Sometimes I feel that SOME Democrats are trying to compensate for "defund the police" by performatively kicking trans kids in the teeth. (I'm looking especially at you, Gavin Newsom.) I think the Democratic mission should be pretty clear: Stand up for those who are getting trampled. Level the playing field. Lift up the downtrodden. Stand for truth, science, good health, and a good environment. None of this requires kicking trans kids in the teeth.
The word "woke" is so general and vague that it shouldn't even be used, at least not by the Left. (The Right always screams it at us as an insult). We should speak plainly, name each problem, explain why it's a problem, and tell how we plan to fix it. No one left behind. And we should name what is still good in America ("look for the helpers"), give people hope that we're not as far gone as they fear.
It does not matter that the word "woke" is so general. It's clear enough to understand what it really means, make no mistake about it. And, be clear that most voters know that it translates into biological men in women's locker rooms and their competing in women's sports. It's the Democrats that are confused. If they want to elect fellow Democrats they need to dump this issue and start calling elected Republicans Fascist in order to switch the narrative. There are plenty of examples that are clear as daylight.
Woke is a stupid word and divided by some stupid people. Liberals try to be clever when they should be pragmatic. They should’ve listened to Jimmy Carter when he said more than 20 years ago that the United States was no longer a functioning democracy and they should’ve listened to Ron Paul when when he warned us about corporatism/fascism. But I would go to Internet cafés and see all the Mac computers with snobs sitting behind them being snobby. It doesn’t bother them that those Apple products are made by slaves in China.
When there has been so, so many "radical right" agendas already set by this administration the only answers I can see are to wake up the left. The overturning of Roe v Wade, Killing fisherman in their own waters, The overthrow of another country and kidnapping their leader, Federal "Police" murdering citizens without justice, lying the people into yet another War, a corrupt Supreme Court, Republican "representatives" scared of the executive branch, all without the responsibility of their office upheld, the continuous dismantling of Rights to the people, income for personal gain. The idolizeing of dictators. Dismissing our Allies, These are only a few of the Rights advances towards a different type of government, none of them are minor IMHO. It seems like too many of We Peasants are willing to accept this shit as normal. And now we're told to rewrite the messages and progress on these, and other important issues will move forward. I don't honestly know if it's the answer or not. I'm still trying to understand how so many of our neighbors felt hiring a known pedo who bragged on Howard Stern's radio show about his privilege to slink into the dressing rooms of young girls as they were changing their clothes, a known 3 time adulterer, a con-man, a charity thief, etc. was hired as POTUS the first time around.
The word woke, at least in this context, is not our word. It has been manipulated and bastardized to represent overly zealot "leftist" extremists beliefs, and not what it truly means. I have just recently heard a highly intelligent conservative friend use it in the negative. I do not appreciate liberals embracing or adopting the MAGAts terms that are used to ridicule liberals. We should not be using that term at all. Its the crazies' term, not ours. Sure, we know its a good thing. But, until we change the universe back - that is when our Great grandchildren return sanity to this country, we absolutely shouldn't validate the crazy MAGAts by adopting their words.
Maybe people shouting “defund the police” helped shine a light on the problem of the police MURDERING citizens. I don’t see anyone on the right reacting poorly to the disgusting shit trump spews. Idk how far to the left anyone pushes, we’ve been thrown so insanely far to the right. Maybe we need to yell these things to wake whoever we can up. If we get ‘radical’ enough, we just might make to the middle one day. The middle being the actual supposed left.
Never been a big fan of labels. To me, human beings just come in all shapes sizes and colors. Woke 1 woke 2 ? Awake is good enough to see if your being lied to and if your wrong either way, you'll find out pretty quick
I strongly disagree. RFK Jr. is driving Americans away from belief in the Trump health promises. He’s openly telling America he’s willing to let us all die to save the rich from taxation. It’s COVID phase 4 all over again. Conservatives are murdering us all gleefully. Rethink opposition to Trump’s ill health plan? I think not!
In recent years, I've noticed that the term "woke" is used most often by trolls and MAGAs, mostly as a pejorative term. Maybe it's best if we just dispense with the term (which is grammatically incorrect, anyway) and just say what we really mean.
I learned ‘defund the police’ as stopping the purchase of military equipment for police forces. All that paramilitary SWAT bullshit. Instead of getting equipment that makes the police MORE lethal, take that money and invest in mental health supports- training for LEO, professional mental health counselors to go out on calls, etc. Soft skills vs paramilitary equipment.
The paramilitary equipment is often paid for by federal grants. Some feel the grants should be used to protect public safety by channeling resources toward mental health intervention rather than more "toys" for police intervention. I have always agreed with that stance and feel that was the original intent behind advocating for policies that somehow got labeled "Defund the Police."
