Tag Archives: America

JustRachel

On monsters, men, and Captain America

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we havent lost our way, we’ve lost our why

“I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies; I don’t care where they’re from,” -Steve Rogers (Captain America)

In 1941, Stan Lee took an image of a stereotypical American, a scrawny kid from Brooklyn, an average-looking red-blooded male who just wanted to serve his country—and gave young boys, a symbol of everything great about America during times of crisis and conflict, everything a soldier and a citizen could be.

if not good, if not empathy, what guides us?

[If there is anything we are truly and woefully lacking in this modern age, it’s a sense of purpose rather than entitlement—I don’t think entitlement does us any good, but I know purpose would]

It’s often easy to forget the lens through which certain stories were crafted, to instead prioritize what we see and have and let ourselves be distracted by the presentation of a hero rather than the purpose and character of them, to swoon and say that’s what a “real man should be” but as much as everyone loves “America’s ass…” personality—we can’t let ourselves forget that Cap wasn’t a hero because of his big muscles. He wasn’t respected because he could pull women or because the bad guys feared him.

No, Captain America wasn’t a hero because he looked like one, or because people said he was one, he was a hero because even when no one was watching, he acted like one.

Captain America wasn’t made to be a monolith. He was made to be a soldier. But he was born to be a kid from Brooklyn (who didn’t like bullies)—and that’s what made him a hero.

this isn’t about a departure from manhood

to some, being a man means not being a woman, but the absence of being one thing is not the act of being another. if being a man is simply not being a woman then what actually is a man? and what actually is a woman? what do either of them have to stand for?

When I was growing up society started having larger discussions about what, “be a man” meant. It was always a statement. Always a negative conversation of ruling out things you weren’t to figure out what you were. And from the outside, at least, it always sounded like something you either then were or you weren’t.

The whole conversation, if you can call it that, left no room for growth, and little room for improvement but it also allowed zero room for the most important question. What is a man?

Of all the things that require someone to tell someone else to be a man, of the things we call people out for being less than “a man” – What is a man?

And, if my interpretation is correct, that sounds like it could have been hard for some people. Confusing even.

Sounds like that yielded a lot more expectation without a real explanation and if that is also true…well, I guess it makes sense how we got here. How we made monsters of men rather than giving them opportunities to be heroes.

living among heroes and men

I grew up with men that I considered heroes. My dad, he wasn’t perfect, but he was my hero. My uncle, he’s has gotten a bit grumblier over the years but he’s a hero to me too, I don’t see that changing. And my brother wouldn’t take the credit but he’s good and he’s noble and I’m proud of who he’s become. (this of course is just to name a few)

None of my heroes look like Chris Evans, but they act like Cap. They lead by example, expect nothing they wouldn’t give, they live with honor, they push forward with love—and I am certain that none of them are fans of bullies.

we all gave up on being heroes, why is that?

There’s a lot of back and forth these days about who we like and who we don’t. About who to blame and who we can’t talk to anymore because of it. But the funny thing to me is that the people we love to hate, the people who don’t think twice about us, who don’t have honor and don’t lead with love are the people, real heroes would feel bad for or maybe even try to help.

The “men” who beg other “men” to think that they are Monoliths rather than being heroes and earning it unrequested. These kinds of “men” believe that the world starts and ends with them. They believe you should sacrifice for them and fight for them, rather than with them and I don’t think that’s what being a man is really about. Not a good one at least, certainly not one I’d be inclined to follow anywhere let alone into battle.

know the difference

America wasn’t always good, but she was greatest when we stood together against oppression, against hatred, against extremists. America was greatest when we decided to use our big stick to fight for the little guy rather than complaining about it coming out of our taxes and watching him get trampled in our wake. America was not always good, but good and great aren’t dependent on single moments but on the promise of better ones tomorrow. And that goal gave us the most potential for greatness that we’ve ever seen—until we lost it.

