It is the small and what some might think are inconsequential things we stumble across that goes to prove just how truly terrible it still is out here. It is easy to ignore the stories, easy to shake our heads at those inconsequential stories we see, thinking they are blips on the radar. The problem with this reaction is it allows them to grow, to sink their hooks in and become part of who and what we are. We have become all too willing to turn away from the ugly and mean, all too willing to think it is someone else’s problem, not ours.
I am telling you, it is ours every one of us. It is not enough to individualize it by saying, ‘I am not prejudice’, or, ‘I am not a racist’, or ‘I am not sexist’. Perhaps that is true, or is it?
It is not enough if the truth is you turn away from the horror that is the time machine of institutionalized racism and sexism our nation, state by state is legislating back into existence. It is not enough if you are turning away from those inconsequential stories as if they don’t matter, as if they aren’t a sign of something bigger.
I have said it before; it starts with each of us. The problem starts with each of us; the solution starts with each of us as well. Each time someone says, ‘we don’t have a race problem’, we need to be ready with examples. The truth is, we do have a Race problem and it looms large over the entire nation, it colors our entire conversation, with denial. We also have a Gender problem, a LGBT problem and an Ageism problem. What we really have, when you break it down to the core is this:
A not like us problem.
Who is us, it is good you asked. It is easy to mistake the us sometimes. We are the us, all of us and any of us who turn away, who fail to speak out, who believe it is happening somewhere else or to someone else. We are the us. It is every single one of us who fail to remember the privilege that accrues to us simply because we were born with white skin or can reasonably pass through stores, police stops and neighborhood watches without fear; we are in fact the problem.
We wring our hands and stand in unity when the assclown heroes of the Right do their terrible acts or say their terrible words, when they suggest slavery might have been kinder than freedom, or young men die in hoodies or for loud music. Still, we don’t shout loud enough, demand strongly enough an end to what is truly killing the American Dream of Freedom, Equality and Opportunity for all members of our society.
What has set me off?
Well first there was this:
Notes left in Easter Eggs
Then came this:
Fairview Township, PA
Local KKK, Neighborhood Watch
Then there was this:
Phillipe Holland, killed by undercover cops. Read the story.
And this:
No bathrooms or breaks in Miami-Dade Co. in the coming election.
Finally, this jackass said this:
“I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro,” he said. Mr. Bundy recalled driving past a public-housing project in North Las Vegas, “and in front of that government house the door was usually open and the older people and the kids — and there is always at least a half a dozen people sitting on the porch — they didn’t have nothing to do. They didn’t have nothing for their kids to do. They didn’t have nothing for their young girls to do.
“And because they were basically on government subsidy, so now what do they do?” he asked. “They abort their young children, they put their young men in jail, because they never learned how to pick cotton. And I’ve often wondered, are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didn’t get no more freedom. They got less freedom.”
I had enough. When does the rest of the nation have enough? How much is too much? SCOTUS has given the states permission to disenfranchise entire voting blocks and has in essence silenced all but 5% of the populace by placing a great dollar sign in front of speech. The highest court in the land put up a ‘For Sale’ sign and sold out in short and gleeful order.
Our Congress has no shame, none, nada, zero, zilch. They hightail it to every show in town, ready and willing to kowtow to those who will bid high dollars for their services. Whether those bidders are corporations, special interest groups or simply those with personal agendas and piles of money. All we do is sit back and bitch, whine and complain at our loss of freedom and choice in the direction our nation has gone, the downward slide of our national personality and pride. Just look at the line up for the NRA convention.
This is on us, every last one of us. Taken individually, perhaps these things are not significant though each of them offend the hell out of me. Taken all together these are foreshadowing of the direction of our nation, it isn’t a good direction, in fact it is backwards to a time we fought hard to move away from. Is this truly what we want, truly where we want to go?
This isn’t the nation I want. It is time to stand up, it is time to do more than shake our heads and wring our hands. It is time to say no more. It is time to demand these troglodytes stand down and right thinking people take back the power we own.
QBG_Tilted Tiara 
You know Val when the People DO stand up it will not be pretty.. in fact it will be very Bloody…. But people ALL over the World are waking up to their various leaders and saying Enough is Enough.. .. ….
I think not soon enough and not enough of us. I pray it will not be bloody, yet I fear you might be right. Power does not give up easily does it.
No…. It will be instigated to be bloody Val to keep control… Even those peaceful protests not all are whom they seem to be who throw the first stone.. Unfortunately.. Chaos is part of a plan.. Thats why I try to tell people not to hold onto Fear.. for we help feed those who rule using it..
I do shake my head even though I’m behind another border. We need more people out to vote and take more of an interest in what is going on around them. As you say, one person can’t do anything alone but join one to the next and the next and so on.
Those were in Easter eggs? Geez … another new low point.
In terms of Bundy, interesting how some attached their support … and then many ran … and (sadly so) I simply don’t think much will stick to those people. Meanwhile, Bundy will be out of the news very soon.
