Maybe
I’m fortunate to have had good parents who guided me toward good decisions. My mother was adamant about the development of my common sense, and she insisted that I evolve into a free thinker, which required letting go of absolutes and embracing shades of grey. There’s a desire to learn different perspectives and saying “well, maybe.”
There’s not a lot of maybe right now.
The last two years have been the most polarizing that we’ve ever seen. You either believe that Black Lives Matter . . . or you don’t. You were either for Trump . . . or against him. You either believe that we should all be vaccinated . . . or we shouldn’t. You either believe that women should have the right to choose whether or not to bear a child . . . or you don’t. And apparently, from what I’ve seen, you’re either team braless or decidedly pro bra. Fine. People are entitled to their opinions. I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if the average person didn’t feel that s/he has the right to delight you with their theories and decisions. Even if you didn’t ask, or don’t really care.
And media. Oh, media. And before anyone goes ape-shit, bug-fuck, batshit, rat-in-a-coffee-can crazy on me, I was once part of the media and I completely understand the agenda. But, the propaganda has NEVER been more egregious than in recent years. There are very few places to get unbiased news. And while I haven’t really found such a media outlet, I hope to God one actually exists. Instead, I’ve kept my television focused on networks that don’t deliver the news, and certainly ones other than Fox or CNN. Because I simply can’t with either of them.
I’m decidedly Team Maybe, and I feel comfort in shades of gray. Being on Team Maybe means that everything gets examined. Everything is called into question, and you’re left to make a decision that you arrived at honestly, and without succumbing to propaganda, pressure or coercion.
So, if you’re interested, here’s how I feel, as a card-carrying May-sayer.
I feel that racists are by and large ignorant people, but MAYBE they’ve had perspectives that have created their opinions, and just MAYBE having good dialogue will help me understand what those are, and just MAYBE I can help shed light on my perspective. If not, I tried.
I feel that Trump was not the answer to any question that we had, as a nation, and that he managed to politicize a pandemic and divide a country, but MAYBE we need a different solution than Biden, who also hasn’t been particularly effective.
Being a woman. I feel that MAYBE carrying a child to term is the best decision, or not, depending on extenuating circumstances. I also feel that I’m not the person to decide the validity of those circumstances if mine is not the uterus in question. MAYBE abortion shouldn’t be used as a form of birth control. I also feel that if you were not born with a uterus, MAYBE you should shut your mouth on this issue. I believe that if it’s your body, you have the right to choose.
And here’s a murky quagmire for you . . . I feel that there are people who are comforted by the vaccine, and they should have it. I also feel that there are people who are discomforted by the vaccine, and they should avoid it . . .while protecting themselves and others. I don’t think that one faction should attack the other, because if done correctly, they don’t endanger each other. To go a bit deeper, yes, MAYBE it’s true that the vaccine is protective. We’ve seen the evidence. But we’ve also seen irrefutable evidence that it isn’t as protective as is advertised. There are definitely people dying of COVID-19. But there are also people dying of the vaccine — as much as nobody wants to admit it. And realistically, people should be able to choose their own roulette wheels without fear of retribution. Because, honestly, NOT to say “well, maybe” means that you give control to the pharma companies on one end of the spectrum, and the crazies on the other. Both are bad choices if you ask me. Not that you did.
I will note the irony of the fact that MAYBE “my body my choice” only applies to certain people, under certain circumstances.
If I’m going to be absolute about anything, it’s the bra issue (#teambra) . . . and the fact that Karens should be fukked with. I do my part.