crfriend wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 3:04 pm
The above is the stance I held for years. With the current societal mess in what was my country I've abandoned all hope and have gone back into drab mode.
I wouldn't [revert to drab mode]. That's what they want. Resist.
Recall, I started wearing skirts in 2015, at that time, Obama was president, but we were already swinging hard right as a nation, and at the time Virginia was a redish state (and still is), I also spent a great deal of time in Tennessee, whose political allegiance is without question.
In 2016, I had some anonymous [coward] report a photo of me harmlessly wearing a skirt on social media to my employer [at the time] in a bid to get me terminated and basically "cancel" me into obedience.
I resisted. My website was combed over by HR behind my back where something I wrote apparently got them off my back. But my wife will recall I was nevertheless prepared to take my punishment in the chin. I resolved that should I be terminated for this, I would bow out gracefully, often citing the bit of scripture "what shall it profit a man if he gains the world but loses his soul".
My soul is a part of me, and my outward expression in how I clad myself is an expression of my soul. To deny me that is to deny my most basic and fundamental liberties. At the end of the day, if Food City fired me, I would have respected that (I had no choice anyway), but I refused to sell out my soul to the beast. If I had to live on the street, then that's how it would be. Ultimately I did not get fired.
Oddly enough 2016 was the first time my wife and I seriously considered Washington State, but we stayed and fought the good fight, and we won that battle. Ironically it would be a a couple of self professed "Liberals" back east sticking their nose where it didn't belong that would serve as the catalyst for us to pull up anchor and move out west.
But make no mistake, we didn't come here to dodge conservatives, if nothing else, I've learned that the populous is just as right wing here as in Tennessee, and if my encounter last week at the Arlington Walmart is any indication, it looks like they are about to turn up the heat...
To that I say "
BRING IT"! Dealing with prejudice and bigotry is old hat for me. I've fought this fight before and I'll do it again.
They ain't dealing with some Seattle hipster hiding behind a face mask... no, I'm an old hillbilly from the Appalachian mountains, I cut my teeth in greasy spots all over the southeast, I DON'T SUBMIT, I'll cut a motha-f_cka.
They may get me yet, but they'll still be limping back either way. I'll stop being me when they PUT ME IN THE GROUND.
F-ck these people! Next time I'll wear my HOOP!
