It's Time to "Get Political"
I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but it really drives me crazy when people proceed their sentences about politics with a qualifier. They’ll try to appeal to their family or friends by saying “I’m not trying to get political.” No, fuck that. Get political. Loudly. Let people know you’re not going to take their shit. That you have eyes and ears and can see what is happening and it’s not going to happen in under the veil of darkness.
Who told them that getting political is a bad thing? Getting political means caring about your life and future.
If you have someone in your life who is reluctant to “get political” remind them that politics affects every. single. thing in their life. Their very existence is tied to politics. Dare them to try to get through a single day without touching one thing that was determined by someone else “getting political.”
Politics is why their parents were able to buy their first home and build generational wealth that they passed on.
Politics is why they were able to attend a public school and ride a bus there and eat a meal if they were hungry.
Politics is why they drive on safe streets, checkout books from the library, enjoy public parks.
Politics is why someone answers the phone when they call 9-1-1.
Politics is why they pay $0.75 for a Russet potato and not $75.
Politics is why there isn’t listeria in their drinking water and McDonalds can’t sell them cheeseburgers filled with E. coli.
Their mother or grandmother or aunt or sister or wife were able to own property without a man co-signing her paperwork because someone got political.
People who look down on those of us who “get political” are saying they are okay abdicating the responsibility of making sure they’re treated fairly to someone else. They’re saying their comfort level is more important than their rights.
In the 2024 presidential election, 75,017,626 voted for Kamala Harris. 77,301,997 voted for Donald Trump. 90 million people DIDN’T VOTE.
Voting is literally the least someone can do. Voting is the wiping-your-ass part of civic hygiene. If you want to do more than wipe your ass, you’ve got to call your senators, hold elected representatives accountable, volunteer for a campaign. More than anything, you have to pay attention to what is happening and boldly declare how it will affect you
This is actually so much less work and stress than living in a world where you’re powerless.
You might not care about politics, but politics cares about you. Quit treating it like it’s a dirty word and start taking responsibility for the world you live in. Because the sooner you are willing to “get political,” the better politics will become.
Great read. Thank you.
Bravo!