Adding My Voice to the Choir

Hopefully not the cacophony

I don’t claim to be an expert. I’m pretty smart, but I’m not a journalist or political analyst.

But trying to write about other things right now feels disingenuous. I think of little else than the state of the country when I’m found with free-roam thinking time. Life has to continue, sure. Kids need to do their math homework and practice instruments and go to neverending sports practices and events. I can lose myself in logistics. I’ve tried. I’ve succeeded.

Jimmy Kimmel isn’t someone I think about on a regular basis. I don’t think I’ve ever watched his show, but I think he’s funny. He’s fine. Whatever. It’s not about him as a person. I’m not worried about his wellbeing or paycheck. I am worried about what he represents, a comedian/person in the media who reaches everyone in the nation, and our president and his allies (calling them “Allies” feels wrong because they would’ve certainly sided with the Axis powers) now seem to think they can make people go away when they don’t agree with them or like them.

I say “our president” even though I don’t want to be associated with him or anyone who agrees with him, even on paint colors or tv shows or favorite sports, because he is supposed to represent and bear the weight of decision-making for all of us. All citizens of this country. I’m tired of being made to feel less American than the other side because I want our country to be run properly, want rights protected, want the will of the people top of mind rather than the whims of a spoiled millionaire* looking to settle scores. When did wanting actual representation from our leaders make us dissidents?

Just like the Bible, the Right picks and chooses which passages in the Constitution they want upheld and for whom. “Equality for some” has long been their motto, and this administration gives them permission to act on their basest instincts - taking away rights from all non-straight-white-males, letting those who have the most gain more, playing on the base instincts of their constituents, namely racism and homophobia, to quickly pass legislation that will have devastating and long-lasting impacts on the people of this country who have the least, who are born with the least. They are all but trying to guarantee that if a person is born poor, they will remain or sink deeper into poverty, while those who are born with the most will continue to climb up the backs and shoulders, jackboots on foreheads, of those below them. What’s amazing is that the Right is using racism to get some of those poor folks to vote against their own self-interests.

I’m not saying anything that hasn’t been said. I just can’t pretend to write about or post about anything else. I can’t publicly put something out about being a mom or working out or whatever when this is what is important right now.

It’s easy to put our heads down and plow on with daily life. For some, it’s easy to believe that if we just keep going, this administration will end, and we’ll probably come out of it fine. That is essentially the definition of privilege. I worry a lot about coming off preachy or like I’m telling people what to do in posts. But if this post hasn’t already made you dislike me, I think we might be on the same page. We cannot ignore what’s happening in the country right now.

Sure, take breaks. I’m taking yet another Instagram break. It’s too much sometimes. But then come back ready to do something. Small things make a big difference. Vote in local elections, for example. Here in Illinois, there will be a round of elections coming up in March 2026. Be ready for that. Go to protests. There’s one at the Tesla dealership near my neighborhood every single Saturday. Maybe there’s something like that by you as well. Here are some ways to do small things. Here are some more. And one more about peaceful protests.

Jimmy Kimmel being reinstated after a weekend of boycotts shows that corporations hear the message when it’s stated in dollars. Disney+ makes life easy in the short term, but the long-term is at stake at the moment, and all of these choices are connected. I don’t know if boycotting Amazon is working, but Bezos’ fair share of taxes would do far more for our country than any of his companies are doing. There are boycott lists updated every month: here’s one, and here’s another. Making changes can be hard, yes, but do it now while you can still choose. If we wait too long, the changes will be made for us, and those will hurt much more.

*I said millionaire and not billionaire because I do not believe trump** is a billionaire, and he won’t release his tax returns to prove anyone wrong. Petty, maybe, but I don’t think he’s as rich as he pretends.

**I also can’t capitalize his name. I don’t like to say his name out loud either.