5.1
August 10, 2020

“Person has guts: every other neighbor has Trump signs up.”⁠ ⁠

A quote I read this afternoon while working.

“Dara O’Briain has a great bit about this…⁠

‘…Everyone’s opinions are equally valid? My arse. A professor of dentistry for 30 years should not have to argue with some idiot who removes their teeth with string and a door.’”

In other words, something’s not a hoax just ’cause we don’t like it.

Gravity will drop an apple on our head if we’re sitting beneath an apple tree and it’s apple-falling time, whether we believe in (or even understand) gravity, or not.⁠

Which reminds me, vaguely, of:

A man said to the universe:
“Sir, I exist!”
“However,” replied the universe,
“The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation.” ~ Stephen Crane

Reality doesn’t bend to our wishful thinking, or our fears.

“S/he still hangs up that American flag, you can still be patriotic and call out the problems in this country.”⁠



Just as with a healthy relationship,

“I would argue it’s patriotic to call out the problems in this country. How else do you acknowledge and attempt to fix the problems?⁠

“If you don’t like it then leave,” some say.⁠

Yeah, no. I would rather try to work towards a better country instead of burying my head up my arse and pretending everything is fine while my country burns down around me.”⁠

“It’s the difference between patriotism and nationalism. True patriots can understand their country isn’t perfect and can improve. Nationalists think their country is perfect no matter what it does.⁠

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” ~ James Baldwin⁠

~⁠

Join me in Elephant Academy, this Fall, and Write your Heart to Maitri: elephantjournal.com/academy

 

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