79: Be angry but do not sin

Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil.” (NAB)

This is my fourth and maybe last post in the series I’m writing on Harris for President 2024, mostly because after this I may be out of things to say and not because I see myself – or frankly most people – changing our stances in any appreciable way. But after this, I believe I will feel like I said what I felt like I really needed to say and now I can go on with my life, where I work full time and go to grad school in my field, partly paid for by my job which I am also (fun facts) currently trying to help unionize which has been … interesting. So, I have a lot going on nothing to do with this election.

A couple things.

I remember watching one of several rallies, live, where Tim Walz responded to calls of “lock him up” (meaning Trump) by saying – no, no. We don’t do that. I have also been a fly on the wall in a few online groups which are supposed to be pro-Harris but often lapse into being anti-Trump. Finally, I really want to respond to a WaPo opinion article stating that Harris is offering gimmicks as opposed to solutions. I took the liberty of reading perhaps the key source cited and finding this paragraph in there:

“Although rate increases are not the only way to raise revenue, the $400K pledge also makes it difficult for policymakers to adopt commonsense changes that close tax loopholes. One of the best ways to raise new revenue, including from affluent taxpayers, is by curtailing carveouts in the tax code known as “tax expenditures.” These tax credits, deductions, and exclusions allow taxpayers to reduce their tax liability for engaging in preferred activities. All else being equal, economists generally believe it is better to have a tax with a broader base and a lower rate. Otherwise, high tax rates will induce people to act in ways that reduce their tax burden rather than increase their economic productivity.”

In other words, and it is a long-ish article that I skimmed, they are calling for the 80% of taxes paid by ordinary people to go up which would be more fair than going after the sources of inflationary tactics like alleged price-gouging, focusing specifically on the parts that voters see, meaning groceries. All of which is … debatable but okay. I feel as if someone is feeling threatened and – maybe just maybe – good.

I find myself thinking – not for the first or last time – of actual conversations I’ve actually had with certain entitled people who are going to tell me it isn’t fair that I – the autistic female am going to demand they accommodate me (none of which I even said by the way) but not in any way try to accommodate them. And all I could think – and was glad to find I am not the only one with this experience – I am already accommodating you, literally all that I can do. I literally can’t come any further. You just don’t see it, because you are used to being in this place of comfort where you obviously are. Talking to me isn’t hard for you, like it is for me. First of all.

That’s how I feel about this one, the idea that in order to keep wealthy people (who probably have and can afford really great tax preparers) from not paying any taxes, everyone pays the same amount and (almost) No Deductions for Anyone. If I understand it correctly, and I might not, and either way this leads to the part where, again, I wonder if a hundred years from now we will look back and once we actually have actual hereditary monarchs again (because might as well right? Let’s be honest now.) We will think, you know what?

Democracy was a great idea, in theory, but it was never going to last, because sooner or later, money and inherited wealth and perpetuated classes with the occasional chance for a few commoners to fight their way to the top, yeah so all of that is going to win again.

And then, I think first of all. No. I am not going to just smile and nod at this.

Also, second and perhaps most important: be angry – yes, do – but do not sin. I mean, among other things, do not be stupid. Be more like Martin Luther King Junior, be smart about this, about their claims to find “other ways” to help the least of these if we just give them more time (sure, whatever.) Be less like the rioters who just want to see the world end.

Oh wait, let me rewind. I also sometimes want to see the world set on fire. I think at least Mad Max all leather and people killing people in the streets, at least that would be honest and besides it’s not like the police are showing up for my kind of people and certainly not in a good way even if they did.

I’m thinking of all the reasons to be angry, all the reasons to not trust, all of the complicated situations with two sides to every story. I’m thinking of the person I know who works with people who work on pipelines, who is very pro-democrat but also believes in fracking and assures me it is not that simple and that I might feel the same if I actually talked to some of those guys, and I haven’t because I don’t really need to.

I’m thinking of complex situations in the Middle East.

I’m thinking of the reality that everyone knows politicians lie. I’m also thinking that we pretty much WANT politicians to lie to us or we won’t vote for them, because we simultaneously want many things which are either not possible or sometimes mutually exclusive.

Above all, I’m thinking that we had a mini-insurrection and our entire electoral system and our entire government is being undermined and that these two sides are not equal.

But – that said, I continue to want to be better than that. I don’t think we get anything done by letting ourselves descend to that level. All too often, I think the problem here is that there is something to be said for the “other side” also being out for themselves and only themselves, and the only thing they cannot fathom is being selfless.

I wonder to what extent the wealthiest in our country become that way because that’s their bottom line. Not innovation, not all of those nice-sounding things. No. They are literally in it for the money and the pride of life, and once they get there, we give them all of our vicarious love, because we want it too.

And above all, I keep thinking – yes, be angry. Yes, want to see the world end. By all means. Feel those feelings. And then vote for the side that is going to at least pretend to still believe in our government, and then – oh yes, hold them to this. Let them know that we are not going to forget like it was yesterday’s news reel and we’re already bored and on to the next thing. Force them to keep their campaign promises. Beat the algorithm that’s going to tell each of us what we want to hear by asking better of ourselves and one another.

Because, frankly, if not? And not to be all doom and gloom. But if not? Then, honestly, let us eat and drink then! For tomorrow we die!

Someone needs to say it, so I’m saying it. There are things we can do, things that would actually change the algorithm, change the math. I want to believe better. With all my heart, I want and choose to believe that we could all be us, could have incredible lives but do better by asking more of ourselves, by not allowing the other side to control the narrative while ignoring it or rebelling against it, without taking the time to write our own. Which is hard. And yes, we will, I know that I will continue to get things wrong.

Because – to be clear – that is the sin I see in this situation, and it’s something I can feel people falling into, this despair trap, this cheap insult and entertainment trap, so many traps that are not constructive, that reduce actual lives and concerns into ten-second sound bytes and polarized sides when it is not that simple, not any of it, not really. And I keep wanting to say that as long as we allow this to go on, nothing is ever going to change, not really. And I also keep wanting to say that I continue to believe better of us as people, as a nation, as voters, as public servants and so on. I believe that we are better than this, that we can be better than this.

And I think that’s all I have to say.

Peace,

Me