I like to consider myself well-informed, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed and burdened by the news. Do you ever feel this way?
On my commute to work, it’s normal for me to listen to NPR. Public radio is a great source of information, and I enjoy programs like Fresh Air and the BBC News.
But when all the news is bad, I find myself retreating to my personal music bubble. That’s been more often than not lately. I turn to the 6 CDs in my car’s disc changer, which consists of Dave Matthew’s Band, REM, and The Smiths. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
So, what’s actually on the news? Yet another mass shooting no one wants to do anything about except offer worthless thoughts and prayers. A criminal justice system that favors whites. More reproductive rights are being stripped away from women. Nothing is affordable. Another major weather disaster due to global warming. More stories about our freedoms being sacrificed in the name of freedom, like closing libraries so no one can access banned books. Sigh.
It’s too much on most days.
I struggle between wanting to do all the things to protest and stop these injustices and retreating to my safe bubble. I’ve tried calling my lawmakers, signing petitions, and sending emails. My emails either go unread or with generic replies. Phone calls are answered by eager interns who assure me that my words will be heard. I have my doubts. Petitions seem disregarded by lawmakers because some big organization started them.
How, then, do we let our voices be heard?
We saw in Tennessee what happened when young people protested gun violence. When their representatives stood with them, those lawmakers were expelled. Expelled! Meanwhile, other lawmakers admit to child molestation or straight up pee in another representative’s chair. Yet standing with your constituents is akin to an insurrection? Sigh.
It’s just so frustrating.
It just seems that the minority are in power, have manipulated the system to get even more power, and the views of the majority don’t matter anymore.
I don’t want to live in a theocracy. I don’t want our democracy to succumb to fascism. But unfortunately, I think we’re already past the tipping point.
It’s as though we live in two separate worlds. Those of us who are rational and respect others are in the majority but are either underpowered or apathetic about taking action. And those in power are bulldozing the system and taking away our freedom one bit at a time, serving their own greed.
Where does this stop? When will America finally wake up and see what’s happening? And are we really too late?
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Are you as frustrated with the current state of the United States as I am? This is not the greatest country in the world.
As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.
Anne the Vegan 