Been thinking about this column all day. I appreciate that some in this country would need to move away for legitimate reasons but is it time for those who dislike what we see to leave? Or better to stay and fight, educate, and do whatever else we can? Genuine question I don't have an answer to right now. Twenty years ago when I lived ab…
Been thinking about this column all day. I appreciate that some in this country would need to move away for legitimate reasons but is it time for those who dislike what we see to leave? Or better to stay and fight, educate, and do whatever else we can? Genuine question I don't have an answer to right now. Twenty years ago when I lived abroad during W's forever wars and war crimes, I voted from overseas but always felt a bit helpless being away (other than trying to be a good model American expat that didn't reflect the same values as the Bush Admin). Not sure how it would feel to move away now other than to not worry about gun violence.
Also been thinking about Ruth’s question (leave or stay?) all day … and really appreciate all the very thoughtful responses here, that echo Ruth’s refusal to tell us what to do, or what she is doing, or be quick to judge the choices others make… and instead, offer helpful things to consider, to discover our best choices. I am really surprised what was revealed during the day
American culture, particularly, seems to presume that every citizen has some innate desire or capability to fight back when things get tough. I want to open up a little to reveal how some of us feel. Usually I stay silent about these things. It's kinda part of the deal.
You ask, 'is it time for those who dislike what we see to leave?' For me -- and I'm only speaking personally, though I suspect others feel this too -- the urge to flee does not arise out of a simple 'dislike,' but rather *extreme* discomfort and literal pain of seeing & feeling the conflicts happening in this country. By discomfort, I mean: I HATE this feeling of conflict, of aggression, of anger, that seems to be happening all around me. And I'm not just talking about the right: I'm seeing lefties start to talk of buying guns or fighting dirty, in order to beat the right at its own (fearful) game. Even the yelling matches become too much, too much, too much.
I'm an avowed pacifist. Most of my life I have successfully stayed off the battlefield, whether metaphorical or real. I am a good diplomat; I am a poor warrior. To put it bluntly: I will not fight. It is not in my nature. I do not have the ability, not for lack of technique but for lack of passion. If push came to shove, I would run, or simply curl up in a ball, regardless of my potential end.
Since the election, and certainly since Jan 6, I feel less and less capable of avoiding these conflicts which arise around me, from all sides. Hence, I think of fleeing.
Don't get me wrong: I don't wish to pretend it all away, to ignore it all, to find some paradise where I presume all is peaceful. I fully plan on following along, as I do, and to continue to assist, perhaps remotely, where I can. But I feel the possibilities for me, by remaining in the US, diminish by the day, along with any constructive energy.
I'll admit my privileges, though sometimes they feel less like bragging rights and more like liabilities. I'm single/solo, older (late 50s), have intentionally led a simpler life with no immediate family, and I've thankfully got means to migrate. And I've traveled all my life, and so I know there are plenty of burrows out there waiting for me to wriggle into until things get calm again.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. By fighting back, I did not mean with guns, etc. but "assist" as you put it, or educate or contribute otherwise. I'm not sure how long my constructive energy will last either. But you raise a difficult issue, which is, how do we flee elsewhere and *not* feel like we're pretending it away? I struggled with this for the 12 years I lived abroad, feeling lucky to be out of the mess at home but conflicted about what to do about it from afar. It's a tricky issue.
Been thinking about this column all day. I appreciate that some in this country would need to move away for legitimate reasons but is it time for those who dislike what we see to leave? Or better to stay and fight, educate, and do whatever else we can? Genuine question I don't have an answer to right now. Twenty years ago when I lived abroad during W's forever wars and war crimes, I voted from overseas but always felt a bit helpless being away (other than trying to be a good model American expat that didn't reflect the same values as the Bush Admin). Not sure how it would feel to move away now other than to not worry about gun violence.
Also been thinking about Ruth’s question (leave or stay?) all day … and really appreciate all the very thoughtful responses here, that echo Ruth’s refusal to tell us what to do, or what she is doing, or be quick to judge the choices others make… and instead, offer helpful things to consider, to discover our best choices. I am really surprised what was revealed during the day
American culture, particularly, seems to presume that every citizen has some innate desire or capability to fight back when things get tough. I want to open up a little to reveal how some of us feel. Usually I stay silent about these things. It's kinda part of the deal.
You ask, 'is it time for those who dislike what we see to leave?' For me -- and I'm only speaking personally, though I suspect others feel this too -- the urge to flee does not arise out of a simple 'dislike,' but rather *extreme* discomfort and literal pain of seeing & feeling the conflicts happening in this country. By discomfort, I mean: I HATE this feeling of conflict, of aggression, of anger, that seems to be happening all around me. And I'm not just talking about the right: I'm seeing lefties start to talk of buying guns or fighting dirty, in order to beat the right at its own (fearful) game. Even the yelling matches become too much, too much, too much.
I'm an avowed pacifist. Most of my life I have successfully stayed off the battlefield, whether metaphorical or real. I am a good diplomat; I am a poor warrior. To put it bluntly: I will not fight. It is not in my nature. I do not have the ability, not for lack of technique but for lack of passion. If push came to shove, I would run, or simply curl up in a ball, regardless of my potential end.
Since the election, and certainly since Jan 6, I feel less and less capable of avoiding these conflicts which arise around me, from all sides. Hence, I think of fleeing.
Don't get me wrong: I don't wish to pretend it all away, to ignore it all, to find some paradise where I presume all is peaceful. I fully plan on following along, as I do, and to continue to assist, perhaps remotely, where I can. But I feel the possibilities for me, by remaining in the US, diminish by the day, along with any constructive energy.
I'll admit my privileges, though sometimes they feel less like bragging rights and more like liabilities. I'm single/solo, older (late 50s), have intentionally led a simpler life with no immediate family, and I've thankfully got means to migrate. And I've traveled all my life, and so I know there are plenty of burrows out there waiting for me to wriggle into until things get calm again.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. By fighting back, I did not mean with guns, etc. but "assist" as you put it, or educate or contribute otherwise. I'm not sure how long my constructive energy will last either. But you raise a difficult issue, which is, how do we flee elsewhere and *not* feel like we're pretending it away? I struggled with this for the 12 years I lived abroad, feeling lucky to be out of the mess at home but conflicted about what to do about it from afar. It's a tricky issue.
Laura glad the column stayed with you, it was designed to make people ponder the issue.