Polls are predicting a Conservative majority by 68 seats.
This is a reason to panic.
We have 14 days till election day, and till my 22nd birthday. Please research the options you have in your constituency, think about how you would vote ideally and realistically.
Take a look at tactical options, manifestos and TV debates.
Apathy is a choice.
https://tacticalvote.co.uk/
I am always engaged in current affairs, I tell myself I am going to give myself a break and this means not reading more than the first few lines of an article or only spending 15 minutes on Twitter (time out apps are keeping me sane). But never do I delete the BBC News app or not think about what is going on in the world.
This leads to political anxiety.
I appreciate this may sound like I am a 'snowflake', 'weak liberal' or some other patronising term that is associated with young people having too many feelings. But if it is then I will wear that badge with pride. And if you can turn away from horror, chaos and stupidity on a daily basis then 99% of the time I don't envy you.
I have always been a deeply empathetic person and cared about both those I know well and those I will never meet.
A few years ago I came across the sentiment that to be apathetic was an immense privilege, to say 'I don't do politics', to say that 'you don't understand and therefore aren't that bothered', or to generalise and say 'oh they are all as bad as each other'. From that moment on wards I became deeply uncomfortable with the idea that I could turn away from those in power and simply continue leading my life day to day.
Even writing this now, I feel angry. I feel guilty. I feel determined.
I have a ridiculous amount of privilege.
I am white.
I am well educated.
I have a nuclear family.
I haven't had to worry about finances in any serious way.
I have a home with my own room and have done almost all my life.
I am academic.
I am fit in a hetronormative society.
I am cis gendered.
My disability is invisible (this can work both ways, but mostly works in my favour).
I am rarely in the minority.
I live in a democracy.
I have the right to vote.
I have access to free press.
I have access to the rule of law.
I have travelled.
I could go on.
I am angry that these states of being have come to me out of a unjust lottery system.
I am not responsible for obtaining these privileges, I am incredibly fortunate.
The only way to respond to these ridiculous odds it to use my privilege to help others.
A fundamental part of this is to acknowledge my privilege and then to go out of my way to learn/ listen and lift up those who are systemically discriminated against. To get out of the way and make space. To be prepared to get it wrong and be corrected.
One of the ways I can do this is to engage in diverse, detailed and depressing news.
This comes at a cost. I could turn away and pretend that there isn't a world outside my day to day experience and I could congratulate myself on everything I achieve due to 'hard work' alone.
But if I seriously believe that every human being is worthy of dignity and respect, that human rights are inalienable and universal, then the responsibility to act lies with me.
This is all me laying the ground to ask you to turn towards injustice, deep frustration and darkness.
You don't have to care about all the things I do, study what I do or read the books I do.
You don't have to join my political party or pressure groups of choice.
But I implore you not to turn away from politics in every sense of the word.
If you believe that politics doesn't affect you - then you are mistaken.
If you believe that your life will be better if you don't trouble yourself with the local/ national/ international suffering then you have to be comfortable with complicity. And you better hope that the tide never turns in your direction and you need the Human Rights Act as more than a theoretical concept.
I am not perfect at any of this.
I am flawed, inconsistent and selfish.
I can forget the privilege I have.
So this semi speech, doesn't come from a sense of superiority but from a deep longing to see everyone, especially young people, engage on a daily basis with the power structures at work in society.
I write this now because I am especially stressed about the way politics is playing out in the UK at the moment and for the international ramifications of this.
I have been very stressed this week and found myself obsessing over political commentary, refreshing sites and riding a unhealthy emotional roller coaster.
There have been times when I've wanted to give up and retreat into apathy.
But I can't help myself, I care.
This summer I have joined Liberty, so as to financially support efforts to safeguard human rights in the UK. I became scared about the rhetoric I was hearing and felt compelled to respond. I am a member of Amnesty International and I support Unicef monthly. I have taken on a voluntary role at LDHQ as a copywriter a couple of months ago so as to support in the General Election efforts from the comfort of a bed and blanket. I can't do everything but I can always chose to do something.
I can give money, I can give time and I can give my voice.
This blog post may come across as a desperate plea, and it is.
What are you concerned about?
What are you passionate about?
What would you like to see change?
What privilege do you have?
What are you doing to support those society shuns?
Who are you listening to?
Who are you encouraging?
Who are you lobbying?
There are many states of emergency that you can step into and add your resources to.
The climate emergency, the arms trade, working poverty, homelessness, mental health waiting times, gender inequality, FGM, forced marriages, structural racism, violence against women, LGBTQ+ rights, disability awareness, electoral law, international aid... take your pick.
To be an activist isn't easy and nor should it be, so much is at stake.
Here are some empowering/ educational things I turn to, several of these I've mentioned before but are worth repeating (the ones in bold are the ones that if you see nothing else I would recommenced you look at these!:
Spoken Word Poetry
Adrenaline Rush by Rudy Francisco: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh09jZ49N9g
Explaining Depression to a Refugee by Muna Abdulhai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAE1Cf6YupU
I'm a quite average time traveller: by Harry and Chris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2DDSDfc-I&list=PLYc-59kUHA_iTRg88ucSDtxkFVfwlvEvx&index=3
Is it even worth it? Justice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpl84D-uNmY
When the Bough Breaks by Andrea Gibson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTLQyix5a4
Books
Injustice by Clive Stafford Smith: https://www.waterstones.com/book/injustice/clive-stafford-smith/9780099572190
Undivided by Vicky Beeching:https://www.waterstones.com/book/undivided/vicky-beeching/9780008182168
Why I am no longer talking to white people about race:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longer-Talking-White-People-About/dp/140887055X
The Declaration of the Rights of Women by Olympe De Gouges: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-declaration-of-the-rights-of-women/olympe-de-gouges/9781781575673
Equal Power by Jo Swinson: https://www.waterstones.com/book/equal-power/jo-swinson/9781786491893
Doing Good Better by William Macaskill: https://www.waterstones.com/book/doing-good-better/william-macaskill/9781783350513
On Liberty by Shami Chakrabtti:https://www.waterstones.com/book/on-liberty/shami-chakrabarti/9780141976310
Who Rules the World? by Noam Chomsky:https://www.waterstones.com/book/who-rules-the-world/noam-chomsky/9780241189450
Songs
Older by Ben Platt:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_sADbvPmzE
World Changers by Mathew West: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ2-OcyDu6I
I'm Still Standing by Elton John:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLssu1hh_II
Non Stop - Hamilton:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPgE7PNzXag
Defying Gravity - Wicked:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXzFOHrycHg
Say Something I'm giving up on you by Stellenbosch University Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdnPAIFn32A
Baba Yetu by Stellenbosch University Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCa8RxaOPW8
I hope you find these as powerful as I do.
Prayer Requests
- Just one this week, for everyone with privilege to engage in learning and listening and acting to readdress the balance in the world. And for everyone with vulnerability be blessed with hope and strength to keep on fighting the good fight.
Thank you for reading my thirtieth blog post - hope you have a world changing week!
