I need to get this off my chest before I move on.

This is a first post, because I’ve hit a wall and I need to let it be said.

Leave Michelle Obama alone. If we are actually in need of Michelle to save us then we’re doomed. Let her have a life.

Stop looking to figure heads to come rescue you. She can’t do anything to help you. Don’t you get it? What good would it do? What purpose would it serve?

Hasn’t she put in enough time for this?

I’ve been an activist for 20 years. Cold. I’m beat down bad. And it’s because people aren’t doing what needs to be done.

I’ve spent actual decades telling people how to avoid this. Many like me have. People have refused to respond.

People are happy to repost things, make outrage content and fight it out in the comments but when the assignment is “go outside and do the manual labor of organizing” it’s never, even for a moment, been seriously pursued.

It’s embarrassing. I’ve watched organizations pop up and die over and over. I’ve seen some of them even be successful but still whatever solidarity existed dissipates the moment everyone is either bored or doesn’t think it matters anymore. When Twitter underwent its transition to whatever in the fuck X is, there was a major splintering of organizational will and the reason was: it was largely illusory.

It wasn’t a “brick and mortar” movement. It was a largely digital movement. Such things can’t exist anymore. If you want to be successful in this, local - sustained - organizing is necessary.

It’s shut the fuck up Friday everyday. Leave your phone at home and knock on doors.

Corporations aren’t going to help you, your local police aren’t going to have your back, you’ll never be in front of media cameras. You might save your life and the life of your family.

Maybe.

But the clock has been ticking. For a very long time. Put your shoes on, please.