Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts
244 years is long enough.
What amuses me about 21st-century racists is that they think America will go back to a time when they could get away with their hateful behavior in public.
To be clear, I am not saying some aren’t already showing their true racist selves in public, but those doing so have jeopardized their way of making a living. Many have lost jobs, businesses, and their freedom (jail). So much turmoil and pain just because they can’t see equality in others.
Sad, but I don’t care; they have had plenty of time to get on board this train of equality.
It is clear with actions like what happened in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, on July 5th, 2021, that the evolved Americans are not taking this any longer. Time is up, racists. What is more important is that for any business or politician that supports racist behavior, your time is up as well. This evolution will grow; you cannot/will not stop it.
America is already great!
The only question each one of us needs to answer is what you want to tell your grandchildren about these times. That you made a difference in democracy and civil rights, or you are a confederate or, even worse, silent.
Active or Silent; choose
Start with the simple act of joining BLM or NAACP or The Lincoln Republicans on Twitter. Allow them to notify your account when a PEACEFUL Shaming or “sit-in” is gathering, like the one that happened in Mount Laurel. Then try to show up. The more bodies that show up for these civil actions, the more pressure is applied.
There are still many battles for equality ahead, and it feels futile at times. It fills us, those who are evolved, with a sense of dread. The reality 45 brought with him is a truth that many people (mostly white) still think, after 244 years of painfully slow change, people of color are less and deserve less of the resources. The “battle” is clearly not over.
The Evolution vs. Intelligent Design (creationism) argument becomes a little clearer now, at least to me. No wonder these same people dismiss evolution; evolution means change, and change places them on the same competitive field; without the head start, they became accustomed.
Until the original American sin of slavery and Native American genocide has been atoned for, this country will not heal. I am not suggesting how we can atone, but the first act must be shutting down the “racist voice” in all forms; active, passive, and political. Short of spewing your hate in the privacy of your own home, we must not allow public racist voices to go unchecked. Keep that racist sh** to yourself.
The only way to end this division is to take responsibility for this sin of America. If not, I fear what comes next is an America that will look more like a penitentiary, where prison rules apply; what will follow is martial law. The government already has the legal tools in place; all they need is a reason. Section 215 of the Patriot Act will once again live if we cannot stop this insanity. Trust me when I say both “parties” would immediately pass some version of it. In all honesty, our leaders may be justified to use it if we, the people, cannot get a grip.
This is why I am advocating “Peaceful Shaming” as a movement and tactic, but it can only work if it is truly peaceful and well video-documented as peaceful. Any provocateurs that step in within the “gathering” must be removed. The smallest act of “perceived” violence will give the police the reason they need to swing clubs and spray chemicals.
Further, another solid tactic could be for the people to initiate a class action lawsuit directed towards the opportunists and provocateurs. The ones “shouting fire in the theatre,” the talking heads pretending to be journalists, would be a good start along with the networks that support those lies. Force them in open court under penalty of perjury to prove their lies. The court feed should be live and made public. Once they cannot prove their lies, collect a large massive settlement and label them as seditionists. The settlement could be given to the families who lost loved ones caused by their propaganda, BOTH sides. That could go a long way to healing this division.
As of this writing, I see in the news that 45 and his hench-people are suing Tech for banning him/them. We must realize these people are playing from a different playbook; one that doesn't care about ethics, morals, or equality. They have no fear of justice right now, why should they? We cant seem to stop them from their harm.
The truly sad motive is that these people don't care about the fringe tribe they have created; it is about money and power. High margin fast money is made in Chaos, not stability. Chaos is also the only place where pseudo-authoritarians have a chance at control. History is clear — tyrants create chaos then prosper from it. It feels dark and futile, but…
I am here to say there is a silver lining.
It is also an opportunity for a different outcome; change for the better can also happen in chaos. I am not saying we don’t have a challenge coming; I am saying that no one I know is going back to American apartheid without a fight. That fight can be peaceful with an overwhelming wave of thousands who SHOW up when a civil wrong has occurred or the latter; prison rules.
A real civil war would achieve only horrible things for both sides; a lifestyle more like a prison, loss of life, loss of an economy, finally, an authoritarian regime inserting itself. All those things are bad, but what I really fear the most; a foreign act of war at our weakest moment.
I promise you most of us do not want this, not even the bigots, maybe the Proud Boys and some militia groups but not the majority.
We MUST take this opportunity of Chaos to strengthen our path to equality and the pursuit of democracy.
How?
Beyond the “gatherings,” the only way I can see a path is to apply serious pressure on all businesses. Why do you think Mitch McConnell was so angry at business “daring” to challenge Georgia in the suppression of the VOTE. He flinched, and we didn’t “push the blade in.” I am sorry for the war metaphor; contrary to MAGA beliefs, liberals are not afraid of war. Give us a true cause, and we will step up with warrior-like resolve. You think not, take a look at history.
Pressure on corporations to do the right thing is the only thing that scares the GOP more than people of color voting.
Here is a question, do you consider yourself a constitutional American? A person that defends it as a living document? If you answer yes, then that is all the common ground we need to heal. For the moment, forget the label of Democrat or Republican and take up the “badge” of an evolved constitutional American who wants this experiment to continue. Stand up now with the rest of us who have evolved, engage a civil rights organization, even if you disagree with some of their tactics — forget the micro and get in the macro game.
#EverybodyCountsOrNobodyCounts
I mentioned civil war earlier. Are we in a civil war already? Well, as of January 6th, that was made clear to anyone who has eyes. If you haven’t watched the New York Times video click the link below; there’s no doubt it was an organized insurrection orchestrated by 45 and his circle of operatives. The mob was following the orders of a lame-duck president.
Yes, the civil war has begun, but we can turn it around with truth and an overwhelming mass of peaceful bodies at every racist act. We can scare politicians with our choice of where we spend our money. We can stop this insanity of fringe rule- if we get off the computer/phone and stand up for democracy.
I leave you, the reader of this obscure work, with this. TRUST is the issue and why we are divided. The loss of it was caused by 244 years of multiple agendas and a false narrative that the people can't handle the truth. When there is no transparency, the conspiracies take root. The truth may not be pretty, but we cannot fix the virus of propaganda without it.
Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts will be dark days; I suggest everyone takes a breadth to recalibrate and squash this.
I just got back from traveling from the West Coast, Nevada to Texas, NJ, and NYC. At every opportunity to converse with people, I floated the concept of forgetting party affiliation and spreading the word of being a Constitutional American first. You know what, 100% of the people I engaged were in—at least 20 conversations with all colors and genders. The country is sick of these fringes dominating our country. We basically want the same things; we just forgot that.