Those were in Easter Eggs left for children to find, yes; Henrico Co Virginia if the link didn’t come through properly.
The problem with Bundy? He is the tip of the iceberg. The news cycle surrounding him, just one of many. He is representative of what is happening in this nation. That is why he frightens me and angers me.
In terms of the news cycle, Bundy’s minutes of fame are running out … but, there are others … many others … but I maintain faith in the majority of voters not being like them.
Val, this is so depressing. I heard that Bundy guy say all those things and it was shocking and also sad. To think, racism is alive and well in the hearts of many closet, and some not so closet, white boys club. The parade is going to pass them by, but they’ll still be clinging to their antiquated beliefs and guns. Makes me ill just thinking about it.
It is depressing, but it should make us all furious. This cretin sucks off the public teet for twenty years, lives off the commons yet has the gall to pronounce judgment on others? The parade isn’t passing him by, he and his militia represent a very real danger to society and there are far too many who think just like him currently in Congress. We must get them out of our government at every level. We must remove this blight and send them back where they belong.
The right-wing hellcats all jumped to Bundy’s defense, but just as quickly abandoned him once they realized what an idiot he is. Or, at least they’ve done so publicly. I still say the problem (especially here in Texas) is that most eligible citizens don’t vote. Either they think they don’t have time, or they feel their votes won’t matter.
Yes Alejandro, certainly a huge part of the problem is getting out the vote. No matter how hard they make it for us. No matter how functionally difficult the make it for us, we have to stand in line and get into the polls and vote. I do not disagree with you. Each of us not only have the power of our own vote, but should be helping others to do so. Dallas is the bluest county in Texas, we should be working to turn the rest of the state blue. I am embarrassed by who this state sent to congress in the last elections.
One of the problems is news media dumps so much negative on us each news hour that after the initial shock of each catastrophe the mind has a tendency to be desensitised to the traumas served out by the peoples of the world and on the peoples of the world. There is this helpless feeling that accumulated traumas are so immense there’s a danger of shutting the mind. I’m not against media, with all its faults it is the only way we get to uncover some truths we need to know. The flip side is that media can manipulate us so we don’t know what the truth is too. While the problems of the world are more than I can solve and that includes the wrong things you have flagged, at least I as a single person can fight against being desensitised to needs and develop an understanding of those around me and their problems and needs. I don’t support any kind of discrimination, and that goes beyond race or the treatment of women. There is that unfortunate tendency to marginalize many other groups in society too. A change in the attitude of society starts with each one of us.
The media is only one leg, it is a powerful one though and it is one that is being used to manipulate us. I don’t know if this is true everywhere but certainly it is true here in the US. The problems in the world are indeed too big for just one person to solve, but one person joining with the next person and the next, that is how coalitions are built. We have to start somewhere. For me, that somewhere is here at home.
Such a big part of all of thus is that we see the news as entertainment, not as news.
You are so right Elyse. It has turned into the greatest form of entertainment and we point and laugh or weep and turn away. The race for ratings and sponsors seems to be far more important than anything else. I had to sound like my beloved father, but ‘I remember when, I remember the day.’
I enlarged all those images – so that’s what they mean by “White genocide” – praise and thank the god these people pray to, now I’m enlightened – and yes, I’ll certainly sleep easy knowing that torch bearing hoods (literally hoods) are patrolling my neighbourhood.
You’re right, Val – it comes down to each and everyone of us – to stop this insanity from entering the realms of the ‘new normal’. We owe this to ourselves and more importantly, to our children.
Peace and, hoping and working for the best,
Eric
That was a good call Eric, thank you. I enlarged them so they could be seen.
No matter where in the world we are, injustice seems to be creeping in. Here, it seems to be rolling like a tidal wave. We hold ourselves like a light to the world, we are a darkness though. We are, in my opinion horrifying. If this is the new normal, I am more afraid than I have ever been.
****This is on us, every last one of us****
True. Until we stand up for INJUSTICE of all kinds, we are part of the PROBLEM.
It’s that simple.
xxx LOVE to you, Val.
It is that simple, it is also why it is so damned frustrating.
Love you back, bunches.
If Mr.Bundy is so concerned about his country, he could, at least, learn how to speak English correctly. Ah, the arrogance of the ignorant!
Ignorance and arrogance combined, terrible isn’t it? But he is not concerned with his country, he doesn’t recognize anything but Nevada and no authority but the county sheriff. He is a truly frightening man.
I was watching CNN yesterday when they played that clip of Bundy spewing his ignorant vitriol. I couldn’t believe I was hearing it. And this was the guy many politicians initially threw their weight behind as if he were some sort of hero. Scary.
Funny thing, Hannity withdrew his support but all those politicians, yeah no. They had their spokespersons write something and issue it to the press. Funny that.
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.
Thank you, as always
My pleasure as always.