Good People Do Nothing
They'll Wonder What They Missed
Editor’s note: This was supposed to be published before the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. It sat in my drafts folder for reasons I can’t explain. Here it is unedited.
Good in this case depends on point of view. As does many things.
Whether you’re an active listener to the vomit on display coming from the U.S. and its government of broken - and racist representatives in the GOP - the stench will find its way to grasp you in some way. It has the same properties of pet hair. You’ve mopped, dusted and vacuumed every square inch of your home - and still the hair finds a way to abundantly appear on your scalp.
Sadly, there exists only two political parties of note in the U.S. One, wants to try to govern for all the citizens within its borders. The other, seeks to control history, gender, healthcare decisions for the entire population, restrict voting to specifically target and demoralize Black Americans, make sure to arm all future mass shooters with the most efficient and deadly weapons of war, and end the democratic experiment by taking control of future elections.
Are you rolling your eyes because you’re MAGA and find my explanation of your party incorrect? Take a look at the substance contained in the bills that have been passed by those in the GOP. If I’m overstepping here, please describe what your current and future bills aim to do.
Enlighten me.
Educate me in your ways. Well, as much as you possibly can considering all the libraries you want to close, the authors you censor, the educators you want working under surveillance and the books you’ve set ablaze. This, is your free country? Also, tell me that you’re not currently committing all the above.
As stated in the open, good is based on perspective.
Republicans are using fascist tools. They want control over the press. An obedient media. Lawmakers with an “R” next to their names want to quiet or outright destroy dissent. In this case, voters and representatives that call themselves Democrats.
Republicans have campaigned to install followers of their cult ideology as secretaries of state across the United States. For those in need of a brief lesson in the responsibilities of a Secretary of State:
They’re the chief election official. It’s a role required of the position, set by federal law. They have duties mandating them to be in charge of running and certifying elections. These elections cover the levels of smaller offices well on through to high-profile, national, offices. From county-officials, governors, mayors, and state legislators, all the way up to U.S. senators and congressional representatives. (The same law abiding Americans that tried to overthrow the government after the last presidential election.)
There are enough future secretaries-of-state in the pipeline that believe that President Joe Biden is illegitimately eating nightly dinners in the White House. Fortunately enough for half of the country that tries to believe in democracy, most of them lost their bids for seats. However, they only have to rise to those future seats…once. Considering the platforms and issues that incite the GOP, you can understand why those positions are paramount.
Lesson over. I had to squeeze it in because that information resides in texts that are soon to be torched.
In the United States.
A land of freedom.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis opened his mouth to say this in late May on the major propaganda network of conservatives, and their intelligent voting base, when he was asked why now is the time for his White House run:
“Everyone knows that if I’m the (Republican) nominee, I will beat Biden. I will serve two terms and I will be able to destroy leftism in this country and leave woke ideology on the dustbin of history.”
The clip is widely available online. I thought to embed it. I don’t want to platform it. The quote is one he’s been reciting on repeat at speaking engagements and political rallies. Oh, hell, it’s at 1:49. It’s akin to clicker training your new puppy. DeSantis spots the camera recording light and out it comes.
As for its content, who talks like this?
This is an elected official and not the conspiracy spewing uncle at Christmas. Although, he’d fit right in with most conservatives because they all have a deep-state tale to alarm Americans about.
In democracies, you don’t aim to destroy your opponent because their views differ from the ones you hold dear. A dissenting viewpoint is core to a functioning, true, democratic system of governance. This is government 101, grade school curriculum, stuff here.
DeSantis talks in this manner because America allows this dangerous, insidious, virus to spread. When I consider the Republican Party, their voters and what they stand for based solely on the laws they’ve passed yesterday, presently, and aim to write into American law tomorrow, they represent an America that has always been alive.
America was founded on white supremacy. It has always supported and had homegrown ultra-nationalistic groups: the Confederacy, KKK, the German-American Bund, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Moms for Liberty, Slave patrols (that gave birth to modern police), and the patriots of today that carry and stitch together the Nazi, Confederate, and American flags.
Which of those flags don’t belong with the other two? Trick question.
Good people are doing nothing about this….
Reasonable. Measured. I’m looking at Democrats and the media. You know the names.
I’m also pointing directly at American voters. Look at who half of America wants to talk for them.
Each time a right-leaning politician speaks pure bile, they have to be met with a response from the left. Tearing apart the lie, hate, or false grievance being aired to send voters on the right into a rabid frenzy.
