August 12, 2017

Charlottesville, Virginia

August 12th, 2017: The day we failed as humans

Heather Heyer, a victim of the recent clash between the “Unite the Right” white nationalists and counter protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, last post on social media read; “If you are not outraged, then you are not paying attention” and those words are truer now than when she wrote them, believe it or not. Paying attention is no longer a suggestion, it is no longer a choice because as it stands, your life may depend on it. I find it worrisome and troubling that ex-president Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Hilary Clinton have put out stronger and more direct criticisms of the recent events than current president Donald Trump and vice president Mike Pence. For little President Donald “Twitter fingers” Trump, always smart in the mouth and on hand to offer his two cents, this is awfully quiet. For an event as blatantly racist and bigoted and hate-driven as this, President Trump has chosen his words a bit too carefully. In my mind, it is very simple, any form of silence or attempt at political correctness at this point is silent and indirect approval. Let’s call it what it is, Donald Trump has created an America where a bunch of white, pro-Nazi Nationalists feel comfortable and secure enough in their white privilege and within the law, enough and so much so that they convince themselves that they can wage war and not expect to be fought. They go about such bigoted acts of hatred and contempt with the confidence that they will remain relatively anonymous. They attempt to hold press conferences to rub in our faces the fact that their hatred and racism and animalistic beliefs have been institutionalized and normalized and until we tell them otherwise, they feel that they are within their rights to freedom of speech. It is the same way a police man can shoot a black man at close range and not expect any action to be taken against him. 

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump actively and passively endorsed this mindset and this kind of behaviour. The vice president criticized the media, saying it devoted more time to Trump's statement than it did to the people who engaged in the violence. Ironically, it is that exact statement that makes one of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of the United States about one man. Pence’s insinuation that the media is somehow bullying Trump by scrutinizing and spreading his reaction to the recent events is worrying. Somehow multiple people are dead and we are playing the blame game. This is worrying but it is not surprising, Trump has built his entire administration on face value. It is same reason why the first thing we hear from one of the  white men who took part in the "Unite the Right" protest (pictured above) is that he LOOKS like a monster, not that he is wrong or he apologizes for his actions, it's that the photographer did not get his "good side." This makes me remember Heather Heyer’s words because weirdly enough, Trump and his entire administration do not seem in any way outraged or even uncomfortable with the situation. Trump seems just as indifferent and nonchalant as the participants, about what in my mind is the worst case scenario. Yes some people are definitely more to blame than others and yes, Trump and his administration take a huge chunk of that blame, but this is not the issue and most people know it. Pence’s attempt to change the narrative is weak and unreliable and invalid at best. The very concept of democracy is built on the backs of people like Heather Heyer and on the foundations of freedom of speech and freedom of protest and on equality. It's all just a huge double-standard. The fact that a group of white males can protest and champion a concept that suggests that they are somehow better than other people solely based on the colour of their skin and honestly think they can get away with it, but the woman who also exercises her right to protest and champions an opposing view loses her life in the process. Contrary to popular opinion, this is definitely not the first time that people and the general public have had no reaction to matters of racism and hatred and violence and prejudice and bigotry. Mike Brown, Philando Castille, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, no? 

I think we have failed as humans and we have being failing for a long time. I think we are lost. I think the lines between what is right and what is wrong are continuing to be so blurred that they become beyond recognition. The only way to not be outraged and distressed is if you are not paying attention and if you are not paying attention, then I am sorry but you are not human and you are a part of the problem.  So maybe you feel like you don't directly face any harm or maybe you feel like you don’t have any answers and maybe you don't fully understand the situation and maybe you feel like “little” you being silent will not have any effect but that is not necessarily true and that does not in any way render you helpless. There is so much information to be gained and so much knowledge to be had. Regardless of whether you know it or not, whether it is intentional or not, you are saying something, your actions always have consequences and you have power and you influence today what happens tomorrow. The earlier you realize your power, the better your chances of using it for good. Michelle Obama says it best when she says “you may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that course can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”