I’m at the limit of survival, which is not ideal. By this, I mean I have no income, no financial support, and my van doesn’t start. This last bit turbocharges the first. If I can’t shower, I can’t go into an interview.
And so, my ex shows up, as she always does. She moved back to Oregon and discovered that where one is at does not assist what one wants. So she’s in Texas now, needing to be useful in some way that her increasingly shitty job cannot provide.
Which puts us on the same path for the first time since meeting 14 years ago. There was a lot of throat-clearing on the call last night before we realized we’d found our own paths to the same place. I don’t know what this means … I don’t think regaling y’all with details is particularly helpful, but she has energy I don’t to throw at my family, who’s given up on me because I see late-stage capitalism for what it is.
Given prior art that would necessitate a trigger warning, I can’t see being part of the machinery that tells us to obey.
But what’s so absurd is the person who may be my biggest exponent is also the person who crushed me and turned me into who I am. It’s like Stockholm Syndrome on steroids.
It is so disturbing to observe from afar.
When I get despondent, which is most of the time, I make a point of reminding myself of the many Americans who have been working so hard for decades - no, since the foundation of the US - to slow the rot & to introduce beneficial reforms. Backing these are large swathes of the population, then many more besides who’ll step up in support once it really comes to it.
So though there are profound hazards ahead, and so many people grossly harmed already, I retain a lot of faith in the American people to get through all this to forge a healthier future.
Remember: you vastly outnumber those who have been roped into being destructive. You’re up against decades of incredibly well-funded plans to dismantle the US, but you are far more adept at avoiding emotive populism than the targets of right-wing propaganda, so your responses have much greater chance of success.
You are a beautiful and strong people, no matter how chewed up with exhaustion and fear almost all of you are, and you will prevail. I love you all, even those who are so ruined by diseased ways of thinking that they’ve embraced violent hatred against their fellow Americans & everything that is good - they are incredibly dangerous, but victims of the beast they’re trying to catch a ride on nonetheless.
I do think that there will be an increase in political violence and I tremble for those trapped in various regions, but I don’t think this will tip into either widespread violence, violent revolution, or civil war - the country is so huge and diverse, with too many moving parts - but I can see all kinds of groups finding no choice but to raise the entire arsenal of resistance, from work-to-rule & slowdowns through to meaningful blockades, sabotage and seizures, swaddled with hefty mutual aid, and that this will inspire tens of millions to join in.
Remember too that many people seem wildly oblivious to… everything. Some vote Republican without paying any attention, because something something small government, cut taxes, blah blah. I don’t think these will necessarily join in on resistance along with of the rest of you once reality hits (though some will), but I don’t think they’ll stand in your way and I think they’ll swiftly distance themselves from Republicans.
You can do this as a nation. You will win. I hate that you have to, but you will. I love you.