As a person married to a Jewish man who was raising Jewish children… you hit the nail on the head. We lost everything - the entire community we once had, all because we could not support the blind Zionism. It is so hard to explain to our kids why.
I am Iranian and my dad and his family are very staunchly pro Palestine - growing up I thought that was typical for Persians. I learned that was not the case this year - it’s made for some real awkward conversations. But I understand the trauma on all sides. I have hope other Iranians can work through the complexities and see things for what they are, even as they fight for their own liberation.
This is one of the most important things I’ve read all year. Black and Brown communities around the world are continually presented with the Lucy-with-the-football dilemma, where the football is Life. And, knowing what it is, we still get played every time.
In The Fifth Sacred Thing, by Starhawk, it takes a group of people willing to accept their fears, remain in relationship, and stand immovably in truth, staring oppressors eye to eye, calling us to a new humanity, to turn the world around. Thanks for being one of those people in our current era.
Our species is being called to its next evolution. As always, Time will be the final arbiter.
“Because while we’re being told right now that so many things will kill us, there’s a fundamental truth that isn’t being mentioned nearly enough: if we can be made to stop seeing the humanity in each other, there is absolutely no way we can survive.”
Very wise essay. I wish people would not confuse strategic voting with unconditional enthusiasm and celebrity hero-worship, which is not appropriate to shower upon any leader of the American empire.
Thank you for sharing what you are experiencing and seeing. It seems like there is a resurgence of excitement to vote blue with Kamala's hat in the ring. But it also feels like those with the most privilege (read white folks and those with the most capitalist benefits to lose) are all of a sudden even more blind to the fact that nothing will change and it'll still be business/politics as usual. "Oh, thank god we won't have Trump in office and our lives will go on as normal!" But life going on as it has been is unbearable, and literally deadly, for so many. When I talk about this, there seems to be no comprehension by so many people I know.
Important piece, appreciate your perspective as always. I’m seeing the same things and I too am challenged by it. But I’ll push on one thing - for Black Americans in particular (and certainly for many Latine folks, especially in communities with high proportions of undocumented people), it’s not just generational trauma that’s being triggered, it’s the real lived experience of 2016-2020. It’s the overt acceptance and encouragement of white supremacy, it’s the constant fear of going outside for fear of ICE, it’s even greater enabling of police violence, it’s the further erosion of civil rights. Those fears are real and incredibly recent. Are we asking vulnerable people to endure more harm in the short term for a future we hope to build but cannot guarantee? These are the thoughts that keep me up at night right along a seemingly never-ending livestreamed genocide in Gaza as well as the atrocities in the Congo and elsewhere.
As a Black American I'm going to have to push back on that. Because It's the real lived experience of right now too. Things are not better under Biden for us. Things have continued to get worse AND we have seen an increase of fascism across the country in the last four years. So when we look at the difference in fear between now and in 2020 - and the fear it's much greater now than in 2020, which wouldn't be the case if this were based off of our experiences of 2016-2020 - we're seeing the activation of something much deeper.
Dear Ijeoma, This is a sincere question. I think you are saying, that things don't get better for Black and other marginalized folks in this country, no matter who is in power. I get that. Now are you suggesting that a Republication administration in 2025 would be better for the people of Gaza? If so, can you explain in what way?
I have difficulty believing this is a sincere question when it's in no way what I said or implied, and in fact seems to pull an important conversation on how we hold administrations accountable and stand with each other even in scary times back into the territory of political fearmongering
I just don't understand how we can influence politicians other than by telling them we're not voting for them. Are you saying that we can make a difference in policy by demonstrating to keep issues in the news? I'm truly looking for guidance here.
Along the lines of whether this is a sincere question rather than an attempt to undermine the message or extract labor... meditate on this part: "When our deeply-held trauma is triggered, we really think we are fighting for our lives, even if we are not. And in that mode, when we’re half in reality and half in a violent past that we’ve always known could come back at any time, we are not our rational selves. We are not our intersectional selves. We are not leaning into our political analysis. We are not strategic."
If one is having difficulty coming up with creative ways for influencing politicians and their influencers, then we can be curious about whether that is reality or if we are in the state described above. There is a vast diversity of tactics, numerous informational resources at our fingertips, and significant potential alliances out there. Seek them, do them, consistently, and do them together in solidarity with people who can help hold you and themselves accountable. Rest if you get tired, get therapeutic assistance as you can. Put precious energy toward this and not despair.
