Should I talk about Martin McGuinness?
About the difficulty of reconciling the man he was to the man he became? About the conflicting emotions of a terrorist turned peacemaker?
About whether what we've done can, or should, ever be forgiven? About whether it's possible to wipe the slate clean?
Should I talk about Julie Lonewolf?
About how racist bigotry can, and does, drive people to take their own lives?
About how people thought it was ok to systematically destroy her career and achievements because she dared to say things that made them feel uncomfortable?
About how people laughed and joked about the damage they had done after finding out she was dead?
Should I talk about acephobia/aphobia within the LGBTQ+ online community?
About how the 'A' stands for ace, no matter how much others think it doesn't? That ace and aroace people are LGBTQ+, are queer, are not your oppressors?
Should I talk about how LGBTQIAP+ people should support each other? How it's so f**king annoying that members of this community feel the need to exclude others?
Should I talk about London, and Westminster?
About how the media vultures are beginning to make me feel sick, because even though their mouths are saying that it's awful, the glint in their eyes, and the tone of the reporting, belies their ghoulish glee?
About how, as sad as the deaths are, this happens in other countries on an almost daily basis, and it's not reported here, because they aren't white or British?
Should I talk about the fact that 'Islamic' extremists and far-right extremists seem like the same f**king people when you turn out the lights?
Should I talk about how everywhere I turn right now, there's seems to be something else, some other injustice, some other sh**-pile going on?
Should I talk about Syria? Should I talk about the looming crisis in East Africa that we are all studiously ignoring?
Should I talk about whitewashing and straight-washing in the media?
Should I pick any one of the seemingly millions of problems in the world right now and attempt to talk about it?
Should I talk about how we need to force 2017 to be better? To do better than 2016 did?
Should I talk about hope?
That thing that seems so far away right now, but that I will cling onto with every breath in my body, while there is still life in me?
Should I talk about how hope exists wherever life exists? Should I talk about how tomorrow can always be better?
How love and truth and justice and hope aren't just corny words from old songs, but something worth planting your feet, gritting your teeth, and fighting for?
And if I talked about all of those things - if I talked about any of those things - would anyone listen?
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sorry to say this but sometimes I live under a rock I did not know about Julie Lonewolf unfortunately social media is a very powerful weapon. Same with acephobia/aphobia. Humankind is so freaking flawed. We'll always find ways to clump together with people "similar" to us because and exclude and ostracize the others because that makes us feel "safe" an "comfortable". We, humans, tend to be mentally lazy, that's why we don't like things that are "different" because we have to think. We like things standard and nicely labeled for us so we automatically know what we think about them. SMH!
ReplyDeleteToo true :/ Still, we should try to make it better any way we can :)
DeleteI think there are sadly so many problems in the world that it almost seems like it's impossible to shed light on all of them. I liked how you said that Islamic extremists and right-wing extremists almost seem the same when you turn off the lights, because THAT'S SO TRUE! I was just watching a Law and Order episode yesterday about white supremists, and I was thinking to myself, this can't be possible that there are actually nazi's still left in the world, then I looked back at 2017 and I was like: oh wait, there are!
ReplyDeleteYeh... it's like - oh! There's one! And there! *sighs*
DeleteOh well, thanks for the comment Em :)
I just YES TO EVERYTHING you said. I am hating that aspect the most about the London situation. Whyyy just why?
ReplyDeletePrabhleen @ Booksarelife987
I know. I can't even with the cr*p people are saying. *sighs*
DeleteThanks for the comment :)
This has been a rough week, for sure. I am giving you hugs and support.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dina, I'm OK :) Just tired of the world going to hell in a handbasket! (And hopefully you've heard that phrase before & I haven't weirded you out with my Britishness again!)
DeleteUgh, there is just so much negativity and so many problems in the world. And I genuinely don't understand so much of it, why people treat others so badly. And you would think that people who oppressed or in minorities or are the object of prejudice themselves would be more supportive and understanding of other people in the same position, but unfortunately I've found that is often not the case :-/ (like in the ace issues you talked about). I've never seen the P before though. What does that one stand for?
ReplyDeleteThe P stands for Pansexual - it's similar to bisexual, but incorporates non-binary, genderqueer, trans people, etc. A *lot* of people use bisexual to incorporate the same things, but some people prefer pan because sometimes people use bi to exclude non-cis-gendered people (i.e. to be transphobic or to be prejudiced towards non-binary people.)
DeleteAnd yeah, people can be awful. Luckily, people can be awesome too :)
It really is such a shame to look at the world right now. There is just so much negativity and so many bad things happening. But hope is important. I always try to read one piece of good news for every piece of bad news I find. It's funny how much easier it is to come across bad news than good news, but it is important to look out for that too ^^
ReplyDeleteTotally agree! When I see bigots online, I try to RT and boost marginalised voices to counter-act it, hopefully that makes some sort of difference in the grand scheme of things!
DeleteVery true!
ReplyDeleteYou've got us all thinking about these things just my mentioning them. I feel like there s hope. Even in dark times, there's always hope x
ReplyDelete#RV&HT
Hope is awesome :)
DeleteThanks for the comment.