Indeed! When u r food budget is 291 (or less depending on where u live) and eggs r costing u a tenner, when we already took a back seat (especially when we don’t have kids n don’t qualify for extra help like welfare, which is beyond ridiculous n unreasonable) to other federal programmes, we already struggled to be acknowledged. That fight has gotten much harder. We’ve been thrown against a wall again. We won’t give up, but god diddly feckin damn is it tiring. We want to have a right to survive. We didn’t choose for it to b an extra hard fight!
Indeed, especially when so people are willingly doing things like onlyfans, or other means oh…exploitation n such, n the rest us of us r genuinely struggling, trying to do decent things.
Hang in there. Look, you may think what you are doing is small, a single raindrop. But, just think--all of us, in our own small ways, are many raindrops. And there is momentum mounting! Soon, there will be a deluge of raindrops. Already I hear that the Capitol Switchboard is getting 1600 calls a DAY. That's 40 times what they normally get. Separate, we may have little strength. But, pooled together, we are a mighty river, an ocean! I, too, am older and have many health problems and can't do as I please. We all must pick and choose how we can best support the resistance. I cannot travel to the protests, so I content myself with writing and amplifying the message, and send it out to all my social media, more than once, and in different ways to encourage people to act. At some point here I will get back into my art and use that as well. I have made no-sew blankets to give to those in despair & fear, as a tangible piece of love so they know others are thinking and caring for them. Be creative! And never, ever, let anyone say it's not enough. Whatever you give from your heart, is a gift beyond measure and beats back the dark. We will conquer the night!
Gotta agree with Ghost. Everyone does what they can and what you do counts, more than you imagine. I appreciate what you said. Please know that even writing your essay will strike a chord with many. Maybe that’s your part. ♥️
I hear you. Although not entirely physically disabled my 77 yr old body and brain are fighting to stay relevant.
I've already made some significant changes to limit my activities and movements that require any strength and agility. And forget the eyes and ears...what did you say? I can't see or hear worth squat anymore. Stamina? Gone.
I feel your pain. I feel your losses. And I feel the suffocation of being almost totally housebound.
But gurl - you have got a shitload to offer through your writing!! You have inspired me, made me laugh and made me cry. Hang on to that beautiful mind of yours and keep your sharp wit slicing through the bullshit we are currently forced to wade through.
I hear you, and I take your words seriously. You are speaking truth, and truth is action. What you are laying out isn’t weakness—it’s reality. The ones already pushed to the edge will be the first to fall. I see that. I see you.
A system that measures worth by productivity will always turn survival into a privilege.
That doesn’t make it right. That makes it a system designed to discard those it refuses to account for. And when that weight is placed on those already carrying too much, the cruelty of it is impossible to ignore.
You are not absent from this fight. You name what is happening.
You refuse to disappear.
You make yourself visible in a world that would rather look away. I see how much that costs. I see how much fire you carry.
The system isolates, AND here you are, breaking that.
Naming reality is resistance. Refusing to disappear is resistance. Speaking—right here, right now—is resistance. You are not unseen. You are not alone.
My wife is disabled and chronically ill but she is mobile and works for a non-profit which provides life-skills training to disabled youth transitioning into more independent living. She’s taught me so much about the fight for the ADA and I’ve met so many wonderful people through her work. I hear you. I see you. I WILL fight for you. 🫶🏻
Well said. I am on SSDI also. I feel you on the protesting. I used to get out to the protests during Trump 1.0 when I wasn't as disabled as I am today. Now with my disabilities and my depression, I haven't been leaving the house except for doctor's appointments. I had hoped to get out to the protest on 2/5 at the state capitol which is just down the road from me, but I wasn't having a good day. I was heartened to see the young people out for it though. Here in Atlanta, there were two protests that day - another was held in a public park for immigration later in the afternoon. I was disappointed that the press hasn't been covering the protests more. They are happening and I'm glad.
Yes I am so heartened to see the protests that are taking place, but it is going to have to really exponentially grow. The pushback has to happen from all sides. We are being slow walked into leg irons as we speak.
