Sunday evening, one of my YouTube subscribers let me know that, as a result of the US’s tariffs on Canada, he was boycotting all things related to the US including his donation to US-based YouTube creators.
At first I didn’t know what to make of the comment. Part of me was hurt, like this was all a misunderstanding: I didn’t want these tariffs anymore than he did. What power did I have? And how would withholding a financial donation to me help anything? Wasn’t that just making the problem worse?
And yet, I wasn’t really upset with him. I was bothered, sure, but in a way I couldn’t really express. I felt unsettled and twisted up inside. I felt like we were being manipulated into being enemies.
After stewing for a bit, I responded that I understood, and that I appreciated that he’d shared his decision, and then I went to bed.
***
“What are we going to do?” I asked my husband the next morning. We were sitting on the hearth in front of the fire, sipping from our oversized mugs of coffee.
“What can we do?” my husband countered.
“I don’t know, but we can’t afford to do nothing, right? They’ve literally handed us the book on what they want to do,” I said, “and just because we don’t know what to do, it doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility to figure out something.”
***
All that day, I felt sad. I knew the barrage of executive orders would ebb and flow, from day to day and minute to minute. I didn’t want to get unnecessarily caught up in the chaos — I definitely didn’t want to give the prez that much sway over my moods — but that emotional roller coaster (the one I could, more or less, opt out of) was a whole other experience for those who were being forced to ride it. Those people, their livelihoods and relationships and communities, were at stake. Unlike me, they didn’t have the luxury of simply watching The Crazy unspool.
***
That afternoon, a friend posted on Facebook: This website is golden! It is so helpful in figuring out which representative to call and what to say. DO IT! Call now. Today. Tomorrow. Maybe every day for 4 years. But this is our duty. Use your voice.
It took about three minutes for me to figure out how the website worked (it really is a breeze), and then I picked a topic (Musk) and called all three of my reps, bang, bang, bang. Today I picked another topic (tariffs) and again called all three.
In some ways, making phone calls feels as stupid and pointless as tossing a penny in a wishing well. Expressing my frustration and concern makes me feel like a whining middle-aged white woman. And maybe I am.
But there’s another way to look at it: speaking up takes practice, which is what these phone calls are — practice. And you know what? Even though the talking points are scripted, after only a couple calls, I began to use my own words. I said what I wanted to. What I needed to. It’s important, I think to take up space, clog the phone lines, verbalize the problem, make requests, and put my name on the record.
Maybe it’s a fool’s errand, and maybe it’s not. Either way, once again tomorrow, “call reps” will be on my to-do list.
***
All day yesterday, that YouTube subscriber’s comment ate at me. The prez, in a circuitous way, was impacting my relationships, my economic stability, and my integrity. It felt like a surprise attack.
And then I realized what my response to that commenter should’ve been. It should’ve been, simply, thank you.
Thank you…
…for taking a stance against what is happening in the US right now.
…for inconveniencing yourself in order to take a stand.
…for writing to me and explaining your actions.
…for unsettling me.
***
If you, too, are searching for things to do, here are a few ideas I’ve been considering.
- Order a yard sign. No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor.
- Invite friends for supper and brainstorm ideas together.
- Invite your church community to take action: God’s Love Knows No Borders (via Mennonite Action).
- Call, call, call. This is gonna be a marathon; pace yourself.
- To fellow white people: When you’re waiting to be served (at a coffee shop, say), and a Black or brown person arrives at the same time, let them be served first.
- Donate to Church World Service.
- Turn off the news for a day. Go for a walk. Go to bed early — not just tonight, but every night.
- Read this list of immigrant rights. Memorize it. Share it.
- Stay open. It’s okay to be uncomfortable.
What else would you add?
***
Photo credit: my older daughter. New neighbors moved in and brought their camels, and now I do a double-take everytime I drive past.
This same time, years previous: labor pains, a family milk cow, the quotidian (2.4.19), chicken and sausage gumbo, baked brie with cranberries and walnuts, object of terror, loss, a Wednesday list.
2 Comments
Cheryl
Thank you for the info. It makes me feel a bit less helpless and more hopeful.
kingdomzany0e660c0a62
The free app to install that, when you give your zip code, tells you your members of Congress with their contact info and provides suggested scripts for a number of important topics is 5 Calls.