I’m a 62-year-old while male and I’m proud to scream, “I’m woke as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Keep the faith one interaction at a time.
I have yet to find a single Trump supporter where I live able to define the word "woke". Most times they associate it to being a "pussy". Ironically, I grew up with these idiots and they know very well I'm not going to run in a fight. It's typical bully shit. Stand up to them and they back down immediately. It still doesn't keep your car being scratched or your pet being poisoned.
I was born in 1970. Grew up in family that was not overly racist but there is that undercurrent...I left my family values and way of thinking long time ago. Older I get, more woke and liberal I get. Because it's really simple, someone has same rights as me? So what? It doesn't take anything away from me. Live and let live. Unless someone is serial killer...
The whole "they just need more time" is such a cop out. The "nonwoke" are now claiming Cynthia Erivo was cast in "Wicked" due to DEI (another phrase they condemn but can't define.) Cynthia Erivo? Are you kidding me? Didn't they hear her sing? Is their problem one of insufficient affirmative action for white people? Most of them won't accept a person different from the traditionally expected unless that person is a family member, no matter how long we wait. So let's get on with it and they'll have to catch up on their own.
Cynthia Erivo was FANTASTIC -- I was blown away by Wicked. It's so frustrating, you just know they are making those comments out of sheer hatred if they're saying that.
Maybe it's a much smaller percentage of people who need more time, and the rest of them will just NEVER accept this new reality. I don't know.
I know several who will Never come around. They are so happy in their hatred of all things that are not in their world view. Such as seeing women in power or excelling in a traditionally male field,or someone other than a straight, white male for that matter . They act like the cake belongs to straight white males and all others have to be content with crumbs
Thank you, my friend! It's been percolating in my head for a while now, just really disturbing how successfully the right weaponized the concept of Woke by misrepresenting what it is.
It's almost like pointing at Black women's cornrows and saying that's their way of showing their alignment with Satan or something dumb like that.
I’m a 78 year old white woman from the S.F. Bay Area. I grew up in a very “biased” family, regarding color, religion and sexual persuasion. I use the
“-“ ironically. According to family lore, when my dad told his parents he was going to marry my mom, Grandmother actually said “She’s not Catholic is she?” (roll eyes)
As far as Black, Asian or gay people were concerned, all the pejoratives were used. And now my husband (yeah - a Catholic!) and I have a 21 year old grandchild who is Trans. It’s so difficult to see how others would prefer to hate and malign her. She’s living in Florida (!) finishing college and will leave ASAP.
I can’t believe we have to put up with another 4 years of hatred and vitriol, but look forward to the backlash that I think and hope will follow.
I’m a 71 white woman and grew up with the hippy generation. I was in 11th grade during Woodstock. I remember fighting for the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) and I am praying Biden signs it into the Constitution before he leaves. The ERA is for everyone not just women. It will take a bite out of Project 2025. YES DAMN IT, I am WOKE! As WOKE as I was in the 70’s! I believe everyone in America should be respected and have the right to be equal and have the freedom to achieve their American dream. That’s what this Nation was founded upon and why we strive to become a more perfect union.
Re: We need to have conversations "amongst ourselves, to 'dial it back' and give folks the time and space they need to catch up with a cultural world that feels like it's left them behind."
Ten years ago I was cautiously optimistic we were moving from tolerance to acceptance. When "crazy" rhetoric was appropriately labeled as such. We then took a hard turn towards hate. Hate is hate; no changing that. However, I do believe that there are plenty of "center" and "right of center" folks who are decent enough to move from ignorance (or confusion) to tolerance. Reaching out and connecting with this group is necessary. Let's put our energies into the people that can be saved from drowning in hateful "crazy."
Same opening line here. Had to learn fast when transported to the south. Still learning..never thought I'd see America go bass-ackwards..but here we are.
In my mid-20s (I have almost a decade on you) I worked with a fellow who happened to be gay, and out. As a teen I was just as likely to use fa**ot as a general pejorative as anyone else - without any necessity for the person I was referring to to actually being gay. But Mark was a nice guy, and so were several others in the company (it was a pretty big place) so I just mentally shrugged and treated him as I would anyone else who was pleasant to work with. Another member of our department was some variety of “born again” AND a bigot. When Ernest made a comment that he thought Mark might be gay, I asked him if ANYTHING he had ever done or said was offensive. The answer was “no” and before he could continue I interjected that then it didn’t matter and he should allow Mark the courtesy to do his job without aggravation. I guess that’s when I grew up. (I grew up in a place with practically no Black people. My high school, population 2,000+, had three - I think.)
I’m a 62-year-old while male and I’m proud to scream, “I’m woke as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Keep the faith one interaction at a time.
Love that energy, David! Thank you for the comment!
I have yet to find a single Trump supporter where I live able to define the word "woke". Most times they associate it to being a "pussy". Ironically, I grew up with these idiots and they know very well I'm not going to run in a fight. It's typical bully shit. Stand up to them and they back down immediately. It still doesn't keep your car being scratched or your pet being poisoned.
