The shootings in Buffalo and Texas have wrecked me – and I can’t keep watching the same old arguments fly by in screenshotted tweets in Instagram stories. It’s all so predictable and isn’t going to change anything. And that makes this grief feel worse. This thought keeps pinging around in my head and it won’t… Continue reading The Gun is Fear
Category: current events
To Be Undaunted
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it. Rabbi Tarfon in 70CE
Meh, Humbug
I’ve been feeling pretty blah about the holidays, and I think Josh Marshall gets to the core of it. I’m just tired of COVID, tired of the constant debate, unknowns, the raging of morons, the lack of common sense and shared sacrifice, of not knowing if I’m doing enough to protect myself and my family,… Continue reading Meh, Humbug
Write Your Reps
Yesterday, my representative objected to the electors from Georgia based on nothing more than rumors. He continues to support Trump, and well, that’s unacceptable. I wrote him this afternoon. If Buddy Carter is your rep, I think you should let him know how you feel. Dear Mr. Carter, Your objection to the electors from Georgia… Continue reading Write Your Reps
Strong Ties, Weak Ties, No Ties
Doug March sent me this Nieman Lab piece by Ben Collins that asks some good questions, but doesn’t have many answers. I keep thinking of our web of social connections that’s been tattering for a while; I think a lot of peoples’ just completely collapsed during COVID. Without that web of strong and weak ties… Continue reading Strong Ties, Weak Ties, No Ties
Clinging to This
“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” Rabbi Tarfon I don’t really have much else to say right now.
It’s Not a Sprint
I’ve been talking to my coworkers and a bunch of friends all week, trying to help them come to terms with privilege and racism. I can feel their urgency to know everything and do everything… and I get it. I saw a tweet the other day that white people are all “cramming for the racism… Continue reading It’s Not a Sprint
Murder by 911
This Huffpost piece on Amy Cooper is really good and you should read it first before continuing. It might have been subconscious, but it was attempted murder, and deep down she knew it. Just like Carolyn Bryant knew what would happen to Emmett Till. Just like countless others knew what they were doing when they… Continue reading Murder by 911
Defending the Indefensible
If you’re thinking about jumping into someone’s comments to try to defend three armed men chasing down and killing an unarmed man running on a public street… just don’t. Their whiteness doesn’t give them authority or agency over brown bodies. Slavery is over. Jim Crow is supposedly over. They had zero authority to do whatever… Continue reading Defending the Indefensible
One Month and Change
I left the house yesterday for the first time in over 35 days. It was just to take some soup to my in-laws, but it felt weird hopping in the car and driving. Jen’s been doing all the errands because I’ve been working, and since I’m already a mess thanks to my asthma and allergies,… Continue reading One Month and Change