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[[ *"ageism" is just another way to say "ableism" but i don't like this term and I generally avoid using it. It's an ineffective delineation of oppression. I feel it obfuscates the fact that the reason why ageism exists, is ableism. As far as my understanding of ageism goes, anyway. OP specifying older people serves a purpose, and I would have done the same for ease of communication, but this is why I only say "ableism" despite age being mentioned. ]]

I have yet to identify the string of words that convinces people that like. A nation that is good is a nation that cares for its residents. Not just citizens. Not just Good Christians. Not just people with strong bodies and a stronger work ethic. Residents. Like US Americans have been so fucking brainwashed there is this impenetrable wall I can't seem to breach.

I don't know why it seems to be so fucking impossible to understand that like. Yes. Wait times suck when you have public healthcare. But getting a dermatologist appointment in one year is hell of a lot better than not getting one at all! And you're mad you can't afford groceries! Why are you also mad that people are getting help with their groceries? You know how hard it is to get groceries!! They can help you, too, if they wanted! If we made them! Why do you refuse help? Why do you refuse to help yourself? Your neighbors? Your community?

Why does fucking everyone outside of my peer group that I talk to irl seem to think FDR's emergency relief policies were a mistake? Why does nobody have any respect for the citizens work corps? And why are we gutting its child, still keeping young people fed, housed, busy and engaged with their communities, Americorps?

Why does nobody care that their neighbors are starving? Why does nobody care that their neighbors are dying? Trapped in their homes, alone? Why does nobody care about the disability support situation? Why does nobody care that disabled people are considered not even second class citizens, but third? Fourth? Barely human? Vermin? That's your sister! Your grandfather! Your favorite regular who orders sandwiches at your work once a week! That will be you! Statistically speaking, it's GOING to be you!

Why does nobody care their neighbors are being assaulted? deported? How do I undo this damage? How do I fix this? How do I show people that love is reactionary? That love, literacy and hope are the few things that can't be taken from us? How do I make people see that the world can be better? And that it IS BETTER!!!! just not here!!!

I know the answers to a lot of these "why"s are:

"Generations of powerful people eroding public trust and raising new generations to be overworked, underpaid, scared, tired and isolated in order to consolidate and maintain power," and

"we have nurtured this society that reveres the individual," and

"Community support organizations, most notably the Black Panther movement, have been targeted by the united states and labeled as 'terrorist groups' in order to enforce the status quo, discourage racial integration and further sow division," (see point A,) (I feel like nearly every -ism ultimately comes back to racism, and the ferocity of the campaign against and complete annihilation of their legacy is, I think, instrumental to where we are today,) and

"Racism, ableism, are fundamental to United States culture, power structures and history, and are the backbone of essentially every policy passed in this country, or otherwise a dark shadow cast over them, which is a colossal issue to fix, and requires a lot of work, and people are either too comfortable or too worn down* to do anything about it.." (*see first and second point, we should never rely on just ourselves for most things...) (*and also third, since I know this was originally a disability post, but I cannot talk about any axis of oppression in the West without mentioning the racism embedded in Literally Everything, lest my point be disingenuous and incomplete,)

"This nation has gutted the education system so completely for, what I perceive to be, the sole purpose of sabotaging intellectual rigor, respect for and faith in academic institutions, and a kneejerk disdain for people who are more informed, in order to make people easy to lie to, and make it harder for organizers to use research as a tool in public outreach",