Political Disaffection and Atrophy

I haven't been able to write at all lately. Not poetry, not politically, not philosophically... not much of anything. I have a hard time reading books for pleasure and I spend a lot of time scanning the internet for articles wanting desperately to know what the hell is going on in my country... this world, and why the hell nothing is being done about it.

I'm mad at Republicans for selling out our future, our present, our morality, and any sense of justice that America used to stand for during a brief period of time. The president is intentionally ignoring laws, signing exceptions to important Congressional legislation like making torture illegal, and it is frightening. Democrats aren't doing much better now... they always fall back on a position of weakness and compromise with people who aren't interested in making a better world or any compromise. I'm mad at the media for pretending like there's two equally genuine sides to every issue, even when one side is wrong or obviously lying. I'm mad at people who give up and act as though they're hopeless to do anything ever about anything because it is all caused by people "over in Washington".

Well, its all wrong, all the way around - and I've been unable to get past this simmering anger and sense of disgust at everything to feel up to writing at all.

I've been busy though... forgetting about blogs and poetry and reading for pleasure... I've been busy learning, reading dozens of articles each day about our world, our country, and making connections to the past. I've been busy teaching - watching young people who by all means shouldn't care about anything get excited and passionate about things that grown adults haven't. And I'm seeing people finally start to care about a genocide that has gone on for several years and I'm gaining some hope that Darfur won't be left to be completely destroyed by the Janjaweed and left to the vultures.

There's a postulation that I'm beginning to realize is completely false that is espoused by the major media outlets of our country. They postulate that people can't comprehend complex issues, don't want to try, and prefer to be given spectacular stories. But it isn't true... news channels are losing ratings because their products suck, and people know that the media talks down to them. Kids in my classes want some real news, they crave it - they want to know, they don't want to be spared with watered-down summaries and convienent omissions. They care, and they want to make the world better. They want to know how to make the world better.

And I'd make a bet that the majority of everyone in America wants to help make a better world. The problem is that we're not sure how, we're tired of seeing our efforts unfulfilled, and we're busy just trying to get by in our own lives. But I see it all of the time - little things here and there. People love that feeling of service, making a contribution that helps others.

This is a thread of humanity that surpass apathy, fear, anger, and hatred. But it takes a lot of work. This simple thing I must remind myself of is that keeping passionate matters, it matters because it spreads like wildfire. It spreads through the hearts of young men and women I teach each day in class, in my co-workers, friends, and family. I teach for justice. I live for justice. Justice is something people understand, something people desire on a fundamental level, and justice is something we can always aim for.

It is time to start writing more - if not here in this blog then elsewhere. But it is time to let myself be heard, if to no one but myself. This is the beginning. It is time to do justice for myself. From here, who knows... I just know that justice, and that burning feeling of longing must guide me as it used to.