned to the new horrible reality we all live with in. I’m not there yet. My anger has subsided a little but I’m afraid of the future and I think justifiably so. We can’t sugar coat the new reality or mask it over with bandages. Sometimes I sit and stare into space - numb…completely numb, waiting to wake up from this insane dream. I’m working on it as hard as I can…but I’m just not there yet.
I'm not really resigned to the misery, I'm still trying to figure out ways to combat it. But I am resigned to the fact that we're facing an enormous battle. There's a huge amount of work to be done. I don't think I've ever written as much as I have in the month since the election. Strength to you Deborah! We'll keep supporting each other!
I have come to realize that my profound disappointment shouldn’t have been a surprise .. I have learned to focus on the people closest to me, making sure that our love for each other is true and honest. I have discovered false friends, quietly casting them aside. Now I work on my loneliness, while holding zero expectations of those in the BIG world .. I am beginning to form a refreshingly accurate picture of THEM in the big world .. it’s pretty easy to see the grift and dishonesty, especially after refreshing my definitions and expectations around open and honest conversations and relationships … taking a reasonably hard nosed approach to apply those definitions, all sorts things have popped out, the most notable is that I now can see people for who they are! .. and Walter, this is why I listen to and read all of your work. You are one of the best persons in my new world.
I, too, feel like a bubble of delusion has been popped... with a finality that I can't describe in words. It feels great but it's also isolating. I've been living like a hermit in a hermitage for 20 years, but I do crave meaningful conversation. Always. Thankfully, I enjoy my own company. ;)
I'm grateful for the communities I've found online, like this one. I identify with your perspective and POV, Walter, plus the thoughtful commenters who take the time to participate help immensely.
Thanks Wendy, it's been a lifeline for me too. I think we can continue to build and feel more empowered. If you want to write anything, please let me know!
You're very kind to say that. I appreciate this comment very much. I'm doing many of those same things. There's a sort of quiet peace you achieve, like looking upon a still lake. It's a good place to be emotionally. But you have to be on the lookout for signs that a storm is about to blow in. Thanks again Gene!
Thanks, Walter. I don’t think I’ve come to a level of acceptance yet. But I understand I have been operating at times under the delusion that maybe I can control others’ thoughts and actions. I know I cannot be as reactionary to everything as I have been because I am, frankly, exhausted. I am now just trying to discern where my limited energy can be inserted and have a real impact. You are right that helping in one’s immediate vicinity/community can feel really good. That I can do. And I will feel useful.
I was surprised that my rage went away after the election, it was replaced by something else. Just disappointment I guess, a kind of numbness. Since the election, I've worked with a couple new writers and gotten some attention for some very important stories. That's positive, even if I wish we didn't have so much work to do. Thanks Suzanne!
Yeah, I would say my most overriding emotion now has been profound, profound disappointment in so many people I once felt close to. For them to choose not to see how crucial this point in time is for our country or to believe complete BS and do nothing was a real punch to the heart.
It seems that in many people,who voted for Republicans) there is gaining recognition of what they will try to do. That tariffs will be paid by consumers etc. it seems to be that individuals have to experience negative consequences before their bubbles burst.
I feel exactly the same but could never have stated the feelings so eloquently. I was working so hard for Kamala that I never for a moment thought she would not win. Even though I live in Florida, I was getting so much positive interaction that I knew we would overcome the threat. And now, I’m still a little lost. Thanks for being here!
Speaking plainly and clearly. Something that is more warranted than ever in the maga world full of double speak and out right lies, weaving their hate , in and out of every crevice they can pry apart. We’re all milling around trying hard to shake off the fears and deep down hurt , followed , or preceded by anger in the range of “ how dare they?”
Thank you for reposting this. I thought I had been coming to grips with our current situation, much like you described. Then last night, after reading another article about Tulsi Traitor, my stomach sank, my heart drooped, my mind felt hopeless and helpless, again. Fear for my children and everyone else’s children started prickling my skin. I went to sleep. Your article today has brought me back from that edge, back to the path of accepting reality and dealing with it appropriately. I truly believe the truth does set us free, even when it’s a hard and difficult truth. And freedom, not fear, makes for a better life and a better world.
