"Stop Talking, No One is Listening"

Kate Spade hung herself because the game of life sucks and she was done playing. Same goes for Anthony Bourdain. On the surface, they seemed to have it all – respect, money, travel, friends, fun. But, it’s clear they didn’t see what the masses saw, what WE saw. That makes them no different than the 45,000 or so other Americans this year who’ll punch their own Opt Out button, including military veterans, teachers, and children. Fucking CHILDREN, y’all. Doesn’t that bother you? What are we doing as a society to make even KIDS see death as their best option? Seriously, what in the actual hell have we become?!

One thing’s for certain: Too many of us don’t care enough to change. And by “don’t care,” I mean have no clue what’s really going on in the first place, and have no intention to learn what it is. What you don’t know can’t hurt you, right? Ignorance is bliss? If so, doesn’t that suggest enlightenment is torture? After all, you can’t un-see what you’ve seen. In itself, that might help my psyche wrap around the loss of Anthony Bourdain. And Kate Spade. And Robin Williams. Chris Cornell. Kurt Cobain. Hunter S. Thompson... If the people we look up to elect to delete themselves, what are we left to look up to? What is the lesson we’re supposed to learn?

Hoquiam, Washington

Los Angeles, California

By and large, Americans are self-centered and self-righteous, and we treat each other like shit. And don’t fool yourself – none of this “great divide” started with Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, although social media for sure allows us front row seats. Ever heard, “You always hurt the ones you love?” I’ve witnessed lousy behavior first-hand for decades on playgrounds and in places I’ve lived and worked. There’s evidence scattered throughout my own family, and even I’m not personally immune. We can argue into the next century about the causes that brought us here, and how long our disrespect for one another has been brewing, but what remains is the fact that – through our failures to adequately and effectively address issues like racism, climate change, immigration, poverty, mass killings, women’s health, and the escalating rates of suicide – our divisions are literally killing us.

Oklahoma City National Memorial, Oklahoma

For years, I imagined myself a beacon of reason. I encouraged communication and believed I was using my social media platform as a bridge. But, along with free speech often comes consequence. In a burst of anger, frustration, and despair, I asked my husband for a solution to the expanding chasm between friends, neighbors, family, and countrymen. If communication wasn’t the answer, I wondered, what could it be? “Shut up,” he answered. And then he added, as if trying to soften his message, “Stop talking. No one is listening.”

While he insisted he was referring to people “in general” on social media, and he hadn’t at all meant me, specifically, those aren’t exactly words a writer wants to hear. But, his statement has since turned out to be true. Aside from updating my profile and cover photos, I haven’t posted a thing to my Facebook timeline since May 30. I did upload a new BlogSpot post, “And Then There Was One,” on June 3. But, I haven’t promoted it anywhere. To the best of my knowledge, nobody’s noticed the change in activity on either page. I’d say something about anger, frustration, and despair, but I already have, and we can all see where that’s brought me thus far.

Click HERE to read the previous post

So, I’m taking my husband’s advice. No more chatter about dead kids, gun violence, greedy corporations, and all the other evils of the world, because it’s true: No one’s listening. As in, no one cares. Not about the important stuff, anyway. Every time I get close to convincing myself otherwise – SPLAT! – back to earth I fall. Maybe this time I’ll finally learn my lesson and just turn on the damn TV. Anybody know when “The Twilight Zone” comes on?

~ Dawn

Go Hate Darrin Willhite

I voted for Barack Obama because he was black. I thought, by electing a black leader, we could end racism. (How ironic – hypocritical, naïve – is that?) I thought other countries might see the gesture as progressive and forgive us for being dicks throughout the previous administration. I might have voted for McCain had the soccer mom he was saddled with for a running mate not been an illiterate nut job. I could have punched the hole (again) for Nader, or could have written in Wavy Gravy or Willie Nelson - not that my vote counts; I live in Palm Beach County. But, Obama was eloquent and charismatic and, unlike candidates of color in previous years, he seemed to actually have a chance at claiming The Job. I thought he had courage. He promised change, and I believed him. I also believed, if he followed through with his promises, he’d be shot before the end of his first term. That could have made him a saint – at least a martyr. We all saw how that turned out.

I didn’t vote for him (or anyone) again, because he didn’t change a damn thing. As our country’s first POTUS of color, he certainly had the attention and the opportunity. Turns out, the political “Divide and Conquer!” mentality of R’s and D’s is much deeper, wider, and more convoluted than I thought. Our politicians are puppets at best. All are liars. Some are criminals. Maybe Obama knew, if he made the important, unpopular decisions, he really WOULD be shot. Maybe it was fear that kept him from changing the world. Or maybe the perks of playing along really ARE worth the sacrifice of a nation. Not that it matters; until “None of the Above” makes it on the ballot, I’m considering staying home on election day.

Some say I’ve grown cynical. Personally, I think a more accurate description would be disgusted. Our country is being run (into the ground) by greedy corporate dirtbags, and we just keep slurping our Frappuccinos and gnawing on our Big Macs and Cheesie Poofs and letting it happen. WE, the people, with a little research, ingenuity, and sacrifice, have the power to regain some balance and stability here, we just don’t seem to have the interest. Why is that? Are we truly so self-absorbed with fantasy football and/or busy prepping for “the big one” we’ve forgotten to take precautions to ensure “the big one” doesn’t hit? Don’t get me wrong; I see all the Facebook and Twitter posts about rights and freedoms and Wall Street and Benghazi, so the bulk of you are neither ignorant nor dispassionate. I worry, though, that we’ve taken ourselves – specifically our political and religious beliefs – too seriously, and to everyone’s detriment. For example: While we debate about climate change (global warming, cycles of the earth, whatever it’s called today), ice caps are melting, islands are sinking, snow is falling in the desert, and drinking water reservoirs all over the globe are drying up. Instead of debating its existence, whether because it goes against God or Republicanism, we SHOULD be scrambling for ways to deal with it. Not everything is a debate; sometimes the truth is just the truth.

Here’s another example: We say we love our country, but we keep electing Republicans and Democrats – two parties PROVEN time and again to be narrow-minded and corrupt. As evidenced by that first sentence up top, I’m just as guilty as the next guy, partially due to lack of research (i.e., laziness), partially due to the fact that there’s not often an alternative. As I get older, however, and as I watch our country sink further into the cluster fuck of no return, I’m thinking there’s gotta be a better way. Instead of blindly supporting a color – be it red, blue, or black – maybe it’s time we support our country and its people by electing leaders who won’t cater to whichever special interest group offers the biggest perks and will actually lead us out of the mess we’re in.

“How do we do that?” you might ask. And I’d be glad you did. For starters, you can go hate Darrin Willhite. He’s tons smarter and more informed than I am. He’s also a dear friend and former next-door neighbor who recently started a political blog that’s straightforward, intelligent, and bound to piss someone off. You can also make a pledge to yourself to start using this Internet thingy for more than Facebook and Words With Friends and, maybe once each week, Google a new question like, “Who are my choices for Governor/President/District Court Judge?” or “How can I make a difference in my community?” Most importantly, use your head; look around you, talk to your friends and family, ask yourself what’s wrong, and get involved in the efforts to make this a better place.

Change starts at the bottom - that means it starts with you.

C’mon: Be the change…

~ Dawn