We are at war

There is a war happening. It is World War Three, and hardly anybody has noticed.

Do you remember when we used to say “I hope there isn't a WW3, because we will destroy the planet”? We were right. It is happening. The difference is that this war is not about land, or oil, or even religion. It is a war on equality.

The war is being waged against the growing rights of oppressed people. The elite oppressors, who have enjoyed privilege for centuries, are fighting back, globally, against the slow improvement of equal human rights. At first it was a quiet battle, working insidiously on people's thinking behind the scenes, which is exactly why it worked. Like Hydra infecting society in the Marvel films (sorry, geeking out), the people in power have adjusted the circumstances over decades until we were ready to fall.

First they made us believe the West was on the right side of a battle of good against evil, against certain religions and certain parts of the world. The only evil involved was one they created. Then they rewarded rich people for scamming poor people, made the poor poorer, and took their rights away slowly and quietly. It is still happening, and far more openly now, but we have been oppressed for so long that however obvious it gets, we stand here feeling helpless. They made us frightened. They made us desperate, so that we would vote for our own oppressors and never feel strong enough to stand up to them.

All the support systems are broken. Not because there isn't enough money. Please don't tell me you believe that, because if you are genuinely that gullible, there is no hope. There is a shit ton of money, and it is being held ransom to keep them in power. They were fucking tired of sharing money and power, so they took it back. They have sabotaged the health systems, destroyed the welfare state that supports people who need help, and destabilised mental health support, because they want us depressed and anxious so that we cannot fight this. They have built an education system that actively blocks free thought, creativity and individualism, rewarding unhealthy competition and discouraging collaboration. If we cannot think for ourselves, and do not know how to work with other people, we are slaves and we are trapped.

This was never a war on terror. It is a war against women, against other genders, against LGBTQIA+ people, against every race and religion that is not in power, against neurodivergence, against disability, against children, and most plainly of all, against poor people everywhere. It is a war on equality and a war on unity, and it is killing millions of people and wrecking the planet while we sit here helpless and hopeless.

This is not a war that can be won with fighting, guns, bombs and the separation of people. It cannot be won by believing that anyone other than the people in power, whether that power is political or financial, is responsible. They are wilfully responsible. It can only be won through unity, community, collaboration, empathy for other people's experience, compassion for other humans and for the planet — and by pushing, standing, screaming, voting, protesting and educating ourselves and everyone else towards greater human equality.

Please also watch this video of Sheila Hancock on the need to come together.