There are so many mistruths out there. With so much information available and varied resources, it is sometimes difficult to know which way is up! Confusion is part of the process, which is why introspect is paramount; who influences you and more importantly, WHY??
Knowing how to read, think and process information is key to learning and discovering the truth. We cannot rely on a single source, or a single tool; we must use all of our resources, combined (i.e. sight, smell, touch, hearing, speaking, reading, thinking, dialogue, grassroots efforts etc.) to search for the truth for ourselves. Only then will the truth be found.
Here are a few things I wish we would be honest about in 2024:
The Economy- The economy is not good despite the lies we are being fed. Both Family Dollar and Dollar General are closing thousands of stores nationwide. Rent is too damn high! On any given day, 650,000 people are homeless all across the USA. Stellantis is now laying off thousands of workers. A lot of gig workers are also struggling to find consistent work. Just the other day, I visited an Applebee's who had a sign posted that read: "Dining room is closed until further notice due to staff shortage." Even though you personally may have no economic challenges, that is not the situation with most everyday people.
The unemployment rate is also grossly misstated. Unemployment statistics are calculated and provided by each state. What they fail to mention is that states track unemployment by the number of people who applied for and/or are collecting unemployment insurance. Once the claimants' benefits are exhausted, they are removed from the unemployed statistics. Most states make no effort to follow-up with claimants to see if they are still unemployed or underemployed. This is why the unemployment rate that is being reported is disingenuous.
RACISM- America was a racist country since its inception and segregation and racism were both legal until the late 1950's (segregation) and 1960's (civil rights act). It doesn't take a genius to perform a simple math equation to discover that racism is not 'hundreds" of years old like so many prefer to say! Racism is both a past day, and a present-day problem. Because racism, slavery, etc. is now illegal, it isn't always easy to spot. Minorities are not being hung by a noose, sprayed with water, or raped and killed by white people as openly as before. However, racist prejudicialness is alive, well and thriving! We see it when blacks are overlooked for affluent jobs, raises or excluded from opportunities non-blacks have. We see it in racial profiling by the cops and others. We see it when people are discriminated against due to their natural hair, looks or dialect and so many other areas. We see it in the schools where the ratio of black students to black teachers is tilted, especially in Surburban districts. We see in the justice system when laws are not equally applied. These are only a few examples of many. Anyone who downplays racism and the role it plays in society is not paying attention.
Prejudice, hate, and every other form of biasness originate in one's head and ❤️. For the most part, laws do not change how someone feels ... only how they operate.
HOMELESSNESS/HOUSING- Almost every state has laws that criminalize homelessness. Almost every state does not have rent control. The truth is that a lot of folks despise the poor and unhoused. People generally assume the worst about people who find themselves in this predicament, without any knowledge or understanding of the issues. This is where I slightly differ from my organizing sisters and brothers. They seem to think that the numbers alone will pressure folks into doing the right things but, how do you persuade legislators or other powerful people to act on behalf of a group of people they tend to ostracize? While organizing played a huge role in overcoming slavery and other horrible things, what we overlook is that the people who were marching were united, had a sincere understanding of the issues, and a genuine desire to help.
Statistics by themselves are not enough to help attack homelessness and housing issues because they only tell part of the story. Of course, we need to organize, but we should not overlook how many of these so-called advocacy groups and people who have a seat at the table, have no idea what they are talking about as it relates to homeless people or the challenges they face. Particularly from a real-world perspective. People don't pay their bills because they lack the capacity to do so. In addition, current legislation makes it super easy for someone to lose their home. All it takes is one tragedy, traumatic experience, or missed paycheck for someone to be at risk of losing their home and/or experience severe financial hardship. Six figure property owners, landlord lawyers, or anyone else who earns a livable wage cannot comprehend this simple and realistic fact. The problem is that these are the same folk who create or influence homeless and housing legislation.
DONALD TRUMP/JOE BIDENS AGE- I notice that the media and others consistently condescend Biden's age and not Trump's, even though they are just about the same age. People seem to forget what pushed DT into transitioning from a democrat ( he was cool with them at first) to a RINO in the first place; the election of Obama!! The election of a black man as President awakened hateful sleeping giants! Just reflect on the rhetoric that was and still is being said. Anytime you challenge someone's ethnicity, make fun of their heritage or culture or say negative things about people you don't agree with or understand, that speech is equivalent to hate and ignorance, not substance!
This time around, who is standing next to Biden? It's no longer a black man, but a black woman. If Biden were unable to fulfill his next term, Harris would automatically become our next BLACK president. That's the part nobody talks about out loud. And that's why Biden's age is a smoke screen issue as opposed to DT.
INFLATION- If you were to blow air into a balloon, it would inflate. If you popped the balloon the opposite would occur- deflation. The truth is the higher interest rates, higher prices etc. are not full of air. This is the NEW NORMAL. In case you haven't been paying attention, every seven years or so, we have a collective vortex, and things change in our nation. The rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep suffering. Inflation is not going away. If anything, prices will continue to increase. Welcome to 2024!
IMMIGRATION- America would not exist, if it weren't for immigrants. Colonizers took people by force from their native lands and forced them to come to America to help build this land up! In present times, immigrants are employed by businessmen and women to save money. When you go on vacation, or to a restaurant, a lot of the workers are immigrants! Who do you think builds that new McDonald's coming to your neighborhood? Who is it that cleans your hotel room when you go out of town? Who works on those cruise ships? The truth is immigrants have been in this country since day one and they are not going away! This isn't to suggest that we don't need to fix the border because it does need correction but, to demonize an entire culture of people without considering the aforementioned is plain silly. Fear is used to help manipulate untrue narratives. Fear is both a liar and thief! Stop allowing it to negatively affect your perception. YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW....lead by being a good example!
In my opinion, the world is messed up because people are messed up! I challenge you to take inventory of the energy you choose to bring into the spaces you inhabit. Who and what influence you ... and more importantly WHY??
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RDW
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