Freedom to speak out against the government is a right we enjoy very much in America. It is a right many people around the world do not have. Their ability to freely say how they feel, without worry of imprisonment, is stifled by the people with power over them. So, when I see someone on social media say they don’t talk about politics on social media, it breaks my heart. Not only for those around the world who are not allowed to but for my precious son. He can’t speak at all. He can’t communicate very well at all. He has difficulty telling me what he wants, and he can’t tell me at all when something hurts inside his body or if someone has abused him. I have to look at his behaviors to figure things out. He has to suffer until I, the one with the power to help him, can figure it out. And I love him. I don’t want this power over him. I want him to be independent and able to care for himself. I want him to be able to shout to the world everything he wants and needs. Especially, to our government because he is being ignored by both sides of the political spectrum.
Many states do not allow people with intellectual disabilities the right to vote. You might think that is okay because you question their ability to understand the policies. That is the language of discrimination. It is an ableist attitude. Some worry that helping them vote will lead to abuse and a second vote by the helper. That could happen by either party. Someone else’s criminal behavior should not keep a fundamental right out of the hands of others. Isn’t that the argument against gun control? Many people with intellectual disabilities do understand – better than some people without disability – the policies and how they affect them. They advocate for themselves. They should have the right to vote in every state and every country around the globe.
Imagine living in a country where you are not allowed to speak about what hurts you in your country because your government does not want you spreading an idea to anyone else. They don’t want a person with a heart, a mind, and a soul to touch other hearts, minds, and souls because then a movement would begin. A movement that could take them out of power. I’m thinking of countries like North Korea now. Or, it simply could be that your leader’s ego can’t handle it when people speak against him. He might call fake news to anyone who reports what he does, even though he is the one that did it and they are simply reporting it. Or he might say protests are not allowed because he thinks it’s embarrassing for the country. Whatever the reasons are, imagine not being allowed to say how you feel about injustice, or poverty, or guns, or abortion because your government wants to keep its power over you; not out of love for you, but so you will remain dependent and powerless.
Some people say they won’t talk about politics on social media because the debate gets out of hand and people say nasty things to each other. Yes, that happens. So? There is a simple solution to that: Don’t engage with that person. Say how you feel and let it sit. You don’t have to defend it or justify it. You have the right to say your truth without defending it. THE Truth – with a capital T – needs no explanation anyway. You simply say I think this president is a horrible human being. He acts like a child. He is all ego with no integrity. He is power hungry and, while I might like some of his policies, I cannot stand him and the way he represents our country around the world. When someone pushes back and says Yea, but… in defense of his deplorable behavior, you can ignore it. You don’t respond. It’s that simple. Now, I’m sure you may be thinking something like, it’s easier just not saying anything at all. I don’t want to add to the drama that’s going on so I just scroll past all political posts. I talk to my family about it and that’s enough. I understand that. You have every right not to speak up about politics on social media if you don’t want to, for whatever reason you have. You use your vote as your voice and that is private.
My mind goes back to all those folks around the world who don’t have a voice or a choice, including my son. They would love to have a choice like you. That choice is a privilege. When one chooses not to speak or has no political right to speak about things they are passionate about in their heart, really bad things can happen. History has proven that - The Holocaust, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, imprisonment and experiments on the disabled and mentally ill, just to name a few. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that and encouraged white Americans to speak up for the civil rights of black and brown people in America. He urged them for their support because “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter… The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people… In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends… Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” His words are Truths we can choose to ignore, but that eat away at our souls.
I know all of that and I agree with it, but if I speak one word publicly about my own party or someone in it, the other side might win the next election. That is a possibility, but not a probability. Your voice can change your own party back into one you can be proud of. The Democrats fought hard to keep people with black skin in slavery. Now, they are fighting for their rights. Do they go far enough? No. Do they fight hard enough? No. Some of them may even be doing things behind the scenes to keep things just the way they are. That is deplorable and should not happen. Your voice can change that. Your silence gives others the sense that it is okay with you. Right or wrong, your silence gives people a perception about your views and what you will tolerate. That silence becomes your voice. You don’t have to be cruel with your words. You don’t have to be divisive with your voice. You simply and eloquently say, ____ is not okay. ____ is unacceptable. I will not tolerate ___ from my political party. Period. Then you call your local representatives or the White House and you tell them, too.
But, if I call my representatives and the White House, why do I need to say it on social media? The answer is because our children are watching. Our children are on social media reading our words, hearing our videos, and viewing our shared memes. And not only our children but our friends who might be inclined toward a dark side if no one around them is saying anything in dispute of it. Everyone is watching the negative things, and many are responding favorably to it. This idea is reinforced in me each time my voice is critical of my party and I get way more reaction to it than when I say nice things about my party. It is a sad but true fact of human nature. But, I choose to be nice most of the time. I plant seeds of love so the seeds of hate planted by others will not be the only things growing.
Recently, I have been brutally truthful about the actions and inactions of some of my friends. My last blog post, Female, was a satirical commentary on what I have seen on Facebook. I have offended people, intentionally. I do not apologize for that because, sometimes, some people need to be spoken to in a language they understand. Satire can do that. I don’t believe women are inferior to men, but saying, satirically, that my friends have convinced me of it, and pointing out all the ways they “convinced me” was my way of giving them a verbal smack on the head. It appears to me they misunderstand the language of liberals when we speak, but they do understand the language of Trump, so I used mockery in my own way. I did not say anything untruthful and they may not like my opinions, but I come by them honestly with research to back them up.
satire | ˈsaˌtī(ə)r | noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
You don’t have to use satire. You don’t have to talk about what you don’t want to make your point. Just say what you do want. I want a president who has integrity, morality, compassion, a willingness to listen, this one does not possess those qualities. I want a president who is respectful to those he disagrees with, who sees no person as defective, who brings peace through understanding, who tries to understand the other side of the argument… Say it. For all those here and around the world who can’t.
One thing you may want to be aware of: The Trump administration, in America where speech is still free, has proposed a rule to limit where people are allowed to protest or tax them when they protest in front of him. They do not want people protesting outside of the White House. This is a first step toward limiting free speech in America and makes me wonder if all the extreme gun advocates have a point about needing to defend themselves against our own government.
Proposed Rule
I don’t understand most of that mumbo-jumbo legal language so here is an article about it in plain English.
I will end with this: Stay silent if you dare, but remember that silence is also a form of speech and your silence just might get you what you don’t want.
Check out my recommended reading post at the top of the menu. I hope this blog helps you to create a more peaceful life. Keep in touch with the following methods: Use the links under the archive menu to subscribe or follow by e-mail. Help me get this message out by sharing it with your friends on social media! If you enjoyed it and were helped by it, they will, too! Write to me with your comments and questions at mindchange4all@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
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