I NEVER THOUGHT I’D HAVE TO WRITE THIS EMAIL
AMBER LOVE 18-NOV-2016 To support my work, please go to Patreon.com/amberunmasked. Backers gets first looks at some posts and my books.
There’s been a lot of debate over the smallest things like safety pins and whether or not that’s a good idea to wear one. I don’t begrudge anyone who does, but I’ve also listened to the people who say it’s problematic. It can be used as a lure by the very people we would call “unsafe†and it also doesn’t do much in terms of making a difference. But, it also might help one fifth grader being picked on who spots a teacher with a safety pin and knows they can trust that person to tell them what’s wrong. I don’t really have a solid opinion on it.
I’m also not one that can do a whole lot. My Senators and Reps, thankfully, are not falling for the bullshit being spouted in Washington despite our Governor being up Trump’s ass. That doesn’t mean that they won’t have to play the game and give in to demands. They probably will. They are outnumbered. I don’t think phone calls to them at this time are going to do much. If it comes down to a specific bill being pushed, I’ll gladly drop an email or a tweet asking them to stop anything horrific. I can’t attend the march in DC in January. I’d love to. I’d have to carpool (pay towards gas and tolls) and stay over. Neither are things I can do at this time and I’m sure there are millions of people like me who can’t afford it or can’t leave their families.
Sometimes, the small steps have to be counted.Like the safety pin thing, there has to be some way to affect change for the good of the people you care about. If someone in your timeline is deeply depressed or riddled with anxiety, check on them. They will not think you’re bugging them. If someone has to post their crowdfunding links to pay for freaking medical/vet bills or school books, share the links. It costs you a click or two. Check the validity of sources before forwarding memes and “news.†The top GOP aides like Kelly Anne Conway are sharing links to InfoWars, Breitbart, and a completely fake ABC News site with an invalid url.
Those actions take time, but they’re free to do. The list of populations that are affected by this travesty of US history is long: disabled people, LGBTQIA, women, all people of color, all non-Christians, anyone striving for citizenship.
Yesterday, I had to unfriend a couple people I thought I really liked. I go to charity events with them. They’re members of the largest cosplay charity groups in the world, the Star Wars legions. Yesterday, I saw them talking about how the protest going by the one person’s office wasn’t “real†democracy. Based on the comments, I know how those men voted. They didn’t use slurs. They didn’t post about hate. But, their votes for Trump/Pence are actions of hate whether or not they want to admit it. So, I unfriended them and made a post on my personal Facebook about how upsetting it was to see that. I also said that I wouldn’t book them for charity events until I’m sure their organizations are safe for people in our little NJ comic book community. Then this morning, I sent off an email to the 501st PR department.
[UPDATE: After further consideration, the copy of the email sent has been removed in order to protect privacy of others.]
It’s a small step. It’s not marching in Washington. It’s not calling Senator Ryan. It’s about the people in a comic shop who work there and come there for gaming, books, and charity events and those people all deserve to feel safe. These steps have to count too.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.