Very well said, my friend. 100% correct.
Or your house being fire bombed.
I was born in 1970. Grew up in family that was not overly racist but there is that undercurrent...I left my family values and way of thinking long time ago. Older I get, more woke and liberal I get. Because it's really simple, someone has same rights as me? So what? It doesn't take anything away from me. Live and let live. Unless someone is serial killer...
The whole "they just need more time" is such a cop out. The "nonwoke" are now claiming Cynthia Erivo was cast in "Wicked" due to DEI (another phrase they condemn but can't define.) Cynthia Erivo? Are you kidding me? Didn't they hear her sing? Is their problem one of insufficient affirmative action for white people? Most of them won't accept a person different from the traditionally expected unless that person is a family member, no matter how long we wait. So let's get on with it and they'll have to catch up on their own.
Cynthia Erivo was FANTASTIC -- I was blown away by Wicked. It's so frustrating, you just know they are making those comments out of sheer hatred if they're saying that.
Maybe it's a much smaller percentage of people who need more time, and the rest of them will just NEVER accept this new reality. I don't know.
I know several who will Never come around. They are so happy in their hatred of all things that are not in their world view. Such as seeing women in power or excelling in a traditionally male field,or someone other than a straight, white male for that matter . They act like the cake belongs to straight white males and all others have to be content with crumbs
As always, a great piece!
Thank you, my friend! It's been percolating in my head for a while now, just really disturbing how successfully the right weaponized the concept of Woke by misrepresenting what it is.
It's almost like pointing at Black women's cornrows and saying that's their way of showing their alignment with Satan or something dumb like that.
Unchecked disinformation is deadly.
I’m a 78 year old white woman from the S.F. Bay Area. I grew up in a very “biased” family, regarding color, religion and sexual persuasion. I use the
“-“ ironically. According to family lore, when my dad told his parents he was going to marry my mom, Grandmother actually said “She’s not Catholic is she?” (roll eyes)
As far as Black, Asian or gay people were concerned, all the pejoratives were used. And now my husband (yeah - a Catholic!) and I have a 21 year old grandchild who is Trans. It’s so difficult to see how others would prefer to hate and malign her. She’s living in Florida (!) finishing college and will leave ASAP.
I can’t believe we have to put up with another 4 years of hatred and vitriol, but look forward to the backlash that I think and hope will follow.
I’m a 71 white woman and grew up with the hippy generation. I was in 11th grade during Woodstock. I remember fighting for the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) and I am praying Biden signs it into the Constitution before he leaves. The ERA is for everyone not just women. It will take a bite out of Project 2025. YES DAMN IT, I am WOKE! As WOKE as I was in the 70’s! I believe everyone in America should be respected and have the right to be equal and have the freedom to achieve their American dream. That’s what this Nation was founded upon and why we strive to become a more perfect union.
I was Woke then and I will be Woke when I die.
🩷
Well said
Thanks Robin!
Really clear piece about Wokeism. Everyone should read it. Common sense, a little compassion add some empathy & it's done. There. Not so hard.
Impeccably articulated.
Thanks Matthew, I appreciate the kind feedback!
Re: We need to have conversations "amongst ourselves, to 'dial it back' and give folks the time and space they need to catch up with a cultural world that feels like it's left them behind."
Ten years ago I was cautiously optimistic we were moving from tolerance to acceptance. When "crazy" rhetoric was appropriately labeled as such. We then took a hard turn towards hate. Hate is hate; no changing that. However, I do believe that there are plenty of "center" and "right of center" folks who are decent enough to move from ignorance (or confusion) to tolerance. Reaching out and connecting with this group is necessary. Let's put our energies into the people that can be saved from drowning in hateful "crazy."
I’m woke and I’m proud!
Thank you for putting it all on the table!! What a great read. You nailed it.
Same opening line here. Had to learn fast when transported to the south. Still learning..never thought I'd see America go bass-ackwards..but here we are.
Thing that gets me, is that most of these MAGA folks are religious.
So they “follow” the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus was woke as fuck lol. How does that square?
In my mid-20s (I have almost a decade on you) I worked with a fellow who happened to be gay, and out. As a teen I was just as likely to use fa**ot as a general pejorative as anyone else - without any necessity for the person I was referring to to actually being gay. But Mark was a nice guy, and so were several others in the company (it was a pretty big place) so I just mentally shrugged and treated him as I would anyone else who was pleasant to work with. Another member of our department was some variety of “born again” AND a bigot. When Ernest made a comment that he thought Mark might be gay, I asked him if ANYTHING he had ever done or said was offensive. The answer was “no” and before he could continue I interjected that then it didn’t matter and he should allow Mark the courtesy to do his job without aggravation. I guess that’s when I grew up. (I grew up in a place with practically no Black people. My high school, population 2,000+, had three - I think.)