Perhaps I’m wrong, though I don’t think I am, but it seems as if there has been a lot more odd shenanigans happening in my town and surrounding cities. The election has people amped up, and the rhetoric continues to increase in hostility. I once again think of “Tolerating Intolerance”, and people are definitely pushing the boundaries, toeing the line. I do not look forward to these next few months.
A trickle of funds are starting to find their way toward human services, but it’s nowhere near enough. I read an article the other day about a town increasing the number of available daycare spots by some very meager number, nevermind that the cost of care continues to be unaffordable. Our world is on fire, and they toss us dimes as if that’s all we need in this economy. Education is getting funding cuts. Human services are nearly nonexistent and what does exist is massively overwhelmed. No fucking wonder crime is on the rise.
Continually tossing police at the problem has not nor ever will fix the problem of crime. But that’s not the purpose of police. As it currently stands, tossing more officers into a problem that keeps getting bigger and bigger, mightier and widening in scope, they cannot be the end-all, be-all of fixing every single social problem that exists. This is why we need to invest in more community-oriented solutions that come to little or no cost to those who need it. Cuz goddamn we need so much right now.
Yelling it once more into the void.
Everything is always so reactionary, and it’s not even in good faith. It’s tossing crumbs to the starving masses, as if we aren’t going to find other means to not starve. Survival versus hoarding of wealth. Wealth gained by stealing wages, benefits, community care. Individualism is one of America’s top 11 values, according to the State department. We are fucked thinking we can survive this life on our own, and we have thoroughly fucked ourselves and our planet.
I want to say that ti’s not too late to take initiative to turn this world upside-down, but “too late” is coming more and more quickly. While we fight for our lives and our ability to live, the world burns and the rich sip their little cocktails behind the line of police who protect them and their property.
Sigh.
It’s really a huge shame because if these assholes were a little less greedy, they’d probably end up with just as much wealth because boy do we love spending money. But now we have too little money and everything costs too much. I keep seeing headlines about “inflation cooling” and “gains in the economy.” Uhhhh, that’s not what my wallet is telling me.
How easily manipulated we are. Tis a sad state of affairs. I’m at a loss at what to do about it though.
I guess I just need to keep reading “The Miracle of Mindfulness” by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Saffron Coelho 