Blog Post #35: Wake Up, Smell the Coffee, and Pay Attention

This is not the time to tune out. Yes, I know most of us are feeling overwhelmed by everything right now. Many people have lost their jobs. Some people are having a hard time paying their rent or putting food on the table. Most of us are tired of this and are getting a little crazy in the process.

I am not suggesting that we watch cable news 24/7, but I am suggesting that we pay attention to what’s going on in the world, and we pay especially close attention to what’s going on in this country. This is a time when we need resilience more than ever, and we need to be practicing these skills and attitudes every day. This is a time to connect with other people and communicate. Maybe you do this by getting involved in protest. It is our right to do this as American citizens.

We also need to communicate with those who represent us in Washington. I would encourage you to send letters, emails, and phone calls to the White House and to your congressional representatives. Let them know how you feel about what is going on. They need to hear from you. They need to realize that you understand what is happening in this country and that racism is alive and well and should finally be dealt with effectively by our society. It is not the 1950s, despite what the President thinks.

Do not let fear stop you from doing this. Policies of domination and suppression have gotten us into this mess and will only make things worse. Speak out. Remember that the majority of protests have been nonviolent and hopefully will continue as such. Maintaining order is important, but law and order can be used as a way to suppress dissent and to maintain the status quo. It is, hopefully, becoming more clear to everyone that there are many wrongs in this country that need to be righted.

The right to speak and to protest is guaranteed in our Constitution. It is the First Amendment. And by far it is considerably more important than the second. Make use of it. Speak up. Talk with your friends and family. Connect with your congressional representatives and let the president know how you feel about what he’s doing. Do not be silent!

Ron Breazeale PhD