As a person married to a Jewish man who was raising Jewish children… you hit the nail on the head. We lost everything - the entire community we once had, all because we could not support the blind Zionism. It is so hard to explain to our kids why.
I am Iranian and my dad and his family are very staunchly pro Palestine - growing up I thought that was typical for Persians. I learned that was not the case this year - it’s made for some real awkward conversations. But I understand the trauma on all sides. I have hope other Iranians can work through the complexities and see things for what they are, even as they fight for their own liberation.
This is one of the most important things I’ve read all year. Black and Brown communities around the world are continually presented with the Lucy-with-the-football dilemma, where the football is Life. And, knowing what it is, we still get played every time.
In The Fifth Sacred Thing, by Starhawk, it takes a group of people willing to accept their fears, remain in relationship, and stand immovably in truth, staring oppressors eye to eye, calling us to a new humanity, to turn the world around. Thanks for being one of those people in our current era.
Our species is being called to its next evolution. As always, Time will be the final arbiter.
“Because while we’re being told right now that so many things will kill us, there’s a fundamental truth that isn’t being mentioned nearly enough: if we can be made to stop seeing the humanity in each other, there is absolutely no way we can survive.”
Amen
Very wise essay. I wish people would not confuse strategic voting with unconditional enthusiasm and celebrity hero-worship, which is not appropriate to shower upon any leader of the American empire.
Thank you for sharing what you are experiencing and seeing. It seems like there is a resurgence of excitement to vote blue with Kamala's hat in the ring. But it also feels like those with the most privilege (read white folks and those with the most capitalist benefits to lose) are all of a sudden even more blind to the fact that nothing will change and it'll still be business/politics as usual. "Oh, thank god we won't have Trump in office and our lives will go on as normal!" But life going on as it has been is unbearable, and literally deadly, for so many. When I talk about this, there seems to be no comprehension by so many people I know.
Whew. Thank you, as always, for being willing to share your insights and wisdom, and help us make sense of what’s happening in this moment.
Important piece, appreciate your perspective as always. I’m seeing the same things and I too am challenged by it. But I’ll push on one thing - for Black Americans in particular (and certainly for many Latine folks, especially in communities with high proportions of undocumented people), it’s not just generational trauma that’s being triggered, it’s the real lived experience of 2016-2020. It’s the overt acceptance and encouragement of white supremacy, it’s the constant fear of going outside for fear of ICE, it’s even greater enabling of police violence, it’s the further erosion of civil rights. Those fears are real and incredibly recent. Are we asking vulnerable people to endure more harm in the short term for a future we hope to build but cannot guarantee? These are the thoughts that keep me up at night right along a seemingly never-ending livestreamed genocide in Gaza as well as the atrocities in the Congo and elsewhere.
As a Black American I'm going to have to push back on that. Because It's the real lived experience of right now too. Things are not better under Biden for us. Things have continued to get worse AND we have seen an increase of fascism across the country in the last four years. So when we look at the difference in fear between now and in 2020 - and the fear it's much greater now than in 2020, which wouldn't be the case if this were based off of our experiences of 2016-2020 - we're seeing the activation of something much deeper.
Dear Ijeoma, This is a sincere question. I think you are saying, that things don't get better for Black and other marginalized folks in this country, no matter who is in power. I get that. Now are you suggesting that a Republication administration in 2025 would be better for the people of Gaza? If so, can you explain in what way?
I have difficulty believing this is a sincere question when it's in no way what I said or implied, and in fact seems to pull an important conversation on how we hold administrations accountable and stand with each other even in scary times back into the territory of political fearmongering
I just don't understand how we can influence politicians other than by telling them we're not voting for them. Are you saying that we can make a difference in policy by demonstrating to keep issues in the news? I'm truly looking for guidance here.
Along the lines of whether this is a sincere question rather than an attempt to undermine the message or extract labor... meditate on this part: "When our deeply-held trauma is triggered, we really think we are fighting for our lives, even if we are not. And in that mode, when we’re half in reality and half in a violent past that we’ve always known could come back at any time, we are not our rational selves. We are not our intersectional selves. We are not leaning into our political analysis. We are not strategic."
If one is having difficulty coming up with creative ways for influencing politicians and their influencers, then we can be curious about whether that is reality or if we are in the state described above. There is a vast diversity of tactics, numerous informational resources at our fingertips, and significant potential alliances out there. Seek them, do them, consistently, and do them together in solidarity with people who can help hold you and themselves accountable. Rest if you get tired, get therapeutic assistance as you can. Put precious energy toward this and not despair.