Apologies for the harsh language of the title (and a bit humorous out of context), but I am unbelievably pissed off right now. This month, actually, I've been nothing but angry. Angry for the state of my country, the United States.
I've been saying for years in private that Donald Trump is another Hitler. I've been telling family how he targets transgender, non-white and immigrant folk and paints them as the common enemy. I've linked sites that talk about everything Trump has done to remove the rights of transgender individuals, and how he paints immigrants as parasites leeching this country of its resources when they're the one providing in the first place. However, so, so many people did not listen. They called me crazy, paranoid.
Today, Trump revoked the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1965. This act prohibits discrimination against individuals based on sex, gender, race, color, and or national origin. This hsa yet to affect citizens, but right now, it affects federal workers. This sends a message and is a scary precident. Not to mention, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs within the Department of Labor has ceased operation. Objectively, this will hurt disabled folk. This will trickle down, no matter how you slice it. In fact, Indiana is already trying to ban no fault divorce, meaning peaceful separation in marriage. This will only lead to increased murder.
And it hasn't even been a week since he's entered office.
When TikTok was unbanned, any content that criticizes Trump, Elon Musk, or Mark Zuckerberg would get removed. There was a video by a German woman pointing out how Trump, who has been pushing for TikTok's ban since 2020, pointing out the fact he was the one who reversed the ban is exactly the same as Adolf Hitler did in Germany to win the sympathy and appeal of Germany during his rise of power. This video was removed the moment it started exploding in views and likes. She isn't the only one.
"But SKL," one may cry, "he wanted to ban TikTok because of how it collects data on U.S. citizens!" Okay, tell me why Meta, a U.S. based company that owns Facebook and Instagram, collects infintely more data on its users? It collects data of its users off-site as well, which has led to posts online talking about how to minimize Meta's data collection. Not only that, but its data collection policies violate a lot of European laws.
This isn't even touching Trump's transphobic trail. Last year he vowed to reinstate and expand the transgender military ban. "But SKL, transgender people are commonly mentally ill!" What about the ones who aren't? What about those who have to enlist in the military because it's the only way they're able to even afford to live? Not to mention the fact he's done so many horrible things to queer folk in the states that there's a top 10 list for it. This isn't even counting the entire list over the four years he was president the first time.
I think what pisses me off the most outside of transgender issues is the anti-immigration bullshit. "Provide for your citizens first before the illegal immigrants" is a very common mindset. However, I implore you to think about this further: there's a lot of jobs in the states that many people do not want to touch. Garbage management, cleaning services, retail at gas stations, even more than those that I can come up with. Most people view these jobs as undesirable and would rather do something they view as creative. However, these services are backbones of our society. Many immigrants, especially those who have left their country of origin to live in the States to live a better life, will happily take these jobs if it gives them money. "Well, I'm talking about the illegals that only come here to do drugs!" I understand. Well, why do immigrants turn to drugs, and participate in the industry to supply them? It's because it provides money. A lot of money. Historically, especially if they were people of color, they have a lot harder time aquiring a job that they had the skills to do. The drug industry pays well, because it's illegal and you must avoid the law. With that money though, you're able to provide for yourself and your family. "Well, what about the bums that only do drugs?" Do I have to bring up how many drug trafficking allegations there are surrounding the CIA? Let alone the entire crack epidemic in the States that heavily impacted poor black people the most. And you know what happens in the States when you're in prison, right? That's right! Slave labor!!! Despite slavery being abolished, the only legal slave labor is through prisons, which the government uses to exploit its prisoners so much, the victims are only paid in pennies. This includes those convicted of petty crimes, like simply having weed on your person in states that forbid it.
I am so tired of tolerating people who have said that Kamala Harris would have been worse than Trump. I am so, so tired of people using Palestine as an excuse to support Trump, who has said that Israel should "finish the job." Is that your idea of someone who has the best interest of Palestinians at heart? At the time of writing, there is a temporary ceasefire, but he stresses it's temporary and how he will allow Israel to use whatever they need of the State's resources to "win" the war. This isn't counting the many times Hamas has offered to return the hostages, only for Israel to say "nah, not interested." And if I have to disclaim it, I will: I don't support everything Hamas does. I personally just think people shouldn't experience a genocide! That's not controvercial!!
The reason I say all of this is because I've had people who I considered friends tell me and my other friends, who are people of color, immigrants and or queer, that "Harris is worse than Trump." That if you support Harris, you're complicit in the evil she provides. If that's the case, then their support of Trump means they're complicit in the suffering and deaths of the transgender and non-white peoples in the States. Not only that, but they're complicit in the genocide happening in Palestine. I was willing to "agree to disagree," but I was afraid of confrontation. I'm terminally afraid of it, even. However, the moment it makes the people I love and care about feel unsafe, I can't bother to stand back anymore.
I do not consider you a friend, or anyone worth thinking about if you have said anything that remotely supports Trump and puts down Harris. She isn't great, and she unfortunately is a lesser evil. She would've maintained the status quo of the genocide. However, there at least wouldn't be more blood spilt. There wouldn't be more needless suffering of those who need our help to live. The worst part is people who harshly put down Harris don't even live in the States. They lack the experience of constantly scraping by in fear of what the next four years will bring, that their rights are constantly on the line of a balancing act. They'll pride themselves as being right, higher-than-thou and propose a "glorious revolution." Waiting for a goddamn revolution won't stop my friends and family from being stripped of their right to exist. Waiting is complicit. Telling my friends that their experiences of losing their rights, racism, and discrimination aren't that important because of a genocide happening is pathetic. There's so many genocides happening on this planet right now, including the genocide of queers and people of color. One genocide isn't "more important" than the other, no matter how you fucking slice it.
I find it hard to hate. But I hate the people who've said all of this to me and refuse to admit they were wrong. I hate the people who brought this upon those who don't deserve it, especially if those people aren't even living in the damn States and act like they know what we're living through. Our blood is in their hands.
I refuse to tolerate the intolerant. I refuse to obey in advance. It will only increase their killing power. I'm queer, disabled, and loud.