These days I feel trapped in the politics of "least awful" choices who are electable. I want Jed and Abby in the White House, although I'd certainly work for Michelle and Barak.
Pronouncements terrify me, because the exceptions can be so awful. "Always believe the woman who is brave enough to publicly name her abuser" except when she is paid huge bucks to do it just before an election, or as an 11 year old who decided she knew how to "get" her stepdad because he refused to allow her to go to a frat party. Don't believe her and you get Clarence and Brett in invincible positions.
Decide that the fascist is not as bad as the racist, and Anti Semitism, Anti-Catholicism and Anti LGBTQ+ are in the cross-hairs. Decide that the fascist is worse, and not quite white enough becomes the ruling ethos.
Trust the media of your historical choice and you find it's been bought or threatened into submission. Don't trust media and become the ostrich who fails to act or speak until it truly is too late. OTOH, take the time to ponder and evaluate and find that "that ship has already sailed."
Perhaps all we really can do is keep building and extending community where we actually see and know each other and truly have each other's back.
I keep thinking this morning of my own experience getting raped by an otherwise kind, artistic, charismatic, politically radical, older guy when I was 17. There was alcohol involved on both sides. And, I truly believe, there was clueless entitlement but no malice. But it was still rape, which I named for him forcefully several weeks later when he tried to characterize the whole thing as "that special time we spent together." FFS.
I still know this guy. I know his wife and kids. His younger sister is one of my best friends. I've long since grappled with the amount of good history between us that is just as important to me as that one horrible, horrible choice he made. I don't think it makes him an entirely shitty person or a write-off as a human being. But my nuanced personal feelings about him after all this time don't change that I wouldn't fucking vote for him. And if he ran for something, I'd have to say something.
These days I feel trapped in the politics of "least awful" choices who are electable. I want Jed and Abby in the White House, although I'd certainly work for Michelle and Barak.
Pronouncements terrify me, because the exceptions can be so awful. "Always believe the woman who is brave enough to publicly name her abuser" except when she is paid huge bucks to do it just before an election, or as an 11 year old who decided she knew how to "get" her stepdad because he refused to allow her to go to a frat party. Don't believe her and you get Clarence and Brett in invincible positions.
Decide that the fascist is not as bad as the racist, and Anti Semitism, Anti-Catholicism and Anti LGBTQ+ are in the cross-hairs. Decide that the fascist is worse, and not quite white enough becomes the ruling ethos.
Trust the media of your historical choice and you find it's been bought or threatened into submission. Don't trust media and become the ostrich who fails to act or speak until it truly is too late. OTOH, take the time to ponder and evaluate and find that "that ship has already sailed."
Perhaps all we really can do is keep building and extending community where we actually see and know each other and truly have each other's back.
I keep thinking this morning of my own experience getting raped by an otherwise kind, artistic, charismatic, politically radical, older guy when I was 17. There was alcohol involved on both sides. And, I truly believe, there was clueless entitlement but no malice. But it was still rape, which I named for him forcefully several weeks later when he tried to characterize the whole thing as "that special time we spent together." FFS.
I still know this guy. I know his wife and kids. His younger sister is one of my best friends. I've long since grappled with the amount of good history between us that is just as important to me as that one horrible, horrible choice he made. I don't think it makes him an entirely shitty person or a write-off as a human being. But my nuanced personal feelings about him after all this time don't change that I wouldn't fucking vote for him. And if he ran for something, I'd have to say something.
SIGH. So often this timeline freakin' SUCKS.
Love your insights, since Ezra Klein's potluck.
The fourth horseman is definitely racism!
I needed this today, thanks Garrett.
So well said, Garrett. Thank you.
As per usual, thank you. 🙏🏼