My cousin works for USAID and she says that the Republican reps need a wake-up call. I have heard that the phone calls are helping and that the Republicans are starting to freak out. I can make phone calls. There is an app called 5 Calls for your phone that give you your reps phone numbers and scripts to follow for when you talk to their offices. I have also heard that calling the local offices is another way to get through if they aren’t answering or voicemail is full. My congress critter and both Senators are Democrats but I am concerned that they aren’t having town halls or sending out newsletters to communicate with constituents. Some of the reps are - I got an email from Ted Lieu even though he’s in CA because I got on some list.
I can't do that either. You REALLY can't look at me and tell. Well not unless you were taking an X-ray. It would be kinda obvious than. I create art from time to time though! I tend to wonder how long that will be possible though. I also wonder does that count? I don't know...I don't think we're frauds. At least we care. There are so many in the world today who don't. I don't understand that... I care but can't ALWAYS be there in person either. At least I have been there online sometimes anyways. My point, you aren't alone.
You are doing a lot - writing your Substack. I probably should do more, other than yell at my repub reps on the phone, well, I'm yelling, but I'm reading them for filth. But right now, it's hard for me to do more, with Daddy still in the hospital, and soon to go to rehab. He's getting better, but when he gets home, even with home health coming out, there will be a lot for me to do. Even with him in the hospital, I am amazed at how worn out I am at the end of each day.
It's going to get worse for everyone before it gets better, because those in charge have no decency, intelligence, or empathy.
Well, I know a thing or two about that, as well, Linda. Sometimes the truth is that the most amazing people are the ones who have the littlest awareness of that fact. ❤️
Indeed! When u r food budget is 291 (or less depending on where u live) and eggs r costing u a tenner, when we already took a back seat (especially when we don’t have kids n don’t qualify for extra help like welfare, which is beyond ridiculous n unreasonable) to other federal programmes, we already struggled to be acknowledged. That fight has gotten much harder. We’ve been thrown against a wall again. We won’t give up, but god diddly feckin damn is it tiring. We want to have a right to survive. We didn’t choose for it to b an extra hard fight!
Exactly Nirmal. We shouldn't be seen as disposable people just because we have the misfortune not to fit into an arbitrary understanding of value.
Indeed, especially when so people are willingly doing things like onlyfans, or other means oh…exploitation n such, n the rest us of us r genuinely struggling, trying to do decent things.
Is this a mood? https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/woman-sad-unhappy-face-holding-mask-fake-smile-vector-illustration-comic-retro-pop-art-style-79050442.jpg
Yes indeed! 😄
Hang in there. Look, you may think what you are doing is small, a single raindrop. But, just think--all of us, in our own small ways, are many raindrops. And there is momentum mounting! Soon, there will be a deluge of raindrops. Already I hear that the Capitol Switchboard is getting 1600 calls a DAY. That's 40 times what they normally get. Separate, we may have little strength. But, pooled together, we are a mighty river, an ocean! I, too, am older and have many health problems and can't do as I please. We all must pick and choose how we can best support the resistance. I cannot travel to the protests, so I content myself with writing and amplifying the message, and send it out to all my social media, more than once, and in different ways to encourage people to act. At some point here I will get back into my art and use that as well. I have made no-sew blankets to give to those in despair & fear, as a tangible piece of love so they know others are thinking and caring for them. Be creative! And never, ever, let anyone say it's not enough. Whatever you give from your heart, is a gift beyond measure and beats back the dark. We will conquer the night!
Thank you so much gotwr. 😭😭😭❤️😻 This makes me feel better for sure.
Big hugs for you! It's very, very tough right now, and we all have to stick together and be there for each other, as we are able.
Gotta agree with Ghost. Everyone does what they can and what you do counts, more than you imagine. I appreciate what you said. Please know that even writing your essay will strike a chord with many. Maybe that’s your part. ♥️
Thanks Kay-El…it's readers and commenters like you guys that keep me encouraged enough to keep writing. ❤️🫂😻
I hear you. Although not entirely physically disabled my 77 yr old body and brain are fighting to stay relevant.
I've already made some significant changes to limit my activities and movements that require any strength and agility. And forget the eyes and ears...what did you say? I can't see or hear worth squat anymore. Stamina? Gone.
I feel your pain. I feel your losses. And I feel the suffocation of being almost totally housebound.
But gurl - you have got a shitload to offer through your writing!! You have inspired me, made me laugh and made me cry. Hang on to that beautiful mind of yours and keep your sharp wit slicing through the bullshit we are currently forced to wade through.