Drop the jargon altogether. It’s not helpful. MLK articulated radical universal liberalism in terms easily understood and accessible to all. Let’s get back to what brought us civil rights, gay marriage, and trans rights. We have been side tracked by people’s carefully curated identity projects that build individuality but not community. We need humility, honor, and dignity right now.
I love that you are identifying a Polarity to be Managed as an AND instead of an Or. The right is fixated on the downside/warnings of what they perceive what Woke is about. The Left is fixated on the downside/warnings of the status quo of our flawed systems as they are today. What we need to do is use those negatives as the Warning signs of overdoing either Polarity and take deliberate, well thought out Action to Improve the Positives of these Polarities. They are Both/And, not either/or. We need Equity and Justice For All AND Systems of laws that help keep us safe (All of us Safe).
Thanks for your clarification. I honestly thought anti-woke sentiments were similar to the bashing of ‘tree-huggers’ that went on years ago. Basically self-centred people equating caring about anything other than self-interest with being weak, illogical and embarrassing. I don’t use most forms of social media so didn’t realize that being woke (in the sense of caring enough to push for needed change) had become a divisive term rather than a unifying one. I certainly hope the movement for equality continues fiercely.
I am not a big fan of the labels. They never are more useful than a way to sort and organize ideas in our mind and never offer anything like a complete description. There has and continues to be much happening in these tumultuous times and politics is personal and messy. We dabble at the intersection of our fears, hopes and hurts combined with our discernment or intellect. There is no such thing as a clean rational nexus amid political discourse we can anchor ourselves to for stability for the long haul though we all wish for it. There is no political figure that can supply that stability constantly either. The democratic process of a decade ago, a day ago or a hundred years ago is always changing. As human beings we do endeavor to do the best we can in any given moment and therefore deserve neither blame nor reproach. Woke 1.0, Woke 2.0 are only place markers for then and now. We are awake but probably not ever completely aware. I think we may attach to the distinction as a way to placate our fears or embarrassment for what we see differently and perhaps more clearly now. Can we just forgive ourselves for our humanity? It remains the one thing we can never transcend.
Sometimes I feel that SOME Democrats are trying to compensate for "defund the police" by performatively kicking trans kids in the teeth. (I'm looking especially at you, Gavin Newsom.) I think the Democratic mission should be pretty clear: Stand up for those who are getting trampled. Level the playing field. Lift up the downtrodden. Stand for truth, science, good health, and a good environment. None of this requires kicking trans kids in the teeth.
The word "woke" is so general and vague that it shouldn't even be used, at least not by the Left. (The Right always screams it at us as an insult). We should speak plainly, name each problem, explain why it's a problem, and tell how we plan to fix it. No one left behind. And we should name what is still good in America ("look for the helpers"), give people hope that we're not as far gone as they fear.
It does not matter that the word "woke" is so general. It's clear enough to understand what it really means, make no mistake about it. And, be clear that most voters know that it translates into biological men in women's locker rooms and their competing in women's sports. It's the Democrats that are confused. If they want to elect fellow Democrats they need to dump this issue and start calling elected Republicans Fascist in order to switch the narrative. There are plenty of examples that are clear as daylight.
Woke is a stupid word and divided by some stupid people. Liberals try to be clever when they should be pragmatic. They should’ve listened to Jimmy Carter when he said more than 20 years ago that the United States was no longer a functioning democracy and they should’ve listened to Ron Paul when when he warned us about corporatism/fascism. But I would go to Internet cafés and see all the Mac computers with snobs sitting behind them being snobby. It doesn’t bother them that those Apple products are made by slaves in China.
When there has been so, so many "radical right" agendas already set by this administration the only answers I can see are to wake up the left. The overturning of Roe v Wade, Killing fisherman in their own waters, The overthrow of another country and kidnapping their leader, Federal "Police" murdering citizens without justice, lying the people into yet another War, a corrupt Supreme Court, Republican "representatives" scared of the executive branch, all without the responsibility of their office upheld, the continuous dismantling of Rights to the people, income for personal gain. The idolizeing of dictators. Dismissing our Allies, These are only a few of the Rights advances towards a different type of government, none of them are minor IMHO. It seems like too many of We Peasants are willing to accept this shit as normal. And now we're told to rewrite the messages and progress on these, and other important issues will move forward. I don't honestly know if it's the answer or not. I'm still trying to understand how so many of our neighbors felt hiring a known pedo who bragged on Howard Stern's radio show about his privilege to slink into the dressing rooms of young girls as they were changing their clothes, a known 3 time adulterer, a con-man, a charity thief, etc. was hired as POTUS the first time around.
