Last Saturday, I attended the ‘No Kings’ protest in San Francisco. As if on cue, these lyrics sprang into my head:
“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules of someone else’s game.”
The time has come for me to be openly political in every single facet of my life! That now includes my work life.
My work has always been my refuge. It was the one place where I would never discuss politics, particularly in the age of trump. This held true even if those wanting to talk politics were ideologically likeminded. I love my work, and I love what I do. I didn’t want to taint it with discussions of either him, his loathsome politics, or are national political scene.
Those days are gone!
At a time when ICE is raiding schools and hospitals, and the president is overstepping his executive authority by using our National Guardsmen for his own political purposes, there are no safe places. There is no refuge from the current political shitstorm. People I know and love (including immigrants and the trans community) are suffering! Every aspect of our government is being defiled before our very eyes.
I can’t – and won’t – stay silent any longer when confronted with maga-level/fox network-inspired ignorance from anyone I know, be it friends, family or co-workers. In the words of someone I trust deeply, “There is no point in moving about in the world in these times as if you don’t exist politically. That is living a lie – for anyone in this country today.” It is certainly a lie for me.
The ‘No Kings’ protest reminded me how much I love my city and its willingness to take a moral stand at moments of national crises such as this. People like me need to be out there taking a stand on these issues, talking with others in our communities, and doing our best to lead by example with a good heart, a clear conscience and, I hope, an opportunity to get some of those ignorant folks to show a shred of decency/empathy.
BTW, I have indeed had to listen to foxtv nonsense being spewed from work associates. Here are a few gems:
“You like Rachel Maddow? I bet you watch MSNBC.” [No, I get my news from unbiased sources]
“I’ve bought guns to prepare for the civil war that is coming.” [I own no guns and only worry about crackpots who say shit like this]
“He (Kilmar Abrego Garcia) was here illegally and deserved to be deported.” [He did everything that was asked of him by Immigration]
At each occurrence I told them that we weren’t going to have that discussion. I’ve even said, “I need to be able to work with you, and if we have this discussion I won’t be able to do that”. Now there won’t be a warning. I will wholeheartedly drag them down the path, kicking and screaming.
This is one of those moments in time when good and decent people must stand openly in defiance against the actual destruction of our government. Silence will not work against bigotry, racism, ignorance, and lack of empathy. Bullshit needs to get called out, and I’m going to do it as needed.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not in this to become yet one more ranting political asshole in the workplace. But if you come for me, my lifestyle, my political party or my personal values, you better come correct… or don’t come at all.
[Author’s Note: For the record, I stopped watching MSNBC a long time ago when they started to give a platform to opposing viewpoints mired in the racism and ignorance that has since become a cancer in this country. Also, my new cap says “Hate Never Made A Nation Great” I’ll be wearing it proudly for the rest of the year, even to work events in red state cities. ]