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hey, bonita...
It’s Time to Demand Justice
ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ ANXIOUS ABOUT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION
By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com
Hey, Bonita!
I’m writing to you on Jan. 20, 2021, just a
few hours before our new president and vice
president are sworn in. I’m excited about this
because I was absolutely NOT HAPPY with our
previous administration, led by him-who-must-
not-be-named, but I’m also feeling anxious. I
am so nervous that the incoming administra
tion will be loved in a “thank God that’s over”
way, and they’ll be able to get away with not
doing much to improve the lives of those of us
in the United States. My life—and that of so
many others in my same economic situation—
has gotten harder in the last four years, and
I’ve kind of lost my faith in “the system.” I also
worry about the losing side
acting out violently,
either today or in
the future. This
anxiety is actu
ally hitting
me really
hard.
superpower—we look like idiots on the
world stage—and while there’s been plenty
of centrist gum-flapping about “healing”
and “moving on,” I think that the American
public has made it clear to the incoming
administration and to lawmakers in general
that we expect people to experience con
sequences for seditious behavior and, also,
that we want the most nonsensical and vin
dictive of you-know-who’s actions undone
as quickly as possible. We should expect to
be rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement
and the World Health Organization, and we
can also kiss that Muslim travel ban good
bye. Whatever the 1776 Commission was
will also be kicking rocks. I mean—wow—
we really dealt with four
whole years of this,
didn’t we?
My fellow
American,
I think we
can be cautiously
optimistic about Biden’s
inauguration attracting vio
lence because, according to several news
outlets, Washington D.C. is pretty much
impenetrable right now as a result of the
attempted coup on Jan. 6. Airbnb accepted
no bookings for Inauguration Day in the
D.C. metro area, and apparently two of the
National Guard members removed from
inauguration duty were dismissed because
of “inappropriate comments and texts”
that I can only assume smacked of insur
rectionist leanings. I have way too much
life experience to ever put all of my eggs
in one basket, but I have a sense that lots
of caution has been taken to ensure that
today’s inauguration will be as peaceful as
possible. [Editor’s note: It was.] It’s kind of
a shame that Biden and Harris won’t get
the welcoming experience and public cele
bration that (almost) every new president
should experience on their first day in office
but, personally, I’d happily trade a crowded
National Mall in exchange for never think
ing of or seeing the previous president ever
again for the rest of my poor, Black, queer
and radical life.
Biden and Harris will have lots of work
to do to repair the damage that the previ
ous administration has done to Americans
and to our international reputation as a
Your
anxiety is
completely
justified,
especially after
the riot on the 6th.
I think we’re all a bit
appalled at self-described
patriots storming a government building
with bear mace and flex cuffs, stealing and
vandalizing with the backing of elected
officials, but was anyone truly surprised?
Anyone who was truly blindsided by
the events of Jan. 6 probably needed a
wakeup call to the realities of extremism in
America, not to mention to the way the pre
vious administration coddled and encour
aged a very divisive worldview. You can
combat your anxiety by taking comfort in
the fact that D JT is no longer the president
of the United States, and that the incoming
administration is already being spurred on
by people who want to see consequences for
the damage done by D JT and his ilk.
Personally, I love seeing pushback to talk
of “healing,” because it’s clear that some
expect the marginalized to forgive and for
get as usual, but not today. People have to
understand that you can’t nurse racism and
foment a literal overthrow of the govern
ment without any consequences. We can’t
heal by pretending we were never injured.
I don’t have tons of faith in the system,
either, but I do have faith in angry voters
holding the feet of their lawmakers to the
fire. We have to demand justice just as
loudly as we demand liberty and equity. ©
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