I spent a ton of time yesterday looking up apartments in this area (not just DC, the VA/MD suburbs as well) and wanting to cry because holy hell I cannot afford to live here. Despite things happening last weekend that convinced me it was time to move, I may honestly end up re-upping my lease for another year because at this point I can’t really afford to move to a different place (or at least not to any of the ones currently available). I figured in some small way that would spark an idea for today’s post, but I sat down at my computer last night and I just couldn’t bring myself to write anything.
Honestly writing anything felt useless and laughable, given the incredibly tiny scale my personal problems are on when compared to the fact that this country is separating families at the southern border.
If you’re not convinced that this is a moral issue instead of just a political one, go read this op-ed by George Takei, whose family was put in an internment camp during World War II: ‘At Least During the Internment …’ Are Words I Thought I’d Never Utter. If after reading that you honestly still think that things are okay because at least the kids aren’t in ACTUAL cages (if we’re arguing about the definition of a cage, we’ve lost sight of the problem) or because “they should’ve come here legally” (friendly reminder that you have to be IN the US to request asylum, and also no human being is illegal), then I honestly don’t know what to tell you.
Some of you have asked me what I’m planning on doing with the $110 I used to send to my student loans now that they’re paid off. For the past two months, those payments have been rolled over into my charitable giving and directed toward whatever fresh horror pisses me off badly enough that I get out my credit card and try to do some good in this world. Last month it was women’s reproductive rights because in case we’ve all forgotten, having control over our own bodies is key to our financial well-being. This month I’m obviously throwing money at organizations working to end family separation at the border. If you’re so inclined, here are some organizations you could support:
Texas Civil Rights Project
RAICES Texas
Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (actually it looks like their website has crashed due to too many people trying to donate, which is amazing)
I just voted in the DC primaries on my way home from barre earlier. Especially given that I have no representatives in Congress I can call and register my fury and revulsion with, at least having a say in what happens locally here in DC is incredibly important. I’ll be at the march on June 30th.
It’s so frustrating to feel like I can’t do anything, but those are things I can do. So I’m doing them.
It also feels ridiculously self-indulgent to write posts about my monthly spending, etc when the world is on fire (not the FIRE we always talk about) around us. So here’s an acknowledgement from this tiny personal blog that there are so many things happening that are way bigger than me, even if I don’t often write about them.
Amen, sister. What Jesus would really do. As a mom of a young child, my heart is absolutely breaking right now.
I went to church every Sunday growing up and even though I never go these days, I feel very secure in saying that nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say “yeah those illegals totally should’ve stayed in their own country if they didn’t want to be separated from each other.” The irony is not lost on me that people are using the Bible as justification for this when Jesus’s family fled to Egypt after he was born.
I’ve seen your son for all of 24 hours in person and I’d fight anyone who tried to take him from you. I cannot imagine how heartbreaking this is for anyone it’s happening to.
As despicable as I feel the world is with all of this going on, I still take a little tint bit of comfort knowing that there are also a lot of people thoroughly disgusted by this and willing to fight against it. I don’t know if it’ll be enough but I do know we need everyone to be able to keep fighting for the long term.
Thanks for taking a minute to speak about it.
I also don’t know if it’ll be enough but I have to hope it is.
Yeah, this is a new low, even for him – it must be so hard to live in the US at the moment.
I think honestly the worst part is finally coming to terms that despite all the “this is not our country” laments, this IS our country. Or at least a not-insignificant part of it. 🙁
Love this post, Erin. I share your frustration in feeling useless as horror unfolds.
It’s frustrating that writing a post and donating seems to be all we can do right now!
Thank you for this post. I am outraged by what my country is doing to these children.
Me too and I have no doubt it’s not going to get better anytime soon.
Thanks for your post!
Perspective is always a good thing every so often in life and certainly much better when we are the ones to notice it.
Thanks for reading!