My Voice in a Divided World: 17 Years of Blogging!

I have had this blog for almost 17 years. I went back and read one of my first posts. It still rings true to who I am.

Some years, I may have shared more than I should, and some years, the posts have been sparse. Sometimes, life gets very busy: work, travel, and even some fun. However, there have also been moments when I didn’t think what I had to say was right, and the importance of my words was not more important than peace in my world and family.

On this morning of the inauguration and the cease-fire in Israel, I feel the need to say something.

I have opinions about the war in Gaza, Netanyahu, and Israel, but I have family over there who live this day to day.  I have the luxury of sitting in East Texas not worried about an air raid siren and where is the nearest shelter.  With a nephew in the Israeli army, the last thing I would want to do is to upset my family, especially my brother, whose opinions are different from my own.

Here I sit on the verge of another four years of Donald Trump, and to be honest, I feel like someone who has been sucker punched into a reality that I didn’t want to imagine.  It seemed so clear to me that as he is a convict, someone who obviously only cares about himself, and is surrounded by the richest people on the planet, his world is certainly very far from those that I live near day to day.  Certainly, when people walked in to vote, they would at least consider this and vote for Harris.

I remember voting for Hillary Clinton and feeling proud, knowing that she was the most qualified candidate for president in my lifetime. Of course, she would win. I also remember feeling that the morning of the election, this would not be a day I cherished, that she was not going to win. However, even then, she did win the majority of the votes.

Biden has low approval ratings, but in fewer years than imaginable, he will be remembered for all the good he has done and for his character.  Trump will take credit for new projects in the infrastructure bill, the new chip factories being deployed, the booming economy, and the improved job market, and it will take years for Biden to receive the credit he is due.

Harris took on a monumental task in 13 weeks, and her voice and those around her were strong and positive, yet I had a similar feeling this election.  I remember watching early numbers coming in from Kentucky and being struck by how quickly things were moving toward Trump.  

So, after a few months, I sit here this morning to contemplate what this means.  I try to understand why the country went for Trump, and truthfully, the world is headed into a more nationalistic and even narcissistic path.

What has struck me, the most, is that there are issues closer to people’s priorities than mine.  While I was concerned about women’s rights to control their bodies.  While I was concerned about global warming, and the impact on the future of our lives and the generations to follow.  While I was focused on human and civil rights.  While I was focused on the impact that technology, and AI, will have on us all.  Those priorities were not those of the people voting around me at all.

For many, the price of eggs matters.  At this stage of my life, I am very lucky that I can afford eggs and feed my family.  I am fortunate, with no rent and no car payments. Truthfully, inflation does hit the grocery store, but not that much.  Honestly, I gave up Diet Coke once I saw how much they cost and how many rolled out of Kroger.  I also could see that the produce aisle was quite reasonable, I enjoy cooking and don’t buy a lot of convenience foods.  But, to be fair, I don’t have the demands of time and money for children, and the most costly expense outside of groceries is prescription dog and cat food.

Again, I don’t have to worry about bombs and drones attacking my neighborhood, so even though I believe my priorities are essential, especially for the future of our planet.

I have to understand that when immediate safety and food are concerns, global warming may have to take a back seat.

We live in a time where the wealthiest people on the planet, all male and mostly white men, also control the technology that will change the future in ways we can’t only imagine.  Frank and I recently watched Star Trek Discovery, which came out in 2017.  It amazes me how much of the interactions with technology and systems are switches, screens, and weapons that date back to the original Star Trek.  In almost eight years, AI and the future of technology are evolving faster than science fiction.  Elon Musk proposes inserting chips in our minds, and AI is rushing to be able to replace many jobs that were relegated to educated “knowledge workers” just a few years ago.

We have a president who is now surrounded by rich men who just want more money and power. What amazes me is that none of them can fathom that I am a happy man with not nearly their wealth. Yet I am happy and content, work hard, and enjoy the highlights of many days: an early morning walk and walking DaisyBelle later in the day.

What I do realize is that we who are different from one another need to learn to talk to each other again. We need to spend more time with people who clearly do not see the world and their lives as we do. This doesn’t mean we have to agree with each other, but it does mean we have to learn to understand one another. In many cases, we will discover that despite our differences, we will become friends.  

Social media, and technology in general, have made it very easy to surround ourselves with people who are like us and agree with us. It also promotes the negatives of people not like us to justify our prejudices and hate while increasing the time we spend on these platforms, increasing ads and revenue for them.  Is this how we want children to be informed and raised?

I wish I could turn over these concerns to a higher power, but I don’t have the faith of my grandfather and other family members.

What I do hope and wish for are simple:

1. That Congress, which is almost evenly divided party-wise, will have the courage to confront the executive branch, which currently sees unlimited power.

2. That the Supreme Court will continue to disappoint the newly elected president and have the courage to truly protect the Constitution.

3. That in the middle of a challenging time, we all find one person different and talk to them and get to know them.  Gay rights became more accepted as gay men and women came out of the closet, and people had to accept they are real and in their own families and communities.

4. That this is only four years. I know progress in society is not a straight line. It zigs and zags along the way.  For me, this is a down moment, but hopefully, these four years will shine a light on what more people don’t want as part of their society.

5. That I can continue to move forward find enough peace, and good work, to restore my optimism for humans and our planet.

6. That, against all odds, at the moment, this country and the world will accept that global warming is real and finally take it seriously and do something about it!

So, it has been 17 years, and I keep writing.  

All my best to everyone, and happy new year.