We do have to find a way to move forward, and as you said, we can focus on doing good for those near us. That is always possible. It's good to ask yourself often, "What is the next right thing?" Most of the time that is enough.
I spent my 40th birthday being a teacher in the Peace Corps in Gambia, West Africa. Typically, a reaction to my saying that is a person wishes they could change the world in a big way. I always find this an odd thing as it wasn't a big picture thing in my view. I was still one person making a small difference in a culturally different location than where I was living while learning about being a citizen of the world.
My question back to those people is always to ask if they've ever hosted a Christmas family. If you want to check out your charitable sense, host one of those families because if you give them what you want instead of what they want, who are you helping? If the kids want a gaming system while you want to give them socks, underwear, and a coat, who are you helping? Or are you looking to pat yourself on the back and say you helped 'the poor'? I find it a fascinating question to ask people because I'm not sure I have come across anyone that would be willing to give a gaming system to poor kids as an act of charity because ... <reasons they are deemed unworthy.>
It has taken me a couple decades to accept people where they are on any kind of consistent basis. This recent election feels like being a neutral observer of life has been unleashed in a way that I couldn't before because I could still be outraged. I refuse to take the outrage bait any longer. It eats from the inside like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. I will live my life in such a way that I am a steadfast, defiant soldier (because we are at war) with all the resolute peeps I gather along the path.
For anyone who is interested, The City & The City is a great book that describes living in separate existences amongst people surviving in the same physical community. Children are mutually taught from birth not to see 'those' people. I don't remember so much about the story, but I was fascinated by this setting as the major character. It offers a flavor of what may may be on the horizon for our country.
You've touched on something very important. Our concept of charity is extremely flawed I think. We should be working to remove charity, not indulge in performance charity. Thank you for the book recommendation. I'll add it to my ever growing list :) Also, if you want to develop some stories about your experiences in the Peace Corps, please let me know!
Whenever my husband saw me in the space you are in now, he would softly say, admit defeat. He was right (he usually was). Once I admitted defeat - and I mean truly admitted it (as in... I failed... I lost... I was wrong... my ideas and solutions did not work... etc.) it was easy to start thinking fresh, new thoughts about the way things are, not how I wished them to be.
Imagination is a powerful thing, and if we are not careful, our own imaginations can steer us away from reality. Dreams can cloud reality so badly, you start living in a dream world, instead of the real world. Childhood memories can cloud an adult's view of the world so badly, the adult cannot see reality right in front of them. Religion, ideology, etc. can cloud reality so badly, people cannot see, hear, taste, touch or feel reality - at all. A clear mind requires us to look in the mirror and ask, are you here, are you fully present, do you have your own attention? All too often the answer is no, for our minds are far, far away, in a dream, a memory, a bible, or an ideology.
Democrats got suckered into fighting manufactured culture wars, instead of systemic wars, and so they lost the 2024 election. It’s time for people on the left to attack our country's systemic problems head on. Unfortunately, most leftists never bothered to learn anything about the American systems, so they are helpless to help themselves, let alone anybody else.
We humans hold onto what we have, because we have it. When it comes to security, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. If someone wants to take something away from us, they had better give us something better, or we will rebel. That's the reason that societal change takes so very long. Improve or fail is the rule. Add more than you subtract or fail. Change for the better or fail.
Trump and his billionaires are planning on taking a lot away from us, but they have nothing better to offer in return. Words and promises will not replace a doctor visit for a sick child, or a social security check for a 73-year-old veteran, or a paycheck for a parent with three children to feed.
Democrats can continue staging their moral performances, but I will not join them. I paid my dues and learned how systems work, and I am taking aim at systems, not people. Oddly enough, when conservatives and I start talking about systems, we agree on most everything.
I disagree that I'm wrong. My thoughts, my ideas, and my strategies are not wrong. They will work. The problem is that the ignorant US population has chosen misery over prosperity. But the 2024 doesn't make racism "okay" it doesn't make white supremacy "okay." Those concepts are abominations and they will continue to be.
