2017: Calling All Heroes

As I write this, I'm pretty comfortable. I have a roof over my head, a full stomach, a happy and safe family. I'm white, straight, cisgender, and a man. This has also been a good year for me, personally.

But a lot of people can't say the same. There are a lot of marginalised people, whether they be women, people of colour, members of the LGBTQ community, living in poverty, or any combination thereof. 2016 took a lot from us. It took away heroes. And it made threats to marginalised people all over the world.

Which means 2017 needs the very thing 2016 kept taking from us. Heroes.

So here's what I want from every one of us who are able in body, mind, and spirit. I want us to stop bickering. Stop getting into self-destructive debates over whether or not it's okay for Amanda Palmer to make an off-hand remark about how much great music will come from the Trump years. Stop derailing people offering support for people being victimised by bigotted attacks with "not all men" or "you won't change minds by calling them names." We're so far past that point it's frightening.

We're at war. We have to fight, and we have to fight together.

We're not trying to change minds. We're trying to keep people safe. And that means taking a firm stand when we see shit happening. It means sharing legitimate news exposing corruption and bigotry. It means calling people out for bigoted remarks, no matter how mild or casual they might seem. It means not preaching to people less privileged than you or me about how to respond to daily oppression. It means listening to the people who need help. Propping them up and letting their voices be heard instead of raising our own voices louder.

In early 2016 we saw the likes of Captain America: Civil War, and Batman V Superman. We saw our greatest heroes smashing against each other, and we cheered. It's time to put that away and have the heroes fighting villains again.

What I want from us all in 2017 is to show those who would keep us down that we will not kneel. To prove that 2016 did not break us. To make the hateful afraid of us. Because nothing makes a hateful person more afraid than the idea that someone will see through their charade, and discover how weak and small they really are. And we can do it, if we stand together.

Suit up.

Lock s-foils in attack position.

And may the Force be with us.