We the People

Let me start by saying I love you all, dear readers. Even if this post doesn’t resonate with you or well….pisses some of you off, please know I still love you all. 

I’ve been putting off writing this post. It’s been swirling around in the back of my mind and I’ve done my best to tell it to just shut its damn mouth. One of the guidelines I’ve always lived by (and told anyone who would listen) is to never discuss the following: income, weight, age, religion and politics. I know they’re sensitive topics and heretofore I’ve avoided them. I mean really avoided them, like the plague. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the world around us right now feels quite heavy.

I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I’m not affiliated with any political party. I vote independently based on what the candidates running for office stand for, then align myself to what I feel is right. Well, mostly right anyway. I’ve yet to see a “perfect” candidate. However, I do have a lot of friends and family that fall staunchly into one party or the other. And it’s those toes I’m trying not to step on.

But sometimes things need to be said, and the pen being mightier than the sword, compels me to write this month’s blog post. I know many of you tell me there’s a lot of “fake news” out there. And since I’m cynical by nature, I question most of what I hear or read. So, I’m basing this blog on what I, myself, have seen, my very own observations.

Here is what I know:

• My groceries have absolutely not gone down since January. I typically buy the same groceries on repeat and always pay with my credit card. I have looked through old statements, and my groceries bills have definitely not decreased.
• People are scared. I have friends and former coworkers who are here legally, but fear being deported, torn away from their loved ones, simply because they were born outside of America. These are people who migrated here, became proud Americans. They work hard, pay their taxes, contribute to their community, just as our ancestors did. They’ve never committed a crime. But they’re scared, and doing their best not to let it show as they reassure their children who are petrified they’ll be separated from them.
• Sweeping government cuts are leaving key agencies short staffed. This one has impacted me personally. I have been waiting since March to get approved for collecting Social Security. Something I’ve worked my entire life for. The application process that typically took 30 days is now taking much longer due to short staffing. When we went through the process for my husband, it was quick and easy. My birthday is next month and being retired now, I was looking forward to begin getting payments, getting back some of what I paid into social security over four long decades of working. The amount I paid over the years is sickening and now I have to worry if I’m even going to be able to start receiving money after contributing obscene amounts.
• Bullying. I know a bully when I see one. Picking on people with disabilities, calling people names (“scum” for instance), talking over people when they’re speaking, and publicly demeaning people’s character in front of the world…these are behaviors of a bully. And yes, I’ve seen these examples with my own eyes.

I could go on with more examples, but you get the drift. I never remember a time like this before, a time when politics pull friends and families away from each other, causing rifts in lifelong relationships. A time where it feels like we’re walking on eggshells. I’m seeing the lines between right and wrong being blurred in ways I’ve never seen before, and frankly, it’s terrifying. I can't help thinking of when I learned about Hitler in school. I was shocked that people believed his propaganda, his lies, but still ended up in concentration camps and gas chambers. I remember thinking, “How could people have believed the things he told them?”, “How could they not see how evil one man could be?” 
 
I’m feeling a lot of evil out there these days. Seeing it with my own eyes, hearing it with my own ears. It makes me wonder what I can do about it. Hence, the reason for this post. I am a writer. I can at least write about what I’m feeling, what I’m experiencing. I don’t have all the answers. Heck, I don’t think I have any answers. But I can share my thoughts. And remind those I love that we can disagree on issues, but still have each other’s backs. I respect opposite points of view and I keep an open mind. But I can’t ignore or support a bully. What I can do is ask all of you to not let our political climate tear apart your relationships. Don’t let your political allegiance blind you to things you witness with your own eyes; if your gut tells you something feels off or feels wrong, listen to it. Decide whether or not you want to align yourself to those who prey on the less fortunate, the weaker among us, the defenseless.

Lastly, I ask for grace. None of us are perfect, we’re all human. My opinions are my own, whether they’re viewed as right or wrong. So, do your best to care for the people in your life, to be there for them, to show up, regardless of their political preferences. Remember, we’re all in this together. Love each other.

​