Walter, I didn't say you were wrong. And I most certainly did not, have not, and never will condone or support racism or white supremacy. I've been fighting that shit all my life. I've changed approaches, developed new strategies, built stronger coalitions, etc. but I have never backed down.
Our nation's economic, justice, governance, education, land-use, business systems and social and religious institutions have carried racism and white supremacy inside of them, since the founding of this nation. Its an infection, spread via the invisible hand of institutions and systems. Until we get inside those systems and clean the filth out of them, racism and white supremacy will keep getting passed from one generation to the next.
I wrote a couple articles that might offer more insight into my thinking.
Trump and his billionaires plan on ripping our systems and institutions apart; replacing some, and closing others. Anyone who has listened to these people talk, knows that if its left up to them, they will implement even more vigorous racism and white supremacy policies and practices. People can't fight something they do not understand, or even know where to look.
You lost me when you called Democrats lefties. But you are correct, people do get caught up in their own delusions, like people voting for Trump and thinking he's going to fix all their problems when all he does is lie. And if you agree with conservatives about "systems", then you can't really be that concerned about people losing their social safety nets such a medicare and social security because they are dead set on taking those things away. That's trying to play both sides of the fence. I'm not buying it.
I hate to say this, but as a black female born in the US I have been subjected to the hate and racial discrimination my entire life. You are never not reminded that you are not a white person and that you don't have equal standing. So when I saw Kamala Harris was chosen for the Democratic candidate, I was shocked. I knew what she was up against. I had serious doubts that the country would elect a black woman. I hoped it was possible, and I was even excited about the possibility. But, I had lived the reality. I have been passed up for 10 years for promotions that were given to less qualified white men. I know how Kamala feels.
But, I was still shocked that America chose the most narcissistic man that has ever walked this earth because he is a white man. It is appalling.
It's just one more disappointment that minorities have to endure living in this country. The only difference is all of the subtlety of racism and misogyny has been replaced with blatant and emboldened hate displayed in public for everyone to see.
I took the loss very hard because it felt like all the difficulties I have faced personally were playing out on the national stage. And then to go to work and hear Trumpers gloat about the fact that they won is really all too much.
But many people ignore the truth about the founding of this country. It was built on white supremacy and black oppression. It is baked into our DNA. Trumpers have just been more upfront about it and are now embracing it.
This election has made me much less inclined to sugar coat my criticisms of this country since they're now so clearly out in the open. Your response was very much like that of my wife. I was the foolish one for thinking this would be the pivot point that would change the world in our lifetime. We still have to work for that point. Thanks for your thoughtful comment Sarah!
Harris and a Democratic congress would have been a bandaid on a cancer. Now we have to look the cancer in the face, which we hoped we wouldn’t have to do. Our society is sick. It’s destroying the natural world and the beings that inhabit it. We have to face how deeply wrong and twisted it is and how we participate in it, and how abnormal all the systems and thought forms that support it are. Tinkering around the edges just puts off the reckoning that’s coming. The next four years are going to be tragic and chaotic and nasty, but maybe we will start to rebuild our culture along little islands of kindness, interrelationship and beauty. If not, we’re done.
The Democrats didn't put try to put a banbaid over the cancer, they were fighting against it. Trump is the cancer and the Republicans have allowed the cancer to matastisize and having been feeding it for the past 10 years with misinformation and lies. Now the cancer will spread across the country with no gaurd rails. You assume this will only happen for 4 years. How quickly you forget that he encouraged an insurrection last time he was voted out. He already told his supporters, "If you vote for me, it's the last time you'll never have to vote again."
Hello? Is anyone else paying attention???
The systems that we complain about now will be burned to the ground. We will be left with chaos and destruction. Trump and his cronies will loot government coffers and rip the social safety nets out from underneath the old and vulnerable.
I see no silver lining in any of this. We are already doomed.
Yes, it could be the end of our democracy, that’s a possibility, although we’re not Germany in the ‘30’s. I think the vision of American culture needs to be larger than liberal/conservative as Americans define it. It need to be more along the lines of compassionate/ uncompassionate or generous/ greedy. Americans are detached from nature and the web of life more than any other culture I’ve lived in, which, if it were the size of Switzerland wouldn’t be a problem, but we’re a giant on the world stage. That’s a serious issue. In my view, Republicans are only part of the cancer.
