I have been away from this site for over two years after starting it. Life threw me a curve with so many startling, upsetting events I lost my footing on my goal in this Blog. My sister suddenly needed hospice care and I provided that until her death. Then a global pandemic struck and I went into a shutdown. I was already disturbed by the path my nation (the US) was on. As a white woman in my seventies I was appalled that the arc of history and our movement toward a more humane, united nation have been so damaged.
I am one of many who have been more than distressed that the man who was our President, was by his words and actions, encouraging resurgence of the angry, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, and generally hateful fear-rage in much of white citizenry. This wasn’t a partisan or policy divide. This was a civil and social divide. This man said “If you’re like me you’re one of us; if you’re not like me you’re the others.” What are we to do?
While this now ex-president still only cares about himself, he found and pressed the buttons of resentment that lie in the troubled hearts of his supporters. He uses fear of receiving his ugly retribution against his Washington aides and abettors. He uses fear against his white supporters, who are afraid of the fact that in reality they aren’t superior to any other humans, that they aren’t actually entitled to more respect, special treatment or advantages, and the truth is that being born white doesn’t come with a badge honor.
I have learned that life isn’t fair, but that we can work to make it as fair as possible in our society. While we can’t control our history, our places of birth or our genetics, we can change our behavior for it is what we do in this life that is the measure of our worth.
We can choose to learn about the unknowns in our lives; the people who are not just like us, the cultures that are not just like ours, the religions that are not ours, even the food and languages that are not ours. When we learn even a little of these people, cultures, religions, foods and languages, we can see that we all are more alike than different. The ‘others” are not wrong or bad.
We must reach out and discover that the VAST majority of people on this planet want better lives now and for our children in the future, a safe healthy planet, and a more just world. We must join together to fight the few that want only profit and power today, not for all of us, but only for themselves (and at the expense of our health, well-being and futures.
I want to save the future for all of our children and grandchildren. I want to discover what I can do to work toward that end. I think you may want the same thing, and I hope you will join me in this effort.