Every day lately the news is mostly bad.  Really bad. I hear a lot of people saying they just want to get back to normal. 

 

That sounds good – and I understand why we say it.  We want things to return to a state of being we know how to navigate. 

 

But what are the exact features of “normal?”

 

If you pause to really think about it “normal” is pretty crappy for lots of people.

 

“Normal” is made up of current systems of communications and publicity that aren’t designed to protect people living in these United States of America from misinformation about what is best for our health.  

 

“Normal” is a line of obligations and money funneling that builds the wealth of the wealthy and lacks safety nets to protect most of us from risk of eviction in an international crisis. 

 

“Normal” means the vast majority of Americans lose health care when we lose a job.  

 

And it’s very clear that “normal” means we have no shared plan to protect Americans from hunger in the midst of all of this chaos.

 

Normal, as it turns out, was truly pretty crappy for most of us.

 

Right now, things are turned upside down and a great many of our systemic shortcomings are exposed.  We are feeling raw and chaffed and angry and lost.  We are cross with one another. We are frustrated. Yes.  

 

But all of this makes it very clear what is NOT working.  All we have to do is look.

 

We, as the voters of these United States, and our elected officials, have a chance to FIX things and make sure that neither we, nor our children, have to fall so far or feel so afraid the next time something like this happens.  

 

Why would we want to go back to what we had when recent months have shown us so clearly what is wrong and needs to be fixed? 

 

I don’t want to go back to normal.  

 

I want BETTER. I’m willing to listen, learn, vote, and contribute in ways to make us more united – with liberty and justice for all.  

 

How about you?