When boys do not have consequences to their actions, they become arrogant. Eventually, they are emboldened to the point of violence. This is what we are seeing. The reality is that these bullies are AFRAID. Very afraid. Therefore they have to join up with other AFRAID boys to produce a gang, or political party. Democracy is in danger.
So many thoughts swirling around in my head it’s hard to comment, Kari. I’m glad you wrote this. I wrote something yesterday when I posted my essay on my business insta (which is another conversation swirling around in my head, meaning getting off meta, but I won’t hijack your comments section), and I had this thought - is it safe for me to say this? Which is wild, right? Like where are we that these thoughts are occurring to us? Smh. And sending you a lot of love.
Thank you Ally - I still need to catch up and read the rest of your last post! None of us are "safe", but it's terrible to have to wonder if you'll wind up in deep shit.
(The Meta decision is personal for everyone, and some people's livelihoods and businesses simply can't afford to leave. In my case, I could. I know you are doing everything you can, so go easy on yourself. We all have a LOT to deal with)
Yes, it is. Thank you for saying so. I was a young teacher in the 90's, and I saw the beginnings of a different kind of tolerance for Nazis back then. It astounded me. I'm not astounded now. Heartsick, but not astounded.
Oh gosh, yeah. Maybe my teachers were more concerned than they let on, but they seemed oblivious. And heartsick but not astonished is exactly where I’m at.
I remember several incidences such as you describe--swastikas on notebooks or desks. It was treated as hate speech, so not ignored. But the response was individual and regarded as an abberation, not as an indicator of something larger going on that needed to be addressed. I think, growing up as we all had (inculcated in the inarguable belief that Naziism had been defeated and could never come back), it was unthinkable that it could be anything else. Hindsight is painful.
I grew up around plenty of racist Confederate sympathizers. In college the fraternity that worships the Confederacy, Kappa Alpha, tried hard to recruit me. When I lived in Mississippi my ophthalmologist in the privacy of the exam room, tried to recruit me into a “citizens’ council”.
We have a real fight on our hands and it won’t be pretty.
Thank you so much for this piece (and for the extremely well expressed footnote! 😵💫) Although I’ve long understood how racist this country is and has always been, the news from the past couple of days alone have been enough to bring panic attacks.
Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea about the KKK's current mass harassment and outing campaign of immigrants, and how horrifying to know people you went to high school with are in starring roles still.
It's terrible, but this has been going on for a long time. Americans buried their heads in the sand. The call was coming from inside the house and young men were being radicalized even 25 years ago. Everyone thought it couldn't happen here. Welp!
You are so right. Every word. My late, Jewish father, whose blood I share, would be calling for Space Karen’s head, right now. Why aren’t out in the streets protesting this abomination? What has happened to us? I grew up in the sixties. When the shit hit the fan, we hit back.
Mass protest is no longer feasible. That's been true for some time. Any mass protest that sprung up now would result in a lot of violence and it would enable him to make protest illegal. We need different strategies.
I can't take credit for Space Karen, and I forget who used the term, but I had the same reaction and I don't want to write these assholes' names so I will just refer to him as Space Karen forever!
When boys do not have consequences to their actions, they become arrogant. Eventually, they are emboldened to the point of violence. This is what we are seeing. The reality is that these bullies are AFRAID. Very afraid. Therefore they have to join up with other AFRAID boys to produce a gang, or political party. Democracy is in danger.
I think it’s more than in danger at this point. I’m not sure it’s functional. Maybe it can be again, but, big maybe.
So many thoughts swirling around in my head it’s hard to comment, Kari. I’m glad you wrote this. I wrote something yesterday when I posted my essay on my business insta (which is another conversation swirling around in my head, meaning getting off meta, but I won’t hijack your comments section), and I had this thought - is it safe for me to say this? Which is wild, right? Like where are we that these thoughts are occurring to us? Smh. And sending you a lot of love.
Thank you Ally - I still need to catch up and read the rest of your last post! None of us are "safe", but it's terrible to have to wonder if you'll wind up in deep shit.
(The Meta decision is personal for everyone, and some people's livelihoods and businesses simply can't afford to leave. In my case, I could. I know you are doing everything you can, so go easy on yourself. We all have a LOT to deal with)
Yes, it is. Thank you for saying so. I was a young teacher in the 90's, and I saw the beginnings of a different kind of tolerance for Nazis back then. It astounded me. I'm not astounded now. Heartsick, but not astounded.
Oh gosh, yeah. Maybe my teachers were more concerned than they let on, but they seemed oblivious. And heartsick but not astonished is exactly where I’m at.
I remember several incidences such as you describe--swastikas on notebooks or desks. It was treated as hate speech, so not ignored. But the response was individual and regarded as an abberation, not as an indicator of something larger going on that needed to be addressed. I think, growing up as we all had (inculcated in the inarguable belief that Naziism had been defeated and could never come back), it was unthinkable that it could be anything else. Hindsight is painful.
I grew up around plenty of racist Confederate sympathizers. In college the fraternity that worships the Confederacy, Kappa Alpha, tried hard to recruit me. When I lived in Mississippi my ophthalmologist in the privacy of the exam room, tried to recruit me into a “citizens’ council”.
We have a real fight on our hands and it won’t be pretty.
Thank you so much for this piece (and for the extremely well expressed footnote! 😵💫) Although I’ve long understood how racist this country is and has always been, the news from the past couple of days alone have been enough to bring panic attacks.
yeah, it's one thing to know, and quite another to see it happen. They are definitely using shock and awe tactics, and it feels overwhelming.
Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea about the KKK's current mass harassment and outing campaign of immigrants, and how horrifying to know people you went to high school with are in starring roles still.
It's terrible, but this has been going on for a long time. Americans buried their heads in the sand. The call was coming from inside the house and young men were being radicalized even 25 years ago. Everyone thought it couldn't happen here. Welp!
You are so right. Every word. My late, Jewish father, whose blood I share, would be calling for Space Karen’s head, right now. Why aren’t out in the streets protesting this abomination? What has happened to us? I grew up in the sixties. When the shit hit the fan, we hit back.
Mass protest is no longer feasible. That's been true for some time. Any mass protest that sprung up now would result in a lot of violence and it would enable him to make protest illegal. We need different strategies.
Then we’d better come up with those, soon.
Space Karen! Sorry, I know this isn’t a laughing matter, but Space Karen is absolutely sending me ☠️
I can't take credit for Space Karen, and I forget who used the term, but I had the same reaction and I don't want to write these assholes' names so I will just refer to him as Space Karen forever!