#NewYearNewMe Message
BY THE HAINT EDITORIAL STAFF
Last game of the year Brent, can’t hold back anything now. — Dan Fouts, as seen in The Waterboy.
By the time this goes to publication, we will be less than 15 hours away from the close of the decade. Scrolling through your Facebook feed, you’ll see your cousin on probation proclaiming, “New Year, New Me,” as she takes a downward shot to keep the ankle monitor out of the photo.
Why yes, Veronica, it’s a new year. But today is a new day; there’s always an opportunity for a new me.
And it’s an opportunity for a new us, too.
Like a century ago, the close of the teens is a time of upheaval and chaos. The global rise of fascism, economic crisis, and environmental collapse loom on the horizon. Since we’re entering the 20s, we should bring back jazz. Cause nothing keeps existential dread at bay better than staccato saxophone in B minor.
Jazz hands.
Shit gets overwhelming. But we can’t let troubling times snuff out our flame. There’s plenty of good developments.
In 2019, we’ve seen the labor movement grow bolder than in the last 30 years. From the GM Strike to the West Virginia Teacher walkouts, to the rail blockade erected by laid off coal miners in Kentucky, workers are understanding the nature of class warfare in the United States. For far too long, it’s been the rich throwing the punches — now the working class is getting its jabs in.
Moderately socialist ideas, like “Medicare for All” and student loan forgiveness, are gaining traction in the liberal Democratic Party. Twenty years ago, the Democrats — always a fair-weather friend to the working class — outright bunted labor. It appears the Democratic Socialists of America strategy of shifting the party of NAFTA to the left might be paying off.
We can stand by, and patiently watch these developments. We can take our Marxist astrological charts and decide, “Is now the time for the revolution?” Or we can take the tact Lenin chose when it seemed plainly ordained that Russia would be transformed into a constitutional monarchy, alike the British model.
Seize the fucking moment.
Let’s zoom into our corner of the world.
Appalachia has its own subset of problems. High rates of poverty and unemployment. A drug epidemic that’s causing people to literally drop like flies. Ruined water. Queer bashing. Racism. Corruption. Economic inequality. Lack of access to education. It goes on and on and on.
There’s a lot to do here, and plenty of people doing something about it. The IWW set up a chapter in West Virginia; I hear through the grapevine the Socialist Workers Party might follow suit. Queer Appalachia is spreading harm reduction at events throughout the region. Of course, we can expect the labor movement to grow in light of the actions taken by teachers, automotive workers, and coal miners last year. Don’t forget the pipeline protests either — there’s still folks sitting in trees along the Virginia/West Virginia line.
It’s easy to write off history as something that happens in New York or Paris. The fact of the matter is, history happens right here. A century ago, people literally fought and died on our soil so they could be paid in currency instead of scrip. Always remember that.
For our part, The Haint wants to document what’s going on. Due to news deserts throughout large swaths of the region and a general unwillingness on the part of the media to cover activist and grassroots movements as intensely as the $3,000 suit wearing jockeys vying to be in Congress, there’s a lot of shit we’re missing out on.
That’s where you come in.
We’re calling for all activists, writers, photographers, artists, musicians, videographers, shit-posters, meme propagandists, Commissary Commissars, Politburo porn stars, anyone at all, to contribute something our way. We’re especially looking for folks from Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, and Carolina to join us. Hell, we’ll even take Yankees, too.
We can’t promise you money yet — because frankly, we don’t have any at the moment— but we’re actively working toward being able to pay contributors. For now, whether it be a quick message letting us know about a tree sit, or a full account about a BLM protest, we’re happy to have it. It can be a one-time thing, or an ongoing relationship. Stay tuned for more info about how you can join us in 2020. After all, no one really owns The Haint — it just is.
Let’s seize the moment together.
GO MUD DOGS.
