Intermission

Democracy dies in apathy - Unknown

credit: christiyana kruger

I just wanted to include this reminder that while the Trying to Be Christmassy series is related to connecting to the Christmas/holiday energy and hopefully bringing some calm to this holiday season. I am aware that there are serious concerns happening in the world today. I live in the US and am partially aware of the threats posed by the upcoming administration within the US and abroad. I say "partially" because I'm sure that there are more threats that I'm unaware of.

Nationwide, women in the US no longer have equal access to reproductive care, including abortion, due to the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

There are threats to round up people and deport them including American citizens by stripping them of their citizenship. 

For some people, there seems to be less concern for others as long as they're not directly impacted.  Kinda like this "Too bad for you:  I got mine" attitude.

I'm writing this not to throw a damper on anyone's holiday's energy, but to acknowledge that most of  us can't duck our heads into the sand.  While it's helpful to appreciate the holidays, it's also useful to be aware of current events and causes that you're concerned about.  

We all have to stay mindful about our sources of information including the information that we receive from others.  I, too, am not perfect in this and have had people correct me on information that I've given or I've realized that I've had to update a belief.

Side note:  They're different.  Misinformation is incorrect information unintentionally given.  Disinformation is inaccurate information knowingly given usually to support an ulterior motive.

Also, although this series has been co-created with AI.  AI definitely makes errors so be sure to check its information as possible to ensure its reliability.  For instance, I almost posted a quote that AI attributed to Stevie Wonder, but when I checked online, it was attributed to St. Luke.  : /

Finally, if you need to take a break from the news/activism/this series/holiday activities, allow yourself to take a break and recharge.  No one benefits from your burnout.

As a single person, it's especially important that you take care of your mental, physical, emotional and financial health.  If checking in on the news weekly and learning a bit more about a social justice organization or simply keeping yourself emotionally balanced, is the extent of your activism that's understandable.  Given the preponderance of disinformation, I feel that even refraining from being overly reactive is an act of activism. 

Know and honor your limits with news, activism, the holidays, etc.

OK, this intermission has concluded.  Thank you all for following along with this series and may you all stay well.  If you're interested, below are some additional resources:

News Sites

The 19th

Associated Press
Deutsche Welle
PBS News
Reuters

Articles:

10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won

What Does Donald Trump’s Election Mean For…

Meet the pillars of the next Trump resistance

Organizations
List by the Advocate  of 26 activist organizations including the ACLU, Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, GLAAD, Planned Parenthood, etc.