I hope we find that again one day. I hope we do it right, do it better, do it for everyone next time. But until then, I’m going to encourage men (and women and nonbinary individuals) to decenter those who wish us harm and instead think about the examples that the best among us set.

I encourage you to follow those examples and ignore the rest because right now America doesn’t need any more monsters, or modern “men.” America needs scrawny kids from Brooklyn, she needs heroes—and maybe that’s you.

JustRachel

Adulting, America, and the modern American Hunger Games

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In the last decade I have witnessed the rise of an American President who can be accurately compared to Hitler, seen my country turn toward a reality that is not unlike “a handmaids tale,” and watched as womenhood and manhood are reduced to their biological makeup.

In the last decade, I have seen the near fall of Democracy, the start of the rise of fascism in the U.S., and seen schools turned into war zones where children have essentially become “acceptable losses” to maintain freedoms they are often too young to comprehend.

It’s easy to condemn fictional characters – it’s harder to realize that you’re living their story.

I don’t believe the narrative that humanity is inherently violent. Though, much like saying “boys will be boys,” I think believing violence is biological can be used as a means to excuse the presence of it. I don’t believe the narrative that people are born good or evil, though it is probably easier to separate ourselves from “evil” people when we claim they were born that way. I understand and half believe the narrative that in times long before organized society that this world existed in a state of nature vs man and… I believe that in a world and a reality where we rarely have control of anything that happens around us we can have absolute control of the choices we make and the way we react to situations.

And I believe that none of us are innocent in believing that we have never made the wrong ones.

Welcome to adolescence, your training starts now

Growing up I thought weapons looked a certain way. I’d hear the word and images of sharp objects and combustible materials would immediately come to mind. Then I grew up and I found something else entirely to be true. I grew up and I realized that the things we, as humans, use to harm other humans are not limited to the things we can build, but also to the things we can imagine – because often, the things we can say are much more harmful than anything we can do.

Kids today are at more risk of violence on multiple fronts than I was when I was their age. This doesn’t make them victims or mean we have to hide them away in towers or make laws to limit their access to things – but it does mean we have to play a more active role in discouraging such things.

Keeping someone away from a dark alley and what danger may rest in it doesn’t remove the threat – it just transfers the risk from you to someone else. Keeping people offline or keeping them away from certain ideals may “protect” them (or your beliefs) in the short term but then when they inevitably face that danger (or those “alternative” beliefs) when they are deemed “old enough” – they might not know how to handle it.

Welcome to adulthood – now choose your weapon

As an adult, when I think of weapons, I still think of knives, of guns, of explosives, and of hands with bad intentions. I think of weapons and my mind still fills with images of everything from simple objects to complex tools. But I also think of other ways to be wounded. More ways than I ever thought possible.

For example, I think of how much it hurts when parts of us that get buried with a loved one. I think of how scary it can be when we allow parts of us that exist outside of us in friendships/relationships that could end. As an adult I think of weapons and I think of the infinite ways one person can hurt another – and then I decide I never want to do or use any of those things against someone else.

Every day I actively decide to do my best to support the people I love and to have compassion for the ones I don’t know or the ones who’s choices I may not understand. And right now, for me, that’s what life is about. It’s about making choices to be decent and spread decency because in a world where some chose to give in to their darkest impulses – many more chose light.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

In a world full of darkness I chose to have my weapon be light. It sounds silly, and in this country, it would probably lead many people to laugh – but it’s my choice and I know it will continue to serve me well.

Look, in my very blunt opinion I think most things about growing up suck. I think we live in a world where we are threatened if we are different and we are threatened if we support those who are. I think we are undervalued and underpaid and most of us are tired and frustrated and all of that really does suck.

AND

I believe that in this country many of us want good and I know that none of us chose the “war” we currently exist in – but it’s here and every day we have the choice of how we want to fight it. And lastly, I believe that sometimes, the best way to fight is not at all. By all means, don’t be passive, and for the love of all that’s good don’t stay quiet – but chose light and encourage those around you to do the same.

