BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
2017 was a dumpster fire unless of course you’re Taylor Swift, who, in a completely tone deaf social media post, was sure to thank her fans for making it such a great year. Sitting down to write this piece was not an easy task. Maybe you’re already tired of hearing how 2017 did us wrong. And yes, indeed it did, but this is not a sad, let’s wallow in our sorrow piece. How does one summarize their closing thoughts about 2017 without a little bitterness? Okay, a lot of bitterness.
Last year was a rough year for a lot of different reasons. Our country has been divided more than ever over the rights of minorities, women, and the LGBTQ communities. Our government is corrupt, corporations have too much power, the environment needs our support more than ever, mass shootings have become daily life and foreign policy has turned into a game of missile command with the ultimate stakes. We have to ask ourselves, at what point did we as a nation become divided on issues like equal rights, taking care of nature and having a government that at least kinda works. But I digress, this is an extremely large subject to tackle in two small pages. So, let’s reflect on 2017 as a year filled with necessary growing pains that helped us to redefine ourselves and our culture in a more positive way. And hopefully this leads towards a more connected and thoughtful pursuit of the future for everyone.
At the Heart of It All
In the past, for the most part, we have felt unified as a nation and a people. Despite our differences, there was always the comfort in believing that everyone had a generally collective goal in mind. We were a country where people tried to treat each other fairly and with respect while they fought to achieve the American Dream in the land of opportunity. Likewise, we were a country that had a government that was “for the people by the people.” If one party took control it was considered healthy for the pendulum to swing and basically auto-correct the eccentricities of the other party.
Well, if we proved anything in 2017, it was how our self perception was horribly wrong. When we were looking into the mirror we were lying to ourselves. There is now a tractor beam of light shining on our backwards and deep seeded flaws. Racism, Sexism and a lack of critical thinking when it comes to the welfare of our land and its inhabitants. no longer live in the dark corners, but are thriving, out front for everyone to see.
Also, our government is completely dysfunctional. Let’s use net neutrality as an example here. 85% of Americans were against this, yet it passed. Clearly, our government is working for corporations and turning a deaf ear to the popular vote. Seems like a bit of a trend. Our government has no accountability to the people and the idea of the pendulum is a farce. If the pendulum swings away from general progress and the best interest of people then how is it a tool used for checks and balances? So we come to the harsh reality that our ideals were built on a foundation that has rotted at the core.
Finally, we have a new dystopian problem of living in a culture that is oversaturated with disinformation. Who would have guessed that the evolution of technology would have splintered our core beliefs into a thousand factions, while destroying the idea of what is true.
Where Do We Go from Here?
Not all is lost. 2017 proved to be a defining moment for so many movements that will hopefully act as a foreshadowing of what’s to come. Women are empowered and raising their voices. A transgender woman was elected to the Virginia State Legislature. Black voters shut down Roy Moore. Voters, in general, are motivated and gaining momentum to send a direct message to Washington to start working in our best interest. Also, we are starting to figure out how to sort out the disinformation and hopefully some piece of the truth will show itself from beneath the rubble. These are all MLK moments that give us a glimmer of hope.
It is apparent now more than ever that from our fears, we have built movements, alliances and strong networks. We are a force. Our mission is to heal and repair, so that at the end of the day we can rest knowing our children have a chance for a better life. Having this very conversation is the best place to begin. So thank you for listening.
With that said, 2018 will be the year that the deafening silence is shattered. And believe me, this is a wonderful thing. We are excited about the new year, because last year gave us the strength, the voice and the power to get organized.
“Our mission is to plant ourselves at the gates of Hope….a different, sometimes lonely place, the place of truth-telling, about your own soul first of all and its condition, the place of resistance and defiance, the piece of ground from which you see the world both as it is and as it could be, as it will be; the place from which you glimpse not only struggle, but joy in the struggle.”
– Victoria Stafford.