Interesting final paragraphs introducing you. . . Thank you.
More later.
The word woke, at least in this context, is not our word. It has been manipulated and bastardized to represent overly zealot "leftist" extremists beliefs, and not what it truly means. I have just recently heard a highly intelligent conservative friend use it in the negative. I do not appreciate liberals embracing or adopting the MAGAts terms that are used to ridicule liberals. We should not be using that term at all. Its the crazies' term, not ours. Sure, we know its a good thing. But, until we change the universe back - that is when our Great grandchildren return sanity to this country, we absolutely shouldn't validate the crazy MAGAts by adopting their words.
Maybe people shouting “defund the police” helped shine a light on the problem of the police MURDERING citizens. I don’t see anyone on the right reacting poorly to the disgusting shit trump spews. Idk how far to the left anyone pushes, we’ve been thrown so insanely far to the right. Maybe we need to yell these things to wake whoever we can up. If we get ‘radical’ enough, we just might make to the middle one day. The middle being the actual supposed left.
Never been a big fan of labels. To me, human beings just come in all shapes sizes and colors. Woke 1 woke 2 ? Awake is good enough to see if your being lied to and if your wrong either way, you'll find out pretty quick
I strongly disagree. RFK Jr. is driving Americans away from belief in the Trump health promises. He’s openly telling America he’s willing to let us all die to save the rich from taxation. It’s COVID phase 4 all over again. Conservatives are murdering us all gleefully. Rethink opposition to Trump’s ill health plan? I think not!
In recent years, I've noticed that the term "woke" is used most often by trolls and MAGAs, mostly as a pejorative term. Maybe it's best if we just dispense with the term (which is grammatically incorrect, anyway) and just say what we really mean.
I learned ‘defund the police’ as stopping the purchase of military equipment for police forces. All that paramilitary SWAT bullshit. Instead of getting equipment that makes the police MORE lethal, take that money and invest in mental health supports- training for LEO, professional mental health counselors to go out on calls, etc. Soft skills vs paramilitary equipment.
The paramilitary equipment is often paid for by federal grants. Some feel the grants should be used to protect public safety by channeling resources toward mental health intervention rather than more "toys" for police intervention. I have always agreed with that stance and feel that was the original intent behind advocating for policies that somehow got labeled "Defund the Police."
There are woke people and there “head in the sand, kept in the dark like mushrooms” people, but let’s not forget GOP = Guardians Of Pedophiles.
I believe in equality for all facets in the marvelous tapestry of humanity.
Excellent synopsis of the current state. A well-thought-out and impactful article. Thank you.
Drop the jargon altogether. It’s not helpful. MLK articulated radical universal liberalism in terms easily understood and accessible to all. Let’s get back to what brought us civil rights, gay marriage, and trans rights. We have been side tracked by people’s carefully curated identity projects that build individuality but not community. We need humility, honor, and dignity right now.
I love that you are identifying a Polarity to be Managed as an AND instead of an Or. The right is fixated on the downside/warnings of what they perceive what Woke is about. The Left is fixated on the downside/warnings of the status quo of our flawed systems as they are today. What we need to do is use those negatives as the Warning signs of overdoing either Polarity and take deliberate, well thought out Action to Improve the Positives of these Polarities. They are Both/And, not either/or. We need Equity and Justice For All AND Systems of laws that help keep us safe (All of us Safe).
Thanks for your clarification. I honestly thought anti-woke sentiments were similar to the bashing of ‘tree-huggers’ that went on years ago. Basically self-centred people equating caring about anything other than self-interest with being weak, illogical and embarrassing. I don’t use most forms of social media so didn’t realize that being woke (in the sense of caring enough to push for needed change) had become a divisive term rather than a unifying one. I certainly hope the movement for equality continues fiercely.
I am not a big fan of the labels. They never are more useful than a way to sort and organize ideas in our mind and never offer anything like a complete description. There has and continues to be much happening in these tumultuous times and politics is personal and messy. We dabble at the intersection of our fears, hopes and hurts combined with our discernment or intellect. There is no such thing as a clean rational nexus amid political discourse we can anchor ourselves to for stability for the long haul though we all wish for it. There is no political figure that can supply that stability constantly either. The democratic process of a decade ago, a day ago or a hundred years ago is always changing. As human beings we do endeavor to do the best we can in any given moment and therefore deserve neither blame nor reproach. Woke 1.0, Woke 2.0 are only place markers for then and now. We are awake but probably not ever completely aware. I think we may attach to the distinction as a way to placate our fears or embarrassment for what we see differently and perhaps more clearly now. Can we just forgive ourselves for our humanity? It remains the one thing we can never transcend.