JustRachel

This is America (Pt 1)

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Hello, and happy July 1, now that LGBTQ Pride month has officially ended I am emerging from my Straight(bernation) —

[straight-bernation: a term meaning to hibernate from straightness as to reflect on ones queerness and embrace their true self. According to American social law, straightbernation only may occur for thirty days in a calendar year during the fruitiest month, June --- this is of course a joke.]

Anyway, yeah I am emerging to talk about and to reflect on the absolute F***ery that the so called leadership in this country has been pushing through lately. So welcome back and buckle in because today is only an introduction on some of the things I would like to touch on in the coming posts.

– BEFORE YOU PROCEED –

TW: If any of the statements, considerations, or opinions below (regarding the completely abhorrent events and individuals currently committing a full-scale assault against our rights, our freedom, and our democracy) offend you – congratulations, you’re human. If anything, that has happened in the last month or in the past 240 years upsets you, good, it should. If you are mad, good you should be because we all should be. —- Lastly, if I make a mistake or misstep at any time in the content below, hold me accountable. Of all our issues in this country freedom is not the most prevalent, accountability is. So, while I hold my truths to be self-evident and reserve the right to speak my truth – I am not above being accountable for my words or actions and would hope that my readers and peers would be conscious of that.

– YOU MAY PROCEED –

Aside – The below text seeks to act as an introduction to deeper conversations that will occur throughout the next few months. Issues may include triggering topics such as racial privilege, violence, abortion, gun control so if you wish not to read on these topics, you might want to find some other place to better avoid reality…

One step forward 50(0000000) years back

Let me begin by saying that my voice is and should well be inconsequential compared to subject matter experts (SME’s). These individuals include, Doctors, Attorneys, Women of Color (especially those who live in red states), etc. When it comes to the overturning of Roe I am affected but my concern for my own body is inconsequential compared to my concern for my fellow citizens with uteruses.

That said… I AM F***ING PISSED

In the short time since the supreme courts documents were leaked I had no doubt in my mind that anyone could stop the absolute f***ery that has since been written into law. And what’s worse, even as a woman, I was just as ignorant to the magnitude and breadth of what american protections existed under Roe and what an abortion procedure covered.

Fact – 1/3 people with uteruses will get an abortion in their lifetime.

Fact – Abortion does not solely effect women, but when it comes to abortion as a procedure – people with uteruses and only people with uteruses should be deciding what protections and procedures should be available for their body and their safety.

Fact – Last night on the news Stacy Abrams brought national attention to a doctoral shortage in the state of Georgia. Now, among what I can only assume are thousands of other issues with this shortage – the most prevalent, as it pertains to this forced carry law is that most counties in the state of Georgia DON’T have access to an OBGYN. Which means – people with uteruses in Georgia are now forced to cary a child with no exceptions and no way to get the proper neonatal care they require to ensure that child is healthy. (it’s also important to note that people of color, as usual, will be disproportionately affected by this).

Fact – the documentation for this country was written such that issues of church and state shall be regarded separately – also FACT – the basis for the decisions currently being written into law are based on the religious perspectives also also FACT – the people who are directly behind overturning a fifty year law that protects the bodily autonomy of all women in this nation, are a.] beyond child bearing age and b.] are in a staggering minority when it comes to popular opinion.

which leads us to the conclusion of this topics introduction and the intro to next week’s intro on violence and the “pro-life” debate.

– NEXT WEEK EXCERPT –

Let them live… unless they are already breathing

So yeah – with Roe overturned and multiple school shootings rounding off the end of the school year it is starting to become extremely more evident that the republican party isn’t as “pro-life” as they would like to believe but since it’s five o’clock somewhere and that somewhere is here, So I’ll leave you readers with this. A great and powerful woman once said this – “fire is catching, and if we burn, you burn too” and frankly, with the state of the world today, I couldn’t agree with her more.

  • J.R