Thank you for this beautiful conversation. I too have brought these points up to people I thought were better than they really are. Such disappointment as they are now lost friends and lost family. These people either don't want to know, think the earth is flat or just don't care. History be damned. It makes me disgusted.
I agree, we are disconnected from nature. The problem is the country is built on greed and oppression. It's just become more blatant over time. It's at an all time high. And I fear we're not much better than the Germans in the 30s because Trump has used Hilter's words to demonize immigrants. And if he does go through with using the military to deport people and build detainment facilities, we are looking at a lot of potential violence.
I think Americans are more likely to resist than the more disciplined and obedient Germans of the ‘30’s.
I truly hope so.
I hope this is true. This is my husband's point of view (and I have a great deal of respect for it, and for him) ... that we need to "live through it" in order for people to understand, and in 2016-2020 we only got a small "taste" of what Trump & MAGA really wanted to accomplish.
Now, we'll experience it. I don't know, however, given the apathy and disinformation that so's pervasive, that we will be able to right the ship.
Well said, I've been thinking the same thing.
This is the one idea that keeps hope flowing for me, and the one area which I can find gratitude for what has taken hold. We could have done this the easy way, but we have chosen the most difficult path. Oy.
Is that what I feel? Betrayal? Having experienced that sense only once in recent memory, I am not sure. I do know my trust in my fellow Americans is weakened and I doubt it will regain strength in my lifetime.
I truly expected this country to improve. Instead, it degrades before my eyes. Is the constant propaganda to blame? Is the constant distraction pushed on us from various sources at fault? Is the involvement in casual cruelty withering our sense of connection to other human beings?
Betrayal. It seems to be a numbing experience. Shutting down or off is preferable to the perpetual state of rage I feel when considering what will run this nation into the ground for the foreseeable future. Why we are relinquishing the nation to rogues, thieves, criminals is something I will never comprehend. This is beyond hate of others. This is a death wish come true.
I know I don't feel rage anymore. A person or country can only let you down so many times.
You sound resigned to the new horrible reality we all live with in. I’m not there yet. My anger has subsided a little but I’m afraid of the future and I think justifiably so. We can’t sugar coat the new reality or mask it over with bandages. Sometimes I sit and stare into space - numb…completely numb, waiting to wake up from this insane dream. I’m working on it as hard as I can…but I’m just not there yet.
I'm not really resigned to the misery, I'm still trying to figure out ways to combat it. But I am resigned to the fact that we're facing an enormous battle. There's a huge amount of work to be done. I don't think I've ever written as much as I have in the month since the election. Strength to you Deborah! We'll keep supporting each other!
I have come to realize that my profound disappointment shouldn’t have been a surprise .. I have learned to focus on the people closest to me, making sure that our love for each other is true and honest. I have discovered false friends, quietly casting them aside. Now I work on my loneliness, while holding zero expectations of those in the BIG world .. I am beginning to form a refreshingly accurate picture of THEM in the big world .. it’s pretty easy to see the grift and dishonesty, especially after refreshing my definitions and expectations around open and honest conversations and relationships … taking a reasonably hard nosed approach to apply those definitions, all sorts things have popped out, the most notable is that I now can see people for who they are! .. and Walter, this is why I listen to and read all of your work. You are one of the best persons in my new world.
I, too, feel like a bubble of delusion has been popped... with a finality that I can't describe in words. It feels great but it's also isolating. I've been living like a hermit in a hermitage for 20 years, but I do crave meaningful conversation. Always. Thankfully, I enjoy my own company. ;)
I'm grateful for the communities I've found online, like this one. I identify with your perspective and POV, Walter, plus the thoughtful commenters who take the time to participate help immensely.
Thanks Wendy, it's been a lifeline for me too. I think we can continue to build and feel more empowered. If you want to write anything, please let me know!
Thank you, Walter.
You're very kind to say that. I appreciate this comment very much. I'm doing many of those same things. There's a sort of quiet peace you achieve, like looking upon a still lake. It's a good place to be emotionally. But you have to be on the lookout for signs that a storm is about to blow in. Thanks again Gene!
