redefining patriotism, pt. 5

america, the beautiful.

built on the backs of indentured servants & slaves.

the new world! a promised land of hope & dreams.

built on broken promises, stolen from the natives.

you can be anything you want to be, here in this land of opportunity.

i’m sorry to say, but .. our ancestors fucked up.

they traded their freedom for comfort & protection.

everything you learned was a lie — it was all misdirection.

because here, in this great nation, the american dream lives!

& they’ll keep selling you the lie, all the while your neighbors die ..

in a detention center … after being tortured, isolated, & dehumanized.

so pull yourself up by your bootstraps & rake in the wealth of this great land!

ha, that’s rich. monsanto owns the land & the farmers.

meanwhile, poverty rises and the children are starving.

don’t even get me started on the grocery store prices!

you say this nation’s great again? great again when?

show me a nation that feeds its children, that cares about its people,

show me a nation that values human lives over the gov’t & the steeple.

show me a nation of equality, of equity, of equal opportunity,

show me that, & maybe you’ll get through to me, but

i’ve yet to see the greatness of this nation.

america, the beautiful. ha, right.

whatever helps you sleep at night.

trust me.

hey you! yes, you.

fuck uncle sam, it’s me who needs you.

do one thing for me, okay?

write one idea in the comment section:

tell me one idea you have that could make the usa great.

share your dreams with me, with the others in this community.

inspiration starts with you. let’s see what we can do, together.

want more content like this? check out the redefining patriotism series!

& if you’d like your voice to be heard — & possibly be featured in next week’s post, check out the survey on patriotism & national symbolism, which can be found in part two of this series.

hello stardust .𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪𖤐

it's that time again! ⏱︎ time to do another "real talk corner." this is the part of the post where i remind you that i'm human, just like you. & i figure that maybe, through that connection, we can feel a little less alone, & a little more okay being our authentic selves. ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

with that in mind, since the last time i made one of these, my life has faced much upheaval again (big surprise). for starters, i'm no longer living on the farm. it was a great experience, sure, but it was always meant to be temporary. i learned a lot there (like how to butcher a chicken & take it from farm to table!) 

the farm was a great place to rest, reset, & heal from everything that happened in kc. i am grateful for the worldwide organization of farming for offering a way to connect with local farmers. without them, i never would have had that wonderful experience!

sooo, where am i now? i live in a house in the city (back where i started, years ago), surrounded by people again. i traded cornfields, chickens, & a commute ... for a tiny backyard, city noises, neighbors, & convenience. and for now, i'm quite happy where i am.

this year has been challenging. but, oh boy, have i learned A LOT! like, i was overly enthused to start a new business so i jumped right into it without going through the planning stages first (as one does). 

it all fell apart when i fell on the ice and injured myself. i lost my studio, faced the sting of being cyberbullied (internet strangers can be so mean & also have no f*cking idea what they're talking about), and lost a "friend." so, i stepped away for a time: reassessed, reevaluated.. all while being the godt damn brokest i've been in my life.

i didn't know it at the time, but that slowdown was a huge blessing in disguise. because it taught me to slow the fuck down (duh). in my silence, i have been piecing things together, planning, & revamping (again). during that time, i figured out what i want to do next for my business and i have been building in silence. 

did i let a bitch get me down? yes, yes i did. but i always, always, always pick myself back up again. in the words of lizzo, "when i get up out this motherfuckin' shit i'm goin' through right now, bitch ... it's a whole different type of bitch that's comin'." ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)

& oh, man, am i comin' for everything: the whole enchilada, or whatever.


                                                            stay tuned,

                                                                  willow silverayne (they/them)