So ... that happened ...

A few months ago, I wrote that I was fearful for my friends of all stripes.  Then the election happened.  Then the attacks started.  Then my wife cried.

I am so fucking angry right now I cannot even stand it.  It is taking everything I have to write this rather than throwing the keyboard through the window and take out the first bigoted, xenophobic, woman-hating, piece of shit I run into.

Now that that is off my chest, what to do?  What to do?

1) Breathe.  Very important.
2) Respect the feelings I am having, that others are having, and the responses others are having to those feelings.  They are real, tangible, and powerful.
3) Work to protect those who feel they are one block away from being attacked.
4) Recognize that as a white, straight male, I am systemically privileged and have an awesome responsibility to protect those who are systemically stripped of protections.
5) Recognize that the system is not just the official system but the discursive system that we all participate in (whether we even know it or not).
6) Get involved.  Dismantle the system from the inside.  Make it so it truly reflects all people, even those whose beliefs are barely fathomable by me.
7) Develop pedagogy that, dare I say it, moves past my usual "non-sided" approach (I know you cannot teach critical theory like that, but I have tried).  Even Intro to Mass Comm has to change tack. Corporate Media coverage is part of the problem here, but not the whole problem - not by a longshot.

All for now.  More coming.

Take care of each other -

Adam

My thoughts today ...

I fear for my friends and tribe that happened to be born with darker skin pigment than I. I fear for my friends and tribe that have chosen a profession where they carry a badge, walk into harm's way every day, and have sworn to protect and serve us.

I feel fear.

This is the first time I can actually think of when I woke up and I was a little scared - a little confused - and ready to pack up the house and head for the hills. So, instead, I watch, I learn, I think, and I hope.

We are watching the overt war over our country's competing ideologies play out on our TVs, through our politics, shrouded by our doctrines of faith, and across our screens. It is so easy to put the walls up and attack anything that is counter to our little niche of beliefs. I challenge you ... to breathe. To listen. To consider. I, like many of you, are quick to react. Perhaps we need to not react, not repost, not retweet so quickly without dialogue. Not yelling. Not mocking. We need to listen.

Don't "like" this and move on. Don't "thumbs up" or :-) or whatever is easy to do then go right back to putting another brick up.  I will do my best. I challenge you to do the same.

Ask.

Question.

Accept.

Respect.