Howdy internet friend and welcome back to another "weekly update." Let me start by writing that Black Lives Matter! I am using the quotes because this isn't much of a weekly update as a rant about the state of affairs in the United States. So if you prefer to skip to the dog picture, click here - and don't worry, I won't blame you! July 4th is the day that the United States celebrates independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. I will be honest with you, it does not feel like there is much to celebrate today. One rogue branch of the government has stripped rights from every American. To make matters worse, this judicial coup was executed by five people, appointed for life, most of them put there by one-term President(s). There is frustration from everyone (except the far right, who seem to be gleefully enjoying their "victory" over their fellow citizens) and looking to Washington it doesn't seem like much change will be happening any time soon. We are being told by the party in power to get out and vote, when they are sitting in office refusing to use the power at their disposal to make the change they promise after we vote for them! It feels like Lucy trying to convince Charlie Brown that THIS TIME if he votes for her, she will really use her power for good and this time will let him kick the football.
This would be bad enough if it wasn't happening during (what appears to be) the runup to yet another (what's that the third or fourth in twenty years?) financial crisis, during a pandemic the government is totally ignoring, all while civil unrest is heating up. Politically speaking, the Republicans are bringing guns and body armor to a knife fight, while the Democrats show up with the board to play checkers hoping the Republicans will show bipartisanship and bring the checkers pieces. Put plainly - one party is absolutely not serious about the threat they are facing, while the other is laser-focused on their goals. More to the point, they are are also achieving them, and they don't even need to control the majority of government (they are inctron of 1 of the 3 branches) to do it! It sure would be great if there was a third option, but it'll be years (if ever) before that happens.
All that is set against the backdrop of today. Personally I'm planning on just finishing this blog post, closing my computer, and walking away from the internet for the day. I'm going to play video games, relax on the couch, listen to some music, and try to think big thoughts. If someone smarter than me comes up with an answer, I'm happy to move in that direction. Even if I were to come up with some solution, who am I? It seems highly doubtful that some white dude in the desert has all the answers! What I suspect is this - if the solution is to go out and protest, I've spent the last 20 years watching that fail over and over again in the United States and that is a sure-fire way to lose.
For context, this Wikipedia article indicates that 36 million people across the globe went out to protest on 15 Feb, 2003. That includes estimates between 150-225 cities in the United States with protest action. Did this stop or even slow down the war machine? No! What about years of sustained protest? Still no, another goose egg! What those actions did manage to accomplish was to provide those who resisted criminal records and disqualification from a number of other benefits that come to citizens of this country. Since I am an American, I'm specifically talking about the United States - I am not trying to compare or qualify or state anything about any other country. France is a clear example of a country that knows how to protest and get their government to listen! Mexico is another example. One could look at dozens of countries in the western hemisphere for further examples. My point is that you are not going to convince me that protest is the answer to this particular problem.
I suspect, as others have said and written, that mutual aid and working in your community is the right answer. You are far more likely to make change in your community than you are in Washington, DC. I've said and written before and will do so again that direct action gets the goods. Owing to the pandemic, I've not done a good job of meeting people in my local community. I've read tons of theory over the years and would be happy to share it, but finding a safe way to meet with the local community isn't something I've figured out how to do quite yet.
In closing, I realize I didn't share much about what I was up to last week. In that respect, it wasn't really much of a weekly update. That's because I think there are more important things to write about right now. Maybe you really care that I watched a movie and perhaps on a different week I would write a little review of that much. Today that just does not seem appropriate.
Instead, I think this week I'll just end it here and let you enjoy this picture of my dogs in the living room. I realize this post was a downer but it's just really hard to look around today and feel good about what is happening. It's vitally important for me to use what platform I have to write and speak out against injustices where they exist and if I can, try to propose a solution. Today I do not have any solutions to offer, except to suggest that you listen to others who aren't me. There are people who have been through worse and harder struggles and have much better advice on how to deal with bad times. History can be instructive as well. Ultimately in hard times solidarity is often our sharpest weapon.
Thanks for reading internet friend. Enjoy this picture of my dogs, and I hope you have a nice week. Cheers!