Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
The Fork in the Road: Peace or Hysteria
Today I overheard a conversation about current events where one person said they’d decided not to get concerned about things they can’t control and the other agreed.
And I thought – I can’t control anything! except maybe what I’ll have for lunch. The world is out of control. Some unauthorized, unappointed, unconfirmed very rich guy and his band of junior woodchucks are busting into federal departments and downloading all kinds of data onto hard drives. They’re setting up their own servers and then flipping through records like cards in a Rolodex, except these cards have people’s names and Social Security numbers, and where they live and bank and all that. And because the same guy has downloaded organizations receiving federal funds and has started posting about which ones he’s cutting off the list because he doesn’t like their name – yes, Lutherans, he’s talking about you – it’s super crazy and very scary. A whole new level of what you would deem out of control.
We have to protect our peace.
I get the sentiment, but I don’t agree. I think we have to get hysterical. I think we have to froth at the mouth, make a million phone calls, and talk about this all day long with no let-up. I think we should have no peace. Peace is for later.
That doesn’t mean we need to slit our wrists or set ourselves on fire. I remember the old days of people setting themselves on fire to protest the Vietnam War and what happened was folks just stepped around them and kept doing what they were doing – war-wise and otherwise. Hard to think of self-immolation as a meaningless gesture but it pretty much was.
This morning on the phone with my Congresswoman’s office, I ranted about Elon Musk’s illegal access to my Social Security data. I went on for a good while and when I was done, the staffer said, “Hmmm.” Thinking she was maybe scrolling through Instagram while I was talking, I said, “What?” And then she said, “I’m writing all this down. We have to have notes on what people call about.”
When this particularly weird chapter in American history is done and they’re going through Congressional records about who protested the pillage of federal data bases, I want my name and my rant to be there on the list with all the other people who didn’t worry about protecting their peace and got hysterical instead. I’m proud of not being able to control myself.
_______________________
An easy way to call your elected representatives in Washington is using the 5calls app. You can download on your phone in 30 seconds. The app connects you with your reps, lists current issues, e.g. Musk data breach, RFK, Jr. confirmation, etc. and provides talking points. Super helpful. Highly recommend.
11 Comments on “The Fork in the Road: Peace or Hysteria”
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
I would agree with you except that I can’t do that anymore. The stress level does very bad things to my pulse and blood pressure. Stress can be a killer and I’ve got a target on my back. SO. I try to keep myself reasonably calm, avoid shouting, frenzy, mouth-foaming et al. I had to go back on meds I hoped I would never need again — right after the election. Even a little bit of news fills me with a nearly uncontrollable rage. If I want to live through this “presidency,” I need to fill up on internal peace. Otherwise, I’ll find myself 6 feet — or more — underground. The final peace will find me.
I get it. I’ve tried to better manage myself – it’s really soul crushing if you pay too much attention. Still trying to find that balance.
THANK YOU, JAN!
i agree, i feel like i have to actively resist in whatever way i can and stay standing. i went to my first indivisible meeting (ann arbor chapter) this past weekend, very uplifting to be with like minded people working in a positive direction. they told me about the app and i made my calls, and i’m hoping to go to the 50 states, 50 protests event tomorrow in lansing. i can’t just sit still, we all have to act in whatever way we see fit, and loudly!
How was the Lansing protest? I didn’t go to ours because of another event and then kind of regretted it. Was it worth it?
it was really good, all ages, races, genders, immigrants, lgbtq people, lots of lawmaker spoke, a poet laureate, a wonderful mix of humanity all there for the same cause.
Bravo to you for calling!
I hate calling and always hope that I can just leave a message. Today I called my Congresswoman’s office, and an actual person answered. A big shock but actually very nice.
Call records have been through the roof recently so I think it wonderful that you actually got through.
Does this remind you at all of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale?
Have you read about the SAVE Act? Yikes.