A Love Letter to a Suffering Country

There is a lot of hate, pain, and fear in the world right now.

I can feel it in the increased nastiness on Twitter, the increase in cars blowing through red lights, and in the voices of my community simply asking for a better life.

Today I want to write a special message of love to all the souls who are suffering or fearful right now.

Yesterday was my birthday (May the 4th be with you). I wanted to use today’s post to talk about my views on love and how we, as a society, need to recenter love as an action. Love as a verb. Love as a promise to our fellow humans.

Then the SCOTUS decision was leaked. (We all know the one I’m talking about) And I saw the agony, but also the resilience. The raw indignation from people like Elizabeth Warren who say “enough is enough.”

It is time.

Authoritarian forces coming from the right-wing are a threat to democracy, our planet, and the well-being of the people who live in this country (& abroad).

The rights of every minority community are under direct assault. First it was Black people being shot in the streets (& even their own beds. Always remember Breonna Taylor), then Trans people’s access to a bathroom, the ability to teach American history in schools, now women’s autonomy to make their own decisions has been rejected. Next they want to end gay marriage, end Social Security, and increase taxes in the lower/middle class.

This will not stop until we make it stop.

Yes, I am angry. But I have hope. Hope is another one of those words that is action-oriented. My hope is not sedentary. My hope is in the actions I take to elect more progressives, to support our most vulnerable, and to empower organizations fighting the climate crisis.

My hope comes from all of you. Because the secret that the right-wing don’t want us to know is that there are more of us than them.

The United States is a diverse, multi-racial country whether they want to admit that or not. There are more people in this country that want decency. That wants all of us to succeed. Americans are good people. We’ve just been stuck feeling powerless.

But we have more power than we know.

At the beginning of the year, I shared a stat:

“Did you know that if only 3.5% of a population participated in sustained, nonviolent protest, change is possible nearly every time?”

We are six months away from the Midterm Elections that will decide the control of the Senate, the House, and many local offices including Secretary of State that control local elections (don’t forget they’re trying to overturn elections). Right now is the time to make a choice.

Will we allow the majority in this country to be heard? To truly address the climate crisis, the gross inequality, the racism, sexism, and homophobia?

What will you do with your power?

With your love?

Take care of yourself, lead with love, and when you’re ready, get out there, raise your voice, and vote.