2020 Rant & Reflection

Disclaimer: Please just read to understand, not read to respond. If you agree, cool. If you don’t, you’re welcome to distance yourself from me in whichever way you feel comfortable. I respect any unhostile attempt to not want to interact with me. This post is not a debate, I’m not here to answer counter-arguments, but rather share a personal reflection & leave it at that. You have your own space or social media to share your opinions with your friends & I can promise I am mature & respectful enough to not go out of my way to prove my opinions as the end all be all.

If you know me, you know I keep to myself & rarely bring up controversial subjects. However, topics not up for debate include dangerously ignorant attitudes that fall under categories such as racism & sexism. There has never been an individual I have felt so many unkind feelings for due to a constant display of disregard for humanity due to color of skin, gender, religion, origin country, etc.

“An apology without change is just manipulation.”

45 has constantly shown no remorse for his actions. We all witnessed from the debates how he does not denounce white supremacy & has no problem with domestic groups that do in fact cause terror for many. That observation definitely scares me because those who share the same views (not necessarily siding with 45 due to a party or religious association but actual attitudes) as a result feel empowered by his support. I mean walking around with guns is pretty terrifying, I'm not sure what terror you can get from gunless, mask-wearing marchers hoping to bring attention to the unjustly treated such as the black & indigenous communities. Concern for property damage over fairly treating individuals’ lives is not something that should be argued. Business can be rebuilt from the ground but life cannot be brought back from the dead. From having no comprehensive plan against covid-19 months into the pandemic to taking only 38 days to confirm a new supreme court justice who has very openly made decisions that have the potential to affect same-sex marriage, climate change, abortion rights, & ‘affordable’ healthcare. It is very clear where his priorities lie.

We're truly living in a divided nation, a divided world even. People are bible-splaining to the pope on Twitter regarding the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. While it’s relieving that someone with more political experience will be coming into power, do not forget that many of us voters took the strategic route this election by settling for Biden. Is that what we really wanted? Of course not. I also know some Republicans & Conservatives feel like they’re betraying their party or religion by voting or even considering to vote for someone other than the primary party candidate. However, if it’s not already obvious for voters of literally any association, voting nowadays is, unfortunately, more of a chess game rather than a proclamation of devotion to a party or candidate or stance on an issue.

Racism or sexism will not go away because we will have a female, POC vice president. we had our first black president only recently. Does that mean he was the best? While Barack had a likable personality as president & was very much not racist, which is always nice to have, there were decisions & actions during his presidency that I personally do not agree with. Does that mean he did not have a positive impact on our country? No, he definitely contributed progressive changes. I would have said the same thing about Hillary. If you think about it, most political leaders & past presidents are satisfactory at best, but at least they’re more self-controlled to not constantly spew out very obviously toxic ideals. Hillary would have at least had the political expertise to guide our country through these past four years. But as we have seen, the American people have not developed enough to trust (or motivation to vote) a woman or third party candidate to run the country because the 2 dominant parties see each other as extremely opposite mortal enemies. when in reality, they’re like bickering next-door neighbors.

I genuinely hope one day the U.S. gets that opportunity to be led by a strong AF woman, or if we ever get that far a non-binary individual because gender identity really should not be a defining aspect of how well someone can lead. I’m sure being in a political position especially in what is considered a traditionally male-dominated role is not for the faint of heart in any regard. On a relatable note, women struggle in the corporate world in different ways than men do if you don’t already know. not only in pay but in criticism of our appearance & respect from peers just to scratch the surface.

Anywho, I'm mostly relieved to have someone with more political experience soon to be in power. if there is anything you take away from this administration though, it is regardless of your experience if you’re determined to apply for that job you feel or appear under-qualified for, just do it. Given you have the right connections or a million-dollar loan, I mean who knows ..you might get lucky. I’m not trying to downplay networking or knowing the right people though because that’s how a lot of people get the job. However, when the position up for grabs directly impacts millions of people & more so the world, I would feel like political & professional leadership experience should be taken into great consideration or required at the bare minimum.

The electoral college also does not take into account the fact that Los Angeles County has a population greater than some entire states like Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, & Rhode Island. All those states account for way more votes than LA country while having less population of voters. I see this personally as unequal representation. Keep in mind though that people vote, not land. So while it does appear that more states vote red, it really shows how framing changes the narrative.

It would be nice to have a revamp of the government system in the same way the medical industry quickly outdated practices that are no longer relevant or need some tweaking. We have made changes to laws & such but despite that, it is still evident that the fundamental system, electoral vote & two-party system are not reflective of current times.

Sort of related but also sort of not, while I personally love visiting Hawai’i & understand their reliance on tourism for their economy, I am learning & understanding more of how the islands being a part of the U.S. is very colonial-esque. In my opinion, I would hope the desires of Hawaiian natives can be respected when it comes to dealing with their rightfully owned land.

Another quick tidbit too, wearing masks & respecting boundaries are practices I very much endorse. They should be worn as a symbol of compassion, not oppression because real oppression can't be taken off as easily as a mask. Real oppressive struggles are often lifelong & reveal themselves as hurdles that less privileged individuals are not given the choice to avoid because societal attitudes are stronger & hold more weight.

As I end my long rant, I do wish everyone good health this holiday season & hopefully a further development of compassion & understanding for those in less fortunate positions. Everyone who has access to social media is privileged, there’s both privilege & gratitude to be acknowledged. We’re very lucky to be alive during this time on earth. Many potential voters, change-makers, & Covid deniers passed away this year so acknowledge that privilege of being here today. Having privilege does not make you a bad person, it’s how you treat others & what you do with it that shows your character. In this very wild card year of 2020, the world needs a little more good spirit so please treat others with kindness. World peace is just a tad bit out of reach at the moment, but keep in mind, “only justice will bring peace.”