Photo from November 2014

Right after the 9/11 attacks, the then President, George W. Bush, urged Americans to go shopping. These things do not come without a price. The reckless, mindless spending empties wallets and creates a fine distraction for us. While we work harder to have more money to spend on more things, policies are enacted with little resistance.

Distraction and complacency go a long way toward complicity.

When we have covered local protests of any kind, regular folks — not simply those being directly challenged — typically critique those carrying signs or blocking traffic. The protestors are seen as making too much fuss, seen as an other for daring to speak up. It’s never quiet enough, respectful enough, pretty enough. There’s too much inconvenience created. The strategies are always questioned, not only when the tactics are questionable, such as when people from out-of-town join in a march through a poor neighborhood chanting “WHOSE STREETS? OUR STREETS!“. Basically, if the opposition takes the form of anything more wild than wearing a rose or a designated color on the same day, it’s looked down on. The people are told to sit down, shut up, smile nicely, and go with the flow.

We did not just wake up to President-Elect Trump, as if his rise to power occurred magically. There is nothing shocking to this election for those who have been paying attention. With a black president for the last eight years, along with the Black Lives Matter movement, there is going to be heavy backlash from a segment of the population. Those who have been unaware of the ongoing backlash must be living an insulated life.

The female front-runner who was more qualified than Trump received a special kind of treatment during the campaign — the kind of treatment that is easily identifiable as sexist — that other candidates have not. With constant interruptions and “nasty woman” remarks aplenty, there was no time to even examine Clinton’s professional public record, which is flawed but existent. Sticking to the facts would lead to more just outcomes, but logic is not convenient for those who rely entirely on emotional appeals.

Forget Ms. Clinton for a moment, and let’s zoom in on our own lives. When women negotiate pay in the workplace, our likability plummets. Likability should not matter, but when perceived as not being a team player, we get passed over for greater responsibilities.

We could look at education. There is sickening inequity in the quality of education between suburban and urban public schools, and the cures are also causes: shutting down “failing” schools, installing inexperienced teachers for two-year stints and then replacing them with a fresh crop of inexperienced teachers, calling children “scholars” and expecting impeccable behavior while eliminating recess and creative activities. Providing little in the way of opportunity for youth coming out of these systems.

When we call for regionalism as a way to share in problems and solutions, many of those who have the means to share, bristle. It’s palpable, the cringing over having to connect with others and act like a community. The qualities that we tell our children are valuable — sharing, leadership, kindness — are kicked aside in the adult world.

When we encounter hate, we should speak up. But, if we are not in positions of power ourselves, then we are ignored, belittled, silenced, threatened, even, punished. If we remain silent in the moment, our clams are later met with disbelief The perfect victim myth is still alive and kicking. It gets lonely when you feel like you are the only one ever speaking up.

Then, where we do go?

Solidarity.

That means using whatever power you might have to help others up. We do that at risk to our own popularity, reputations, and comfort. We do it not to “give back” but because it is the right thing to do. Period.

Here are a few ideas for how to give this season:

Go to a meeting or gathering. Get to know those in your community. Recognize injustice when it occurs right in front of you and say something, even if that means you lose some of your status.