Thanks, Walter. I don’t think I’ve come to a level of acceptance yet. But I understand I have been operating at times under the delusion that maybe I can control others’ thoughts and actions. I know I cannot be as reactionary to everything as I have been because I am, frankly, exhausted. I am now just trying to discern where my limited energy can be inserted and have a real impact. You are right that helping in one’s immediate vicinity/community can feel really good. That I can do. And I will feel useful.
I was surprised that my rage went away after the election, it was replaced by something else. Just disappointment I guess, a kind of numbness. Since the election, I've worked with a couple new writers and gotten some attention for some very important stories. That's positive, even if I wish we didn't have so much work to do. Thanks Suzanne!
Yeah, I would say my most overriding emotion now has been profound, profound disappointment in so many people I once felt close to. For them to choose not to see how crucial this point in time is for our country or to believe complete BS and do nothing was a real punch to the heart.
It seems that in many people,who voted for Republicans) there is gaining recognition of what they will try to do. That tariffs will be paid by consumers etc. it seems to be that individuals have to experience negative consequences before their bubbles burst.
Yeah. Like children having to burn their hands on the stovetop in spite of their parent’s warning!
I feel exactly the same but could never have stated the feelings so eloquently. I was working so hard for Kamala that I never for a moment thought she would not win. Even though I live in Florida, I was getting so much positive interaction that I knew we would overcome the threat. And now, I’m still a little lost. Thanks for being here!
Thank you Polly!
Thank you!
Speaking plainly and clearly. Something that is more warranted than ever in the maga world full of double speak and out right lies, weaving their hate , in and out of every crevice they can pry apart. We’re all milling around trying hard to shake off the fears and deep down hurt , followed , or preceded by anger in the range of “ how dare they?”
Thank you for reposting this. I thought I had been coming to grips with our current situation, much like you described. Then last night, after reading another article about Tulsi Traitor, my stomach sank, my heart drooped, my mind felt hopeless and helpless, again. Fear for my children and everyone else’s children started prickling my skin. I went to sleep. Your article today has brought me back from that edge, back to the path of accepting reality and dealing with it appropriately. I truly believe the truth does set us free, even when it’s a hard and difficult truth. And freedom, not fear, makes for a better life and a better world.
Thanks Jodi! You must have read it over at Medium. Yes, I have my highs and lows too. We must keep on. Strength to you!
I’m hunkering down for a long fight. Defeating the MAGA cancer is motivation enough for me to fight in big and small ways for as long as it takes.
Thank you
Thanks, this helped me this morning.
I’m very glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing!
We do have to find a way to move forward, and as you said, we can focus on doing good for those near us. That is always possible. It's good to ask yourself often, "What is the next right thing?" Most of the time that is enough.
Yes, it's also better to occupy yourself with anything rather than succumb to despair!
I spent my 40th birthday being a teacher in the Peace Corps in Gambia, West Africa. Typically, a reaction to my saying that is a person wishes they could change the world in a big way. I always find this an odd thing as it wasn't a big picture thing in my view. I was still one person making a small difference in a culturally different location than where I was living while learning about being a citizen of the world.
My question back to those people is always to ask if they've ever hosted a Christmas family. If you want to check out your charitable sense, host one of those families because if you give them what you want instead of what they want, who are you helping? If the kids want a gaming system while you want to give them socks, underwear, and a coat, who are you helping? Or are you looking to pat yourself on the back and say you helped 'the poor'? I find it a fascinating question to ask people because I'm not sure I have come across anyone that would be willing to give a gaming system to poor kids as an act of charity because ... <reasons they are deemed unworthy.>
It has taken me a couple decades to accept people where they are on any kind of consistent basis. This recent election feels like being a neutral observer of life has been unleashed in a way that I couldn't before because I could still be outraged. I refuse to take the outrage bait any longer. It eats from the inside like taking poison and expecting the other person to die. I will live my life in such a way that I am a steadfast, defiant soldier (because we are at war) with all the resolute peeps I gather along the path.
