Revolution requires imagination

Shut it down on November 9th.

Nov 08, 2023

I went to the DC march on the 4th, and I noticed something funny. I was early, so I was positioned near the front of the march, which was probably not in the meat of it. So I’m not sure if others shared this experience, but let me know if you did. It was my first protest, so I might have had built up expectations of what it would feel like, from clips I’ve seen on social media or old photos from civil rights protests in the past. Unrest, civil disobedience, disturbance.

What I found funny was it seemed as though we’re were all waiting for someone to lead us, tell us what to yell, give us the best chants, evoke emotion in us.

Almost like we were going through the motions of a protest for a cause we all believe in, but we were unsure, polite. We stood for hours before they opened up the path to the White House, and then we marched along the streets that were already shut down for us.

Don’t get me wrong, I think protests are incredibly valuable for showing public support for a cause we believe in. It was also very heartwarming to see such an enormous turn out for Palestine, for my people who have felt ignored and forgotten for so long.

But still, it was difficult to stave off the frustration. Frustration that it seemed like we were playing by all their rules. Like we were chanting and holding up signs in a vacuum or in vain.

I have been wondering about what a true revolution feels like. We’ve read about it, in history and in novels, and we’ve seen the films, but we haven’t really lived through it yet.

We need to consider the possibility that there is a future in which we don’t achieve liberation (and I say achieve because we are not granted liberation, they do not give it to us. It is something we work and fight for). When good versus evil doesn’t end with the good side prevailing this time around. We did not achieve revolution. We have fallen short.

And in this theoretical timeline, what are we left with? What does it say about the moral fiber of our society?

It says we have failed as a people fighting for the people.

Aside from the pain I feel every moment of the day knowing Gazans are dying or suffering, my heart is breaking from the disconnect between both “sides.” Yesterday I was curious, so I spent some time watching videos and news segments that were obviously pro-Israel — I couldn’t get through much of the blatant lies and ignoring of historical context. We are consuming wildly different information. My heart breaks knowing that we are being divided because they know if we were united, we could imagine a whole new world. One that is more just, that doesn’t play into the hands of a few elites, that at the very least strives for the wellbeing of the human race and the Earth.

A people united will never be defeated.

This is one of the phrases we chanted at the demonstration. I hadn’t heard it before, and it stirred something in me. What if we took this seriously?

Now let’s imagine a future where we do achieve liberation for Palestine. What does that mean? It means we are setting the precedent for the world. This is the precedent: no exploitation of another country’s people in the name of resources, religion, or capitalism. This requires our governments to come clean. To accept responsibility. And to begin building a new system.

But before that, it requires us to exercise our imagination.

I’m extremely new to this space of trying to make change. But I’m taking cues from people online, reading as much as I can, and using my talents & passions to work towards something I believe in. I have small online audiences, but I don’t think that matters. I think every person we can reach matters. I deeply admire every person who has reached out to thank me for what I’ve been sharing, because it takes courage to admit you were wrong or ignorant about something. There are so many opportunities to do your part, including sharing posts on social media, writing, making art, talking to friends, family, and strangers, calling your reps, boycotting, joining resistance organizations, and much more.

If you haven’t heard already, there’s a huge movement to “shut it down” on November 9th. This means we are walking out of work and school, we are not buying from big corporations, and there is even a call to take our money out of the banks. If enough of us pull this off, it will get their attention. They might not care about human lives, but they sure do care about money.

I hope we can continue this even after November 9th. I hope we can continue boycotting the big 3 - Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Disney.

If you decide to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, please consider bringing up a conversation about the colonial genocide of the Indigenous peoples of America. It’s crazy that, in a sense, we are seeing history repeat itself and we’re being reminded by a national holiday. Let’s get people thinking about what we have been conditioned to accept and excuse.

If you’re celebrating Christmas, please consider buying local for food and gifts. Again, money talks. This is the biggest season for corporations. If we don’t make it clear that we will NOT go back to life as usual, we may get closer to a ceasefire. I hope to God we get one before then, but it’s already November, and it starts now.

People all over the world are blocking cargo ships full of weapons for Israel after being inspired by Indigenous activists who blocked the ships in boats at the port of Tacoma. One protester said they had prayed to the water for safe passage, and that a group of seals swam with their boats to the port. I am continually inspired by the work that people are doing for humanity, and I don’t think I’m crazy for wanting to keep the hope alive. The hope that good CAN win.

Like I said, I’m new to this space. I’ll admit I’ve stayed pretty ignorant about a lot of things on purpose my whole life. It definitely feels easier that way. But in the long run, I don’t think it’s easier at all. The more I learn about the injustices of the world, the less weight my own problems have. I feel more purpose and drive now than I have probably ever.

I don’t think Americans are inherently apathetic. I think apathy is born from hopelessness. The notion that things have always been this way, and there’s nothing we can do to change it, so we might as well turn off the part of our humanity that makes us hurt for other people. Western wellness culture has given us the permission to be deeply individualistic in the name of self-care. But in turning a blind eye to injustice, are we really caring for ourselves? Or are we submitting ourselves to a life of simply being a human workhorse, a perfect capitalist mechanism that exclusively works to spend money?

This is a long fight, and because the US is very heavily militarized, we are going to need to get creative about how we resist. We cannot simply wait for our government to somehow get better. The only ones who will fight for the people of the world, are the people of the world.

Like always, please feel free to reply to this email, comment on Substack, or DM me on Instagram. We are stronger when we come together as a community in conversation, organization, and direct action.