I’ve been watching clips of Haley Stevens all day; You know, the white woman from Michigan, a Zionist-Democrat who decided to endorse a Republican candidate over her party nominee, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed? That one.
There is nothing new about this. White women’s fragility, failure of the democrats, Islamophobia, and isms of many kinds- this is the America some of us live every day. And yet, I can’t stop obsessing over it.
Abdul is mean (to me), and so I am going to endorse his opponent. This is what Haley seems to be saying in these interviews.
Sounds obviously ridiculous when it comes from an unlikable person such as Stevens. And how many times have I had a similar conversation with my loved ones this summer?
The left is so mean, and so I don’t want to be part of it anymore.
Okay, it's not the same. But this idea of giving up on a movement for collective good because of one’s personal experiences of unkindness feels like another example of the United States’ strongest culture: hyper-individualization.
The left can be mean. I’ve been in the movement for over a decade. Professionally and personally, I've spent most of my adult life in these spaces. I have stories and a lot of hurt feelings. But none of them matter more than my belief that we need this work, rooted in our shared love for the planet and (all) people. So I still show up, flawed myself, in an ecosystem that is also flawed.
What has helped is reminding myself that I didn't choose this work or ideology to find friends, personal healing, validation, or social circles - all of these have happened, organically, and thank Gods for that. I chose and continue to choose the movement because I truly believe that it is our way and wisdom to collective liberation.
I want us to be kinder. Niceness is not something I value. I want us not to be carceral while also not watering down our truths to accommodate our individual fragilities. I want us to be safer and braver.
That quote by James Baldwin: “If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” I want us to love each other in that way. I want us to win.
I don’t care about Haley Stevens. But it’s not every day that a white woman like her has me reflecting on my insecurities and recommitting to us on a Monday night.
Happy voting tomorrow!