Oppression births anger.
How do we minimize and eradicate oppression in society? What can we do?
As I think about the election at hand as well as the role that the pandemic is playing in society, I am aware of the oppressive forces at play in my life and the lives of others.
How can we work to free ourselves and others from oppression?
Responsibility
Before we think about the oppression other people or events may bring to our lives, we have to consider if we are doing our part. For example, if you're without income and don't have enough money to live on, you have to first consider if you are doing what you can to make an income and do your part. Obviously if you're an individual with circumstances that prevent you from working, you need help, but if you're able to work, and need the money--you have to do your part.
Before complaining about oppression in any way, we have to think about what we can do to help ourselves. How are we responsible in ways that matter? For example, I believe that the Trump team is an oppressive, self-serving force in society--the way they act, the decisions they make, their inaction with regard to important work, and lack of responsibility put all of us in danger with regard to the debilitating national debt, widening wage gap, lack of fair wages/work conditions, a raging pandemic, roll backs of environmental protections, stalling sensible gun laws, rise in bigotry/hate/violence, and self-serving acts that prop up their personal wealth and power without concern for the American people. What am I doing to work against this national oppression? I will vote. I'm supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with a few dollars and advocacy. I support other candidates who take their jobs seriously and work for the American people and the American ideal, not just themselves.
I also have to take responsibility in the family and community--what can I do for my family and community to alleviate oppression. I have a created a plan for this work--work, in many ways, that is very personal at this time since it involves some challenging--new efforts that I am just beginning to learn about and invest in.
When we think about oppression, personal responsibility is critical.
Beyond our control
There is some oppression that is beyond our control--oppression that we can't easily change by ourselves. A grave illustration of this is what happened in Nazi Germany--I ache when I think about the good people massacred there due to the hate, greed, prejudice, and insanity of their oppressors. I want to continually work against this in any way I can, but I realize that one person alone has little power over this. To work against oppressors like this takes teamwork, good laws, good government, and good education.
I became a teacher to help individuals build good individual and community lives--I know that good education leads us to the best possible ways to live on our own and with others. In part, the Trump team has been able to be oppressive due to our lack of collective knowledge about the history of human living, government, laws, rights, and freedom over time. Many take for granted the freedoms we enjoy with no understanding of what life in feudal systems was like--systems of have's and have-nots. With this in mind, I realize the need to join groups and work with others who, like me, fear the grave results of oppression--people who desire freedom and good living for all.
I'm a proud member of the ACLU. There are many other similar organizations out there who I have supported from time to time, and will reconsider my membership as ways to connect with others to forward greater freedom and less oppression. I am also a registered Democrat, yet similar to my religious leanings, I tend to dislike categories of any kind. While I consider myself a Christian, I also respect and value the tenets of many other religions, and while I consider myself a Democrat, I also value some traditional Republican and Independent values. I believe that most people don't like to be categorized as we're rarely all in for one group and not another. What I can say is that I'm all in for the following priciples:
- equity, opportunity for all
- rights
- sensible laws that promote good, safe, healthy, happy living
- lean, but valuable government that promotes the common good
- protection of our wonderful natural lands and water
- continual intelligent development and evolution of practices, processes, laws, and lifeways
- optimal education, communication, health care, housing, healthy recreation, nutrition, communities
- greater tech access for American students
- lots of creative pivoting in the way we live and work, pivoting that will likely remain after the pandemic
- more time for family and community
- greater appreciation and support for the natural environment
- a national conversation about optimal family life, education, health care, government, recreation and more