Trigger Warnings all over the place.
The internet is a wild place to be when you’re dealing with a bout of anxiety induced insomnia. Right now I’m seeing Area 51 memes, people using a stupid app created by Russians to make them look old, the President of our country telling a US Citizen and member of Congress to go back to her country and telling people that don’t like America to leave and people accusing rich and powerful men of sexual misconduct. All while there are still people in cages. My heart aches for journalists trying to cover this news cycle only to post a story two minutes after a wild new one comes out.
I’m all for a little distraction when feeling a little overwhelmed and have stopped any push notifications from news outlets. Putting my phone down is healthy. Sometimes I think about putting it down and kicking it into the nearest body of water before hunkering down in a remote cabin somewhere in Montana. It’s called self-care. I often think about how easy it would be to just go off the grid and not care. But then I realize that is my privilege talking and I’d rather use that for good. Staying awake, dismantling systems of oppression and using my powers (the limited powers a middle-class woman might have these days) to fight the injustices and inequality in this world.
Y’all, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN CAGES. Dying. Not getting access to basic human rights. And why? Seeking asylum is legal. We know what happens when people are locked away in these camps. The Diary of Anne Frank was required reading in grade school. If anything about her should be remembered it’s that she didn’t die from being gassed. She died from typhus fever due to inhumane conditions in the concentration camp she was held in.
There are women of all ages currently speaking up about rape and sexual misconduct against the President and all of his old country club buddies. A girl that has accused the President of rape while she was THIRTEEN YEARS OLD was threatened when she tried to sue. He’s hushed his accusers or written them off as “not his type” when asked. Twenty-four women have come forward now.
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is under attack by the President and his base after being told to go back to her country. News flash: her country is America. She is a citizen and has been for quite some time. But Trump supporters are at rallies chanting “send her back” as he just stands there looking smug. He denounces anyone that is brave enough to disagree with him, someone that doesn’t fit in his mold, someone that has a different skin color, anyone with morals. He finds Nazis to be good people. Yes, Nazis. They’re back and louder now in 2019. He incites racism when he hits tweet and doesn’t care about the potential danger in it.
But is Trump racist? Shall we all just take a vote? What is this? This man based his campaign on telling people that America sucked and he was going to fix it. He was going to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it after claiming they are all raping our wives and stealing our jobs. You all knew he was a racist and voted for him anyway because the thought of having a woman in office was too hard to accept.
Women are losing their rights. People of color are still to this day listening to angry Trump supporters spew hateful and racist comments daily. Victims are being dismissed after rehashing painful wounds they’ve held on to until they felt brave and supported. Children are being raped and picked up for sex-trafficking. Nazis are getting an outlet on not just Fox News anymore but CNN too. Children are being shot at school. Children are dying in detention centers or suddenly missing. People are giving data to Russians and then realizing “hey, maybe that’s bad.” Rand Paul is blocking a bill for 9/11 First Responders to receive aid citing the cost (because you know, bail out the rich, not the people that have died or are dying from saving lives). We’re denying science/global warming/not vaccinating our kids. But who cares, right? I’ll just tweet that the President isn’t doing a great job and go back to retweeting Area 51 memes.
WAKE UP! Call your senators. Write to them. Tweet at Nancy Pelosi every single day until she realizes that maybe impeachment is the thing to do instead of slow clapping and condemning his tweets. Call out racism, sexism, homophobia, your friend’s sketchy behavior, people that make jokes about domestic violence. Show up and make your voice heard. This stuff takes action and I’m tired of everyone just sitting around thinking it’ll all be over next year. It won’t and he’ll win again. Help me in this fight so I don’t lose my voice. We’ve all came too far to just sit around and wait this one out.