Happy Holidays and the Side of History

I have been thinking a lot about the holidays. An interesting time marked by celebrations, obligations, and expectations shaped by family traditions and commercial practices. Despite the brutality and colonialism, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. A day to come together to simply enjoy each other's company over a shared meal. Whereas, for me, Christmas feels like a frenetic blur of unnecessary purchases and overconsumption. Given the current political state of our country, both holidays create a stressful backdrop from which I frequently find myself trying to navigate. Yet this year feels especially fraught.

I have always felt like a black sheep in my family, as an only child amongst a large mix of half- and step-siblings. I left home at seventeen, lost and trying to make sense of the world and what I had survived. After several futile attempts and many years in the making, I have earned several degrees. The more I have learned, and the farther I have traveled, the wider the divide has felt each time I return to the small town from where I came. I have gained the gift of exposure to people and places that were limited to me growing up, which, I think, has contributed to my worldview today.

I often think about the differences that can exist among family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. The traditional rule of thumb is to avoid conversation about politics and religion. And that might be the appropriate response at some point in the future, but the ire within me about what is happening in the world is weighing heavily on my mind. Especially during this time of year. I struggle to find the words to explain what I know so many are feeling. But what keeps resonating through my mind is this:

I am human. And as a human, I don’t understand how we are looking the other way? How are we accepting and agreeing to other humans being tortured, abused, and disregarded? How are we, as a society that predominantly considers itself to be religious, continuing to behave in such non-Christian ways? How does hate continue to override justice? And how do we justify what is happening? We lock people up without regard. We watch school children gunned down at the expense of antiquated Second Amendment rights, as oligarchs get richer, and people lose basic medical care and economic security.

This is not about politics. This is about humanity. So perhaps as the black sheep of my family, I am beating the same “liberal” dead horse, yet it’s gone too far. Many refute that we are living in an era similar to the Holocaust or the days when American citizens were sent to Japanese internment camps. But that is exactly what is happening. It’s not AI. It’s not false narratives. It is what is happening in our streets every day.

My family consists of far more than those with whom I share DNA. My family is immigrants. My family is LGBTQ+. My family is Black and Brown. My family is justice-impacted. And when you come after my family, I speak up. So if you love me, if you care, you will understand why I feel so fiercely protective against the current administration and the state of our country. This is not politics as usual. This is far more than what can be explained away.

At the end of the day, as we approach another holiday season and welcome a new year, I know what side of history I want to be on, and hope you will join me.

And, I wish you and yours a peaceful holiday season.
-trw