Month: June 2020

Yep, the last part is “us,” as it should be. Because it is, always has been, and only ever will be about us. If we get our acts together, we cannot be stopped. And if we don’t, well, shame on us, “we brote dat on oursalves.” So…

Urge: Urge, IMO, means trying to rally support from among those whom you suspect to be on your side, or at least, to have an open mind about the issues you are passionate about. Urging is a form of/attempt at, persuasion. (It is the hopeful precursor to/avoidance of, “Ostracizing.”) There are many ways to appeal to someone’s “better angels” to ask for their support.

Here are a few tools with which to, perhaps, begin a dialogue or conversation about how and why we need, as a society, to implement immediate and drastic change: A few reasons why police reform is essential: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaD84DTGULo

Campaign finance reform seem like a small thing to you? Watch this: https://schedule.wttw.com/episodes/261254/frontline/big-sky-big-money Why safely voting by mail is crucial this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-nEHkgm_Gk

Secede: Okay, so maybe there aren’t a lot of you out there who are ready to seriously consider this option yet. Maybe we can use other “S-words” for now. Maybe “Start” is a better usage of the letter “S” at first. As in, let’s Start implementing these actions, not just discussing them in theoretical terms. So, how do we do that? Where do we start? Well, this, I literally can’t do alone. So, if you are on board with anything I’ve said in the last few posts, if “OBVIOUS” is, well, obvious to you, then you’ve gotta step up. Leave a comment. Add your name to the notion, so it can be set in motion…or not. This can just be another mental exercise on my part that you nod your head in agreement with, as it peters out and becomes another footnote. From where I sit, it seems like it’s time for some of you…make that, some of US, to take a stand…

Invest:

There are many ways to invest. “Obvious”-ly, you can (& should) invest your time, your effort/energy, &/or your money. So let’s start there.

You/we have to decide where our investments have the most leverage. Which issues are you willing to commit to? What problems do you think you can help solve? (Here’s where you get to, you know, speak up, by leaving a comment.) Here are a few areas/ideas that I have, but mine is just one voice (though, I’d love to hear what you think about my ideas):

US Senate races: https://www.270towin.com/2020-senate-election/  (we have to take back the Senate…period. So, this needs to be one of the issues, IMO, or the rest don’t matter.)

Racial injustice: https://colorofchange.org/

Removing plastics from the Oceans: https://theoceancleanup.com/

Indoor, non-GMO, soil-less, pesticide-free, vertical farming (aka “hydroponics”): https://aerofarms.com/

Solar/renewable rebates and initiatives, by state: https://www.dsireusa.org/

Campaign finance reform: https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/money-influence/campaign-finance/

Like I said, a few ideas, pretty much off the top of my head. Pick one, &/or, add one. But until you have some “skin in the game,” it’s all just talk. I’m trying to be about action! So, let’s brainstorm a little, come up with some high-impact, high-leverage investments we can make—of time, effort &/or money—and let’s make them.

Ostracize:

Okay, this one can be tricky, and probably shouldn’t be your first reaction to anyone who isn’t immediately on board. But it’s something to think about, to use sparingly-but-powerfully, and, IMO, with an explanation grounded in an effort to change minds. Case in point, Saints QB Drew Brees. He recently made some insensitive remarks about kneeling during the National Anthem as a means of protest. He was immediately called out on it by his teammates, and even by some of his peers from other teams. Hopefully, the message will get through to him. But if not, he will be ostracized. Players will not forget these remarks, and he will lose his leadership role in the locker room/huddle…as it should be. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. And especially if you’re publicly, intentionally, outwardly/vocally part of the problem, well, you’ve gotta go, bro’. From my social life, from my network, from my list of people I respect and want to interact with. No matter how hard or painful that is. Because it ain’t only/all about you! And we deserve better.

Okay, 5 down, 2 to go. But don’t wait until then to speak your mind. These crickets really aren’t such great company, TBH…

Organize: So that I don’t come across as being guilty of “just talk,” here, below are some attempts at tangible, real-world steps, some of which I have already taken, and would be thrilled to have you help me to mobilize. (But again, it’s not all/only about what I think. What do you think? What do you want to rally behind?) With all of the protests right now, organizing seems like it is happening already…but is it? Are these events organized, with a clear goal in place? If so, I haven’t seen it. In fact, I’ve seen some evidence that the moment is being partially co-opted by a few people who don’t even side with us on the core issues of racial justice and ending police brutality, and are “acting out” under the cover of these protests. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for peaceful protest—have been all of my life. But there needs to be a plan, IMO…an “ask” that someone or some entity can grant (or not), so we have some sense of where this is headed. From Where I Sit, it seems that there should be some serious organizing while we have everyone’s attention, and that it should center around more than just those two, albeit crucial, issues. Like, getting people in your community registered to vote, and helping them fill out the Census, for starters. What else ya’ got?

Boycott: There are lots of things worthy of your money…and lots that aren’t. Let’s open up a conversation that seeks to conduct some research into which companies don’t deserve our money. Coal-mining/fossil fuel production/fracking, agri-business/GMOs, HMOs, Big Pharma, the tobacco industry, companies that have shipped our jobs overseas and pay pennies, in horrible conditions, to produce their wares—those are low-hanging fruit. But let’s gather up that fruit and start off by calling them out and spending our money elsewhere. They won’t change their ways because of a sudden infusion of “Nice-Guy-ness.” They will only change when their profits suffer. Only way that happens if through a series of large-scale, organized boycotts. Just sayin’…

Vote: Senate races: we have to take back the Senate…period. Here is an interactive map, with color-coding to indicate which races seem to be “in play.” https://www.270towin.com/2020-senate-election/ Find a race you want to help win, figure out who the likely Progressive/Democratic candidate will be, and write that person a check…today!

If this year hasn’t shown us that Republicans/Conservatives don’t have the greater good in mind, I don’t know what will. But here are some videos that may give you a few things to think about:

Congressman Brian Sims of PA.:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/05/delayed-notice-of-pa-lawmakers-covid-19-diagnosis-spurs-outrage-calls-for-investigation.html

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=683102628927090&ref=watch_permalink

Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show: