I See You

Once upon a time in a world that is honestly not so distant from ours, there was someone who was tired. When I say this person was tired, I am referring to emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. A normal day looked like one many people have to experience. It is filled with little sleep and a quick shower. Being yelled at, called to, and touched multiple times. It is filled with zero privacy and story times while on the toilet. There are multiple drop-offs and pick-ups, sometimes forgetting that you haven't brushed your teeth or fixed your hair because the phrases, 'get your shoes and coat on please' were repeated more times than you ever thought was even humanly possible. It is days filled with reheating your coffee or tea a minimum of 3 times before saying fuck it and giving up on it. It is not having a moment to yourself until late at night but by that point, you are so tired to care and just want to sleep. This is only if you have the privilege of being able to stay home because there is enough income from one person. Those who have to work while doing ALL of the above, are equally as tired if not more.

The sad reality of life is that 90% of the time this is the plight of mothers. Yes, there are some fathers who are amazing and do this as well or they are good at sharing the role of parent and provider equally. The sad reality is that this is not the reality. It is like we still live in the 50s. Not just with parenting and the roles of men and women but also with how we treat people. All we need to do is look at our neighbors to the South of us and see how things are going.

Things are changing but not in a progressive way. In a way that is putting people at risk even more than ever before. Women can't have sex without having to be prepared beforehand with a decision of what will happen if they become pregnant. Some don't even have the privilege of choosing if they have sex before becoming pregnant. If you are pregnant, you better hope that your pregnancy is flawless because my Gawd, help you if it is not, there is a very big chance you could die and the irony of that statement is that those who have chosen this for you, also believe this is what their so-called God would want.

If your skin is not white or your religion is not Christian, then you are always having to watch your back. Mind you this isn't anything new for these amazing individuals as they have always had to watch their backs, whether it be buying a pack of gum, going to the bank with a baseball cap on, or walking or driving down the street, they have always had a huge target on their backs.

Those who love people who don't conform to what the Christian ideology of relationships should be and love those of the same sex or feel they don't fit the gender they were born with, look out. They are accused of horrible things they never did or ever will. They are targeted and along with the above groups, murdered without pause by those same God-believing individuals.

We read and watched stories created over 40 years ago that we thought were just that, stories. When in reality they are playing out in our current lives. Look at one State south of us and you can see the dystopia playing out. Books being removed from schools that have material one person finds offensive because it teaches people that sometimes Tommy may have two moms or two dads, or Sam's ancestors may have been owned by another human. That people in mass quantities were starved, beaten, murdered, and treated as animals because of their religion, political alignment with that religion, or for not being seen as pure in the eyes of one man. Guns are valued more than lives because apparently, that is where freedom is. The more guns you own the safer you are, and the more control you have.

We live in a world where privileged, spoiled individuals are allowed and chosen to run countries. Where men with no knowledge or experience decide policies for women over doctors who do have the education and the experience needed. Where churches steal, hide money, and rape people and are still seen as reverent and loving. Still viewed as the gateway to our salvation. Shit, I am willing to venture to Hell if Heaven is filled with these hateful creatures.

This is all because people believe life was easier when things that made them feel uncomfortable were not seen. When they could be racist and not have it be so blatantly obvious. Times when you could feel superior to others because there was a system in place to make it so you could succeed because of the color of your skin, your gender, who your family was, or who you loved.

I still hear people comment about how they wish they could go back to when times were simpler, the good old times. You know the ones. They were the times you could make jokes about a person's race or sexual orientation and not be called out.

So often the sentiment of 'that is there, it won't happen here' is tossed around or my favorite 'I don't want to get involved'. Guess what, It can and you are! I am sure the majority of people who preferred to be silent south of our border thought the same thing. It can totally happen here! The energy and environment we are living in are ripe for it. Hell 'WE' have communities with NO drinkable water for gawd's sake. We had a city commandeered by a group of people who were backed by some big hitters south of the border all because our government wanted to keep people safe from a deadly virus. We have a Country that is so divided that they would rather see someone who would strip away our health care, education, and social structure be elected than elect a Sikh.

We need to start to be more vocal.

We need to start saying 'No!'

We need to stop becoming comfortable with how things are going and thinking there is no way it could happen here. It truly can!

We need to start teaching boys that they can't have EVERYTHING and EVERYONE they want. That NO is just that, NO. Not keep pushing, keep asking, and keep making someone feel pressure until they get what they want.

We need to stop making rape and assault the fault of the victim rather than the abuser.

We need to teach people that it is NOT okay to be racist. No matter the form it presents itself as. Racism is racism. The end!

We need to accept people as they are regardless of who they love or how they feel they should be.

I am honestly afraid of what our Country and World are becoming and going back to. I am terrified for the life my grandchildren will have when they grow up.