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What 2020 taught me.
Reflecting on one of the worst years in recent history and the need for a mass movement to better our lives.
There is no going back to ‘normal.’ Even if there was, our normal was woefully inadequate. Half a million people went bankrupt every year from medical bills. Nearly 80% of American workers lived paycheck to paycheck, and an entire generation of people are damned to a lifetime of debt for the crime of pursuing an education. Our normal was absurd as it was, and COVID only exacerbated our already precarious position. Through it all, I still believe that a better world is possible.
I used to believe in the political process. I used to believe that representative democracy could work. I no longer believe these things. Well, I no longer believe that we can expect anything from them if we aren’t willing to threaten their careers & image the entire time that they’re in power. I'll begin by sharing what my priorities are. I want to live in a world where everyone’s basic needs are met & their human rights are protected. More specifically, everyone should have a home (shelter), food, fully comprehensive healthcare, & basic safety, especially from state-sanctioned violence. I believed that the government was supposed to guarantee those things, but this year has proved me completely wrong.