Roe V Wade

I have been struggling with how to respond to this whole kerfuffle (bear with me, that's not the dismissive statement it sounds like)

Currently, there is a trail for the January 6th insurrection.

Roe V. Wade has been overturned.

School shootings are back with a vengeance and the police are not only doing anything but stopping them, they are actively standing in the way of anyone who tries and then lying to protect themselves and discredit the population.

Gender-affirming care has been outlawed in Alabama.

The Supreme Court made it clear that they intend to go after gay marriage and sodomy laws next (and let's clarify that sodomy under the law is any sexual act that cannot produce a child, which would include sex with any form of contraception.)

Preachers are encouraging their congregation to go on witch hunts (literally) and to execute all queer people.

Prices are skyrocketing.

Boycotting has been deemed to not be freedom of speech while money in politics is freedom of speech.

Prayer has been granted free access in all schools, though I have no doubt this is only meant to be Christian prayer.

Racists, nazis, and bigots are no longer worrying about keeping the quiet parts quiet.

I'm not going to sit here and lie to you and say that I have any clue what the end goal of all this is, but I can say that this is premeditated and tactical.

This, like much of the disinformation spread by the Trump administration, it's meant to overwhelm and divide. If we are too busy fighting each other, if we are spread too thin to effectively fight back, if we are too distracted to see what they are doing, then they win.

I'm sitting here, writing these words, and I can already hear the protests. "That's not what's going on." "Fake news!" "Don't overreact." "You don't know what you're talking about."

Let me be clear. If you agree with any of those statements, you may want to stop reading now, because you're not going to like the rest. Aside from that, maybe save your breath before commenting, because I don't have the time and I'm not listening.

I don't know how we move forward, and I am looking into all the options that I can find to join movements that have already been in place. Because in case you're just now realizing how bad things are, there are many people who have been telling us for some time that things were this bad, and most people refused to hear it.

Personally, I didn't see the value in my voice. I didn't think I had anything to add that wasn't already there or anything that anyone would care to hear. I thought that the people who knew what they were doing had these situations handled better than I would ever be able to, and I would only be in the way trying to help.

The thing is, we don't have that luxury anymore.

This isn't a fight, it's a movement. We are the movement.

Does anyone else remember Dinotopia? I know, really non-sequitur, but I keep hearing a quote from that show in my head. "It only takes one drop to raise the sea." (Which might not be the exact quote, it was a long time ago.)

I'm also reminded of the stories shared by one of the actors of Dinotopia, Wentworth Miller. He was retelling an event where he was in a restaurant and one of the patrons was making a scene, and he kept waiting for someone, some authority, some bystander to stand up and do something. Eventually, he realized, no one was coming. He had to stand up if he wanted something done, so he did.

I don't know what you take from that, but I could only be in awe at the bravery of that small act. It's something that seems small, almost a normal occurrence in today's society for someone to make a scene, and it might not seem like much for someone to simply stand up and say "Hey, that's not ok." However, it can, and in that story did, have an impact.

That's where we are now. If you don't agree with this, you need to stand up. No one is coming to save us, no one is going to say "This isn't ok." We have to stand up, and not just for ourselves, but for each other as well.

I have no idea how we move forward. I'm an artist/writer with a disability and very little understanding of politics or law, but I can learn. I can participate. I can speak up. And so can you.

I hope this message stokes a fire in you like the many, many messages I've been seeing lately have stoked a fire in me. More than that, though, I hope it stokes the embers of the fire in you. This isn't going to be a sprint, hell it's not even a marathon, it's life.

It's every day standing up for what you believe, calling out people who disrespect others, and working as much as you are able to build a better world.

I may never have children at this point, but throughout my life, I have always made choices by asking myself how I would explain those choices to my child. How would I look into the eyes of a hopeful, loving, innocent, young person and defend the choices I've made in such a way that inspires and exemplifies for them how they should go through their lives and treat those around them.

So how will you defend yourself to the next generation? Will you stand up for freedom, or will you give way to authority, just because you don't like the choices others make?

I also want to use this moment to point out that U.S. military code actually clarifies that it is an officer's duty to disobey an order that goes against the law. This includes anything deemed as a war crime. Following orders is not a defense for breaking the law or disrespecting human rights.

If you're still reading at this point, thank you for your time and consideration. I didn't intend to carry on this long, but there is a lot to be said. Stay vigilant. Stay aware. And just in case you're wondering, here's a (not at all-inclusive or in any type of order) list of my stances.

Abortion is healthcare.

Everyone has the right to love as they will.

Race is a scam, and human rights belong to everyone.

If it is a requirement to live, it should be accessible by all.

Healthcare is a right.

Food is a right.

Water is a right.

Shelter is a right.

Women are equal to men and the law should reflect that.

Consenting adults should be free to do what they will in their homes.

Drugs should not be criminalized, but instead regulated.

Society creates crime, not people.

Prisons should not be privatized and inmates should not be slaves.

Freedom of religion should be protected.

Religion has no place in politics or government.

Trans rights are human rights.

Corporations should not be viewed as individuals.

Everyone deserves a living wage.

Political donations should be illegal.

There should be no fees associated with running for office.

If the only repercussion for breaking a law is a fine, then it's not punishment, it's a price tag.

Politicians should stay out of medicine until they get their MD.

We shouldn't refuse to discuss issues with anyone in good faith.

Anyone (especially me) can be wrong.

We shouldn't demonize changing our minds.

We shouldn't "other" anyone.

If you read any of these statements and decide you no longer want to be involved with me, I will not stop you.

It's long past time that we all start setting healthy boundaries in our lives, so here's a new one from me. If you want to have a good faith discussion (one where we try to understand each other and proceed as us against the issue and not you against me) then I will be happy to participate. Otherwise, expect to be shut down.

And for anyone out there that is scared, marginalized, or in any minority I am here and I will support you however I can. None of us are equal until we are all equal, and we are in this together.

Thank you for reading.