Stand UP, Speak OUT, Refuse To be Silent

Democrats have been silent for far too long.

Especially here in the Deep South, we’ve been taught to ‘be nice’. It’s not ‘nice’ to make people uncomfortable. It’s not ‘nice’ for women to stand up to men and tell them to keep their comments, looks, and hands to themselves (in fact, we’re supposed to ‘secretly enjoy the attention.’ Bull crap.) It’s not ‘nice’ for us to speak up and point out that what people say or do is demeaning or hurtful to other people. Oh, but there’s just so much ‘not nice’ things we’re all taught that we are not supposed to do. The really awful thing is that Black Americans have easily three or four TIMES as many ‘not nice’ things to learn as white people. Bet you white folks weren’t aware of that one.

The other “tribe” (Republicans particularly the Right Wing Nut Jobs (RWNJ)) love to point out things that they call “cancel culture”. What it really is for them is us trying to make THEM feel uncomfortable about something and they’re trying to invoke the “not nice” rule. Personally, every time they start screaming “cancel culture”? I just want to go at them that much harder because you KNOW you’ve hit a nerve. It’s rather like playing “Battleship”.

It’s okay to make people aware that what they are doing or saying is not acceptable to the rest of society. It’s okay if they get angry or upset, well, that’s their choice and it is not on you. They chose to act in an unacceptable manner and they are choosing to react to being called out about it with anger, frustration, guilt, and/or shame. You just made them aware that you see them for who and what they really are. If they don’t like the image reflected in the mirror back at them? It is their responsibility to change it.

That’s why we, as responsible citizens, need to stand UP and speak OUT about what is going on in our communities and in our government. Change will not happen if we do not start getting involved in school board meetings, zoning meetings, board of commissioner meetings, and town hall meetings. Our officials will just continue to do what they have been doing if we are not there to listen in, ask questions, do some research, and hold them accountable. If you continue to elect the same people and continue to set on your butts at home doing nothing, you deserve what you get.

I’m willing to listen to everyone. I do require civility and solutions to problems as you see it. Let me hear what issues are top of your mind. What do you believe this District needs first and foremost? Let’s make some people uncomfortable.