I know this can be a thankless chore. Who has the time to call out every racist thought a Republican shares? Democrats do have other issues to tackle, namely, running the country on policy instead of peeling away more rights from fellow Americans. A GOP staple.
Affirmative Action was gutted. LGBTQ+ rights are whittling away.
Quickly on Affirmative Action: It was legislature created to give opportunities and access to every corner of society that was blocked from benefitting from the dream of America. Specifically, African Americans. Racist whites, since before this nation was United, did not want anyone to stand in the way of white domination. For eternity. Whites still feel this way, for the most part. Proof? Republicans.
Affirmative Action was one way to build a systemic pathway for oppressed minorities to access jobs, colleges, bank loans, housing, etc. A legislative attempt to dull the flourishing racism that has always been a foundational aspect of the U.S. AA had to be sealed into law because white Americans can’t be trusted to dismantle racism when it serves them so abundantly. Proof? The United States…since forever. Since today. Since tomorrow.
Affirmative Action was never discriminatory against non-whites or whites. It wasn’t its intent. In practice, sure, a law or provision can have unintended and hurtful outcomes. Absolutely that’s a real world problem in its application due to the fact that humans have to decipher said law and provision. Humans are idiots.
It’s sole intention was to guarantee that minorities couldn’t be discriminated against - because of how white Americans wielded white supremacy to control every facet of life. The Affirmative Action bill was written to attempt to chip away at that dominance in the name of fairness and opportunity for EVERY AMERICAN.
Lastly, and this is comedy: Instead of Affirmative Action benefiting Native Americans, African Americans, and every group of U.S. citizens that have been marginalized from centuries ago up until today, take a guess on what group gained the most from its creation?
White. Women.
Quick note over…
Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) recently attacked President Biden. Shockingly, she misconstrued the the unfortunate Amtrak derailment in Southern California recently, with crumbling infrastructure across the nation. Leave it up to the heroes of Twitter who dragged her in the open for all to witness. You see, Boebert herself, voted against President Biden’s infrastructure bill when it was time for her prove herself. Yet, 1 + 1 = bad president in her brain.
At every turn the GOP must be met with an honest and coherent response. Based on the objective truth and backed up with receipts. Like in the case with Boebert.
Joy Reid, Mehdi Hasan, Lawrence O’Donnell, Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Nicolle Wallace, and even Whoopi Goldberg are pulling the cover back on Republican hatred that isn’t hidden anymore. A year or so ago, you could add CNN personalities to the list above but their journalists are working with their skulls in the sand today. Last year they were quick to shout down Republican lies.
Representatives Katie Porter (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) have confronted the avalanche of hate and blatant falsities of their colleagues with a capital “R” affixed to their names. Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has been alongside them. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is trying to awake a mythical dragon it seems by attempting to apply ethics to a Supreme Court that’s more detached from American citizens than it’s ever been.
It’s still not enough. A Republican lie needs to be met with a Democrat explaining said fib - and a truthful counter.
Seventy-four million Americans voted for the last president in comparison to the 81 million that selected Biden. A miniscule margin to be forthcoming. The first figure is the true reality of what the U.S. is. In its soul. Its heartbeat.
Republican politicians aren’t shouting into a sea of nothingness. Shrieks are echoed back in their direction. Those voters among that 74 million. Voters want these politicians to speak in their stead.
GOP voters and politicians aim to destroy any alternative coming from the left. Destroy. Not in a political, this-is-political-talk-so-put-on-your-adult-pants type of message.
They mean destroy as in to utterly defeat, demolish, and put an end to the existence of Democrats - and their aspirations, policies, and values.
However, the reporting when any politician on the right vomits a bewildering buffet of lies is ho-hum. Plain. As normal as buttered toast paired with a mug of morning coffee.
This is governor/senator/congressman so-and-so speaking about the problems in the country.
The media is failing.
Good people do nothing.
Rights are falling, repeatedly, for Americans in a land claiming that its citizens are free.
Good people do nothing.
Democrats want to govern. Republicans want to rule.
Republican aims are coming to fruition every time a major piece of “settled” law goes to the court that they puppet.
Please, do a quick search of the ex-president’s plans - in a speech this past weekend - if he wins another four years in D.C., if you need to hear authoritarianism live. Listen. He’s not speaking of working on the differences in political ideologies between the right and left. He envisions one.
It’s similar to other figures throughout world history.