11:eleven Photography

Use it or lose it Grandpa always said.

First off, let me say that I am not a historian, I am not an expert of  any subject of any kind. I am just a guy who is alive right now during these strange times in America, making observations. Watching. Learning as we navigate this thing together. I wouldn’t classify this as photjournalism, as I clearly am biased against our current form of government. And probably its last 7 forms. There’s always plenty to be mad about when you look at government.

I will say this, to quote Donald Trump, there are fine people on both sides. And it is true, I’ve met them. Some of them are my family. Some are very close friends. And if you want, you can be angry with them but that won’t fix anything. And if we’re being honest, it wouldn’t have mattered which way they voted because the game was rigged. Ultimately, they voted based on what they believed which which is now the throne of lies their king sits upon.

It’s all very troubling,  deeply concerning, and cause for alarm. It’s also a call to action. But our fight isn’t with them, the ones who voted for this. I believe that they made the best decision they could, and they did what they thought was best for our country. Our fight is with those who sold the lies and are using their positions of power to strip the people of their rights and line their own pockets with gold at the expense of the people.

Beliefe can be a crazy thing it can make you blind to the truth, ignoring facts as lies. And no amount of people telling you anything different can sway your beliefs. And it’s that same strength in beliefs that can give one the courage to stand up and fight against the wrongdoing and those committing offenses against our people. And it is in that spirit that those who believe in stopping the oligarchs, stopping the coronation of the king, have a civic duty to stand up for, not against those who believe the king is acting in their favor.

Yesterday was Presidents Day. I was able to attend the 50501movement protest in Sacramento for what was called “No Kings Day”. This was my first time attending a proper protest at my states capitol, and I can say it will not be my last. It was impressive to stand in the middle of that crowd, hearing the chants, reading the signs, and standing together with those who are willing to stand up against the current administration. Something I can say about yesterdays experience is that I noticed everyone I came in contact with was calm, respectful of each other, and while they were expressing their distaste for the current administration it was being done without villianizing their friends, neighbors, and family who voted for this. I think it’s important to stay on target with the message, clearly identifying the targets without increasing the division the administration so clearly needs.

There has been a multifaceted attack on our nation from within our own government. Some would say it’s the Republicans to blame, and some would counter they are just cleaning up the mess the Democrats have made. In my opinion, both political parties are to blame for the current situation we face, and we cannot truly expect any support from our elected officials. While there may be a handful that share our beliefs, and they will offer their voice in support, I do not see them committing recources. We have entered into a us vs. them reality. The “us” is the divided people of America. The “them” is our government officials that were elected to represent us (and their appointed goons).  They keep us divided because we are easier to control that way. We litterly stand in our own way.

As I explained earlier, I am no expert, these are just my own personal opinions. And as they say, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. Please enjoy the photos from yesterdays peaceful protest, feel free to comment with your thoughts and opinions. I am open to discussions and seeing things from your perspective.

I will say this. I am not religious, but I do support freedom of religion. Just be sure to keep your God out of our government. I support the right to bear arms but also support gun control. There is no reason kids should have access to the firepower to shoot up schools. I am pro-choice. I believe in unwavering equal basic human rights for all, including immigrants, LGBQT+, unhoused, etc. I believe in the abolishment of for-profit prisons. And I believe ice cream should be free. I believe democracy as we’ve known it is dead. I believe it is time to wipe the slate clean and found a new form of government of the people, by the people, for the people. But I also know that I could be wrong. Time will tell.