Be Scared. And Then Do Something.

You should be very concerned. Scared, even. There are people trying to take away everything you have. Your freedom. Your rights. Your family.

It’s a tipping point in America: we are on the verge of losing our democracy and everything we believe sets our country apart. This is not hyperbole. We have one major governmental party that has given up all pretense of advocating for the populace, and instead is laser-focused on burning everything to the ground to achieve power for a small number of individuals. The Republican Party no longer exists as an entity that stands for the so-called “conservative” values of smaller government, fiscal restraint, and constitutionalism; it has become a sham party that installs racists, neo-Nazis, and zealots, people with no discernable qualifications to be in government barring their slavish devotion to the cult of Trump.

There is no “both sides do it” argument here. We came within a whisker of a coup – having our government stolen from under us! – in the last election. Trump tried to use the Russian government to get elected! Republicans continue to try to make it impossible to vote unless you are white. These are not debatable statements: unless you go “la-la-la-la!” and put your hands over your ears and eyes and only watch Faux News, you have watched every day for the past 6+ years as these events happen.

Now maybe you’re one of those people who says, “I don’t really get into politics”. You’re fine.

You sit at your desk.
You have Chick-fil-A for lunch on Thursday.
You watch Yellowstone.
You have a couple of beers.

Most likely you don’t care too much because you’re white. You’re at least middle-class. These things don’t affect you…or so you believe. I’d start paying attention. You may think it’s only the black guy, the poor guy, the “other” guy that’s going to be affected. Heck, maybe you even think, “Gosh-darn it, that’s really quite unfortunate”, even as you pop open your third Busch Light. But these things WILL affect you. You know how 90% of Americans only have 23% of the wealth of this country, while the top 10% has 77% (including the top 1% that has 38%!)? Guess what: YOU are not in the top 10%. And it’s going to get worse if you don’t do something. Maybe you think racism doesn’t affect you. Or religious extremism. A bunch of people in Germany thought the same 85 years ago. Remember the poem by Martin Niemöller, which ends: “Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me”.

The whole promise of America is that we are a free and equal country. No matter the color of our skin. No matter what gender we are. No matter how we identify our gender – or lack thereof. No matter who we love. No matter to what god we pray – or do not pray. There are people right now actively trying to take that away from you. They are not “freedom lovers”. They are not “patriots”. They want to make you conform to their idea of how you should be: that is not freedom.

There is one good way to combat this: vote. And yes, I will say it: vote Democratic. The Democratic party is the only party that is doing anything to help 99% of Americans. That is not to say they are perfect – far from it. But when you are facing the evil we are right now – and it *is* evil – then you must choose the better path, even if imperfect.