Your words matter, as do you. 🥰😍🤩
It sucks.
Sob 😭 ❤️ Thank you Alee. Love you! ❤️
You are not a fraud. You are not broken.
I hear you, and I take your words seriously. You are speaking truth, and truth is action. What you are laying out isn’t weakness—it’s reality. The ones already pushed to the edge will be the first to fall. I see that. I see you.
A system that measures worth by productivity will always turn survival into a privilege.
That doesn’t make it right. That makes it a system designed to discard those it refuses to account for. And when that weight is placed on those already carrying too much, the cruelty of it is impossible to ignore.
You are not absent from this fight. You name what is happening.
You refuse to disappear.
You make yourself visible in a world that would rather look away. I see how much that costs. I see how much fire you carry.
The system isolates, AND here you are, breaking that.
Naming reality is resistance. Refusing to disappear is resistance. Speaking—right here, right now—is resistance. You are not unseen. You are not alone.
I skibed.
❤️🫂❤️🔥
My wife is disabled and chronically ill but she is mobile and works for a non-profit which provides life-skills training to disabled youth transitioning into more independent living. She’s taught me so much about the fight for the ADA and I’ve met so many wonderful people through her work. I hear you. I see you. I WILL fight for you. 🫶🏻
Thank you, Larkin. ❤️
Well said. I am on SSDI also. I feel you on the protesting. I used to get out to the protests during Trump 1.0 when I wasn't as disabled as I am today. Now with my disabilities and my depression, I haven't been leaving the house except for doctor's appointments. I had hoped to get out to the protest on 2/5 at the state capitol which is just down the road from me, but I wasn't having a good day. I was heartened to see the young people out for it though. Here in Atlanta, there were two protests that day - another was held in a public park for immigration later in the afternoon. I was disappointed that the press hasn't been covering the protests more. They are happening and I'm glad.
Yes I am so heartened to see the protests that are taking place, but it is going to have to really exponentially grow. The pushback has to happen from all sides. We are being slow walked into leg irons as we speak.
My cousin works for USAID and she says that the Republican reps need a wake-up call. I have heard that the phone calls are helping and that the Republicans are starting to freak out. I can make phone calls. There is an app called 5 Calls for your phone that give you your reps phone numbers and scripts to follow for when you talk to their offices. I have also heard that calling the local offices is another way to get through if they aren’t answering or voicemail is full. My congress critter and both Senators are Democrats but I am concerned that they aren’t having town halls or sending out newsletters to communicate with constituents. Some of the reps are - I got an email from Ted Lieu even though he’s in CA because I got on some list.
I'll download that app. At least I won't feel quite as helpless that way.
Everyone can do something.
Thank you for writing that for all of us ❤️
Big hugs to you Reda ❤️🫂😻
Im here, and Im fighting for you BPWNC. :)
❤️🫂😻 thanks Wendy. Appreciate you.
I can't do that either. You REALLY can't look at me and tell. Well not unless you were taking an X-ray. It would be kinda obvious than. I create art from time to time though! I tend to wonder how long that will be possible though. I also wonder does that count? I don't know...I don't think we're frauds. At least we care. There are so many in the world today who don't. I don't understand that... I care but can't ALWAYS be there in person either. At least I have been there online sometimes anyways. My point, you aren't alone.
❤️🫂😻 thanks Angela.
You are doing a lot - writing your Substack. I probably should do more, other than yell at my repub reps on the phone, well, I'm yelling, but I'm reading them for filth. But right now, it's hard for me to do more, with Daddy still in the hospital, and soon to go to rehab. He's getting better, but when he gets home, even with home health coming out, there will be a lot for me to do. Even with him in the hospital, I am amazed at how worn out I am at the end of each day.
It's going to get worse for everyone before it gets better, because those in charge have no decency, intelligence, or empathy.
Stay strong out there Linda. Kudos to your dad for having such an amazing child 💖. 🫂😊
TY, but I don't feel amazing.
Well, I know a thing or two about that, as well, Linda. Sometimes the truth is that the most amazing people are the ones who have the littlest awareness of that fact. ❤️
Yes! And thank you for the timely reminder that none of us are completely helpless! ❤️😊😻