solstice

As we have learned over the last few years, laws are only as strong as their enforcement mechanism. If the institutions responsible for upholding the law fail to do that, or even enable violating the law even more, then the law is useless.

That's basically my only hope. Incompetence, bickering, infighting, and just generally falling apart from within their own hate machine as these kinds of ideologies tend to do.

We are past this though. I remember screaming this into the air at the radio listening to Jack Speer on NPR in 2016. He was going on and on about the awful things Trump was saying and how we shouldn't be hearing this. I screamed then why the fuck do you keep repeating it Jack, why?!? I blame the media 100% for his election in 2016, all that free publicity. 2024 though...I really don't have any answers...

First in education, clearly that means education makes you lib'ral, and gay! And trans!

Could you share more about your trans siblings? I had understood that being transgender was relatively uncommon, and I realize there may be genetic or other factors involved. It's new to me that multiple members of a family might identify this way, and I’d love to learn more if you’re open to sharing. Thanks!

Well thank goodness the US just elected a person and party that are totally dedicated to climate change mitigation! And our political process in general is well oiled and poised for real meaningful change! And the American people all acknowledge the existence of the problem and in no way deny it, and are all united in fighting the clear and present danger it poises!

Isn't that completely missing the point of this post? 15-20 is old enough to have some experience, opinions, thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, etc.

I'm really torn because overall my family and I have decent relations and they aren't the totally fucking insane Maga types. But I'm so incredibly disgusted, ashamed, and terrified, I can't just go over and pretend everything is normal. We are so far past politics as usual and the ebbs and flows of power/control. So idk what to do. I'm probably going to skip and stay home and order a pizza and smoke all day and watch LOTR or something, just can't take this shit anymore idk

Me too. Are you telling them why? I'm leaning towards cutting them all off, going full no contact, saying exactly why, and moving to either a blue state or out of the country for a while (which I have the means to do).

Yeah you can absolutely forget about any meaningful climate change action now, education, health care, things like that.

STARTING to think? Honestly I don't even hate Trump anymore. It's like hating a shark or a snake or something. He's just doing what he does. It's the ~75 million people who enable him by voting for him that are disgusting and terrifying right now. Half of America is the problem, and he is just a symptom, and it is a BIG BIG BIG problem for the whole world.

I hear you, but idk what to do. I can't engage with someone who says out loud things like "I want trump to become a dictator" and "democracy is overrated" and "your body my choice" and don't seem to care at all that mass deporting 10+million people WILL lead to mass murder. It's impossible to have a discussion in good faith with these people. They've just demonstrated that the last 8-9 years is a feature, not a bug, and let the mask off about who they really are. They've alienated themselves by leaving the realm of reality.