I think I am drawn to social media for two distinct reasons. The first reason is that people are suffering and I cannot look away, though it hurts so much to see it.
I know that this is not happening on the other side of the world, it is happening in my own country. It is affecting my neighbors, my friends, my family. It is affecting me.
Misdirected anger based on fears, both real and imagined, has lead to attacks on most every marginalized group, not only here in America but abroad as well.
Daily, I see a news story or two about someone speaking out against what they perceive as the negative impact of X or Y group of people on society. I see families being torn apart, acts of violence perpetrated by our government, military forces being deployed against our own citizens, peaceful protesters being arrested, tear-gassed, and shot.
Sensationalism is the norm and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to tell truth from lies. While lies, harmful misinformation, and propaganda flow freely from our government, news channels, influencers, and pulpits; as they accuse their opposition of the same.
Scapegoating has always been an issue in our country, but the levels to which it has been lifted are unprecedented. Racism, classism, ableism, misogyny, queer-phobia, religious intolerance, bigotry, and outright hate speech are now a regular part of the news cycle, as are gun violence, murder, hate crimes, brutality, harassment, and abuse, both verbal and physical.
Our systems of government, and the Constitution itself, are being manipulated and the rules of law ignored in order to force a one-sided agenda upon the citizenry. Criminals are being set free and placed in positions of authority and control, while the innocent are imprisoned, held without trial, and punished by those same people who committed crimes against the state, which is to say against the citizens of the United States.
Secondly, I am drawn to social media because I want to see the end of this chapter of world history.
I want to see our V-Day celebrations. I want to see people freed, families reunited, and peace declared; an end to the wars being waged in our cities and around the globe.
I want to see a time when our allies can trust us to be true to our word and to our shared values and principles.
I want to see us once again be a light unto the world; helping feed and clothe the poor, stand with the downtrodden, protect the innocent, and help bring peace, health, happiness, and prosperity to struggling nations, instead of strife.
I want to see people coming together to find common-sense solutions to the issues that affect us all. I want to see our leaders working across the aisle to create a stronger union with a more just system that works to ensure that every American has access to opportunity and freedom from oppression.
I guess I want America to live up to its potential as a free nation, and honor its promise of liberty and justice for all.
Is that really too much to ask?
~ elr
Image: ID 128736973 © Marian Vejcik | Dreamstime.com