For anyone who is interested, The City & The City is a great book that describes living in separate existences amongst people surviving in the same physical community. Children are mutually taught from birth not to see 'those' people. I don't remember so much about the story, but I was fascinated by this setting as the major character. It offers a flavor of what may may be on the horizon for our country.
You've touched on something very important. Our concept of charity is extremely flawed I think. We should be working to remove charity, not indulge in performance charity. Thank you for the book recommendation. I'll add it to my ever growing list :) Also, if you want to develop some stories about your experiences in the Peace Corps, please let me know!
Whenever my husband saw me in the space you are in now, he would softly say, admit defeat. He was right (he usually was). Once I admitted defeat - and I mean truly admitted it (as in... I failed... I lost... I was wrong... my ideas and solutions did not work... etc.) it was easy to start thinking fresh, new thoughts about the way things are, not how I wished them to be.
Imagination is a powerful thing, and if we are not careful, our own imaginations can steer us away from reality. Dreams can cloud reality so badly, you start living in a dream world, instead of the real world. Childhood memories can cloud an adult's view of the world so badly, the adult cannot see reality right in front of them. Religion, ideology, etc. can cloud reality so badly, people cannot see, hear, taste, touch or feel reality - at all. A clear mind requires us to look in the mirror and ask, are you here, are you fully present, do you have your own attention? All too often the answer is no, for our minds are far, far away, in a dream, a memory, a bible, or an ideology.
Democrats got suckered into fighting manufactured culture wars, instead of systemic wars, and so they lost the 2024 election. It’s time for people on the left to attack our country's systemic problems head on. Unfortunately, most leftists never bothered to learn anything about the American systems, so they are helpless to help themselves, let alone anybody else.
We humans hold onto what we have, because we have it. When it comes to security, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. If someone wants to take something away from us, they had better give us something better, or we will rebel. That's the reason that societal change takes so very long. Improve or fail is the rule. Add more than you subtract or fail. Change for the better or fail.
Trump and his billionaires are planning on taking a lot away from us, but they have nothing better to offer in return. Words and promises will not replace a doctor visit for a sick child, or a social security check for a 73-year-old veteran, or a paycheck for a parent with three children to feed.
Democrats can continue staging their moral performances, but I will not join them. I paid my dues and learned how systems work, and I am taking aim at systems, not people. Oddly enough, when conservatives and I start talking about systems, we agree on most everything.
I disagree that I'm wrong. My thoughts, my ideas, and my strategies are not wrong. They will work. The problem is that the ignorant US population has chosen misery over prosperity. But the 2024 doesn't make racism "okay" it doesn't make white supremacy "okay." Those concepts are abominations and they will continue to be.
Walter, I didn't say you were wrong. And I most certainly did not, have not, and never will condone or support racism or white supremacy. I've been fighting that shit all my life. I've changed approaches, developed new strategies, built stronger coalitions, etc. but I have never backed down.
Our nation's economic, justice, governance, education, land-use, business systems and social and religious institutions have carried racism and white supremacy inside of them, since the founding of this nation. Its an infection, spread via the invisible hand of institutions and systems. Until we get inside those systems and clean the filth out of them, racism and white supremacy will keep getting passed from one generation to the next.
I wrote a couple articles that might offer more insight into my thinking.
California's Plantation Culture
https://meraffey.medium.com/californias-plantation-culture-f2fc5696aad5
Beware: Billionaire Prophets Palaces, tenements and slums
https://medium.com/afrosapiophile/beware-billionaire-prophets-6dfa069343c
The Lords of Bakersfield
https://meraffey.medium.com/the-lords-of-bakersfield-20ae716296c2
Trump and his billionaires plan on ripping our systems and institutions apart; replacing some, and closing others. Anyone who has listened to these people talk, knows that if its left up to them, they will implement even more vigorous racism and white supremacy policies and practices. People can't fight something they do not understand, or even know where to look.
You lost me when you called Democrats lefties. But you are correct, people do get caught up in their own delusions, like people voting for Trump and thinking he's going to fix all their problems when all he does is lie. And if you agree with conservatives about "systems", then you can't really be that concerned about people losing their social safety nets such a medicare and social security because they are dead set on taking those things away. That's trying to play both sides of the fence. I'm not buying it.