Make America Civil Always — It’s better than the alternative

I’m tried, aren’t you? I’m tired of all the fighting, the he said she said, the lies, the fakes and unfettered corruption, the lack of rule of law, the lack of peace and understanding, and above all, the lack of civility. Thus, I have started by own movement even if it’s a movement of one: MACA — Make America Civil Always.

It was not too long ago when America joined a war to fight tyranny, white supremacy and genocide because it believed in doing what’s right — we were a society that lived by a moral code; that stood up for human rights, fairness, justice, and mutual responsibility. This was the time of Roosevelt, where communities and families prospered, not just the 1%.

If you are able to keep up with it, you know that history often repeats itself and I feel we need to not just be watching right now, but careful. It’s important to understand that the same ideology we fought over 80 years is growing here. I’m not being alarmist, I’m just being honest and well-read.

Germany was a democracy after WWI, but it was weak, which is why it was susceptible to Hitler’s rise.

Our U.S. democracy has been weakened ever since 9/11 and we entered a 20 year debacle of a war with Afghanistan. The 2008 economic crisis furthered political and institutional instability. Social media and our 24 hour news cycle allowed for propaganda to flourish. Hitler won his election democratically and then demonized his opposition, sometimes even killing them, and dismantled the government from within with swift reforms and by spreading lies, fear, and misinformation.

So here we are today.

I have long asked myself what can I do? I try and stay positive and only control what is in my orbit. Over a year ago I decided to be celibate in silent protest of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This is not because I believe in abortion or have ever had one, but I believe in a society where women should have the right over their own decisions and futures, especially when we don’t have control when men rape us or when our biology doesn’t always give us a healthy baby.

Thus, MACA is my solution for the here and now. I no longer want to feel or act helpless and turn a blind eye. I also feel strongly about speaking up as a mother and woman.

My dream is to live and raise my daughter in a civil society where we are focused on the love of our families and communities. This means investing (paying taxes) that support public education, roads, schools, the police, firefighters, and other social programs that assist the less fortunate and that make us better as humans. Did you know that if we all paid the taxes we owed in this country (corporations and people) that we could eliminate poverty and much of our debt? I’m guessing it’s not you or I who are able to avoid paying taxes, but the guy with the yacht next door.

I believe that top leaders across all parties have failed us. They have allowed our country to go from one extreme to the other instead of finding consensus and focusing on moderation and stability. But we don’t have to accept it.

Men, I ask you to look to the woman to your right (or left). Do you want them to be with you because they love and respect you or because they fear you or have no other option? What kind of relationship do you want for your daughters? Do you want them to have a partnership where communication and empathy are at the foundation or one where your daughter is made to feel like a second class citizen because society doesn’t want her participating in political life or making business decisions?

MACA stands for a return to civility, which was a big part of our culture just a short time ago. It’s a call to practice tolerance, justice, honesty and integrity even when no one is watching and above all, to hold people accountable who are not acting this way.

I believe we are better than what is happening right now. We were once a nation setting an example of what’s possible when you give people freedom to determine their own destiny and now we are a group of bullies and egos making fun of opposition and yelling other countries that they have no power. I’m pretty sure that’s not what made America great, but I guess history will tell us soon enough.