Ornella Matta-Figueroa

So many kids need school services

What does that mean for our students?
Paired with lack of staff and budgets?

The office of civil rights in the department of education = gutted

The office of special education in the department of education = gutted

Our local news weather person can’t give us accurate weather info because of funding cuts to NOAA

There must be a way to do this better cause really what is most despicable that war between neighbors?

I’m trying to balance out the rage I feel at the people who elected him-

With some compassion and a deep desire to full stop the pattern of oppression leads to violence leads to revenge leads to oppression leads to violence leads to revenge…

Anyone knows if T started disappearing American citizens? For opposing him? Or for using their first amendment rights?

I was wondering about disappearances and answered my own question with all of the Americans detained by ICE.

I don’t want to do it the same way it always happens.

Don’t we know better? Isn’t there something we can do to shift the same old pattern of oppression leading to violence leading to revenge leading to oppression leading to violence leading to revenge?

Right now the hardest work I feel in my own body is regulating the feelings of rage against those who elected him. I know the rage is natural and also- how do we stop the cycle of war and violence and revenge.

I keep joking that T is really the most boring because he is so textbook dictator.

Someone behind the paywall! Please give us highlights! I want to know what it says and I can’t afford another subscription! Thank you!!! 🙏🏾

In fact it will make things worse.

And we need to confront ourselves and one another cause if we don’t it’s just going to get worse. Hiding from our own power and entitlement issues is not going to help anything.

And it’s so frustrating to witness.

AND I see my town as showing up for this work imperfectly. And working to nourish one another. And I too will show up imperfectly to do what I can.

Today I saw a hot mess of “democracy” in action. And I understand even better why our broader democracy is failing after being in the hands of the “good guys” for as long as it has.

Power shuts people down at 1 min- of two minutes- while letting other people talk for as long as they want.
Power misses the mark of oppression especially when it believes themselves to be the “good guys”

Power puts the burden of responsibility to be heard on those who are most marginalized (wait didn’t you see that a meeting was posted on the town website? Or you don’t get to weigh in if you don’t show up. Or deactivates comments on select board meetings or limits the time for public comment)

Power forgets that dialogue and conflict are healthy and that discussion will bring more creativity. Power thinks it has all of the answers.

Power is so sure it’s right. Power knows it has the “right” story.

Power is certain that they have the right way forward.

Power forgets- they have money to show up in person when others have to work-they also don’t fight to ensure representation.

And what I see is that the individuals participating in the processes won’t self examine re: power. Terrorism of all kinds exists as a response to oppression.

Because good intentions do not matter. Yup everyone is doing the best that they can. AND people are feeling disenfranchised.

The whole system is really falling short even though it’s trying so hard.

And everyone is upset this is happening and they can’t see themselves in the mirror as the ones causing it.

No one sees themselves as worthy of being on the receiving end of that terrorism.

Yet they are.

No wonder signs get vandalized. And people join secret groups to sue and send letters. And there is no transparency. Emergency meetings get called for things that aren’t emergencies to restrict and limit input and participation. And “civic process” happens behind closed doors.

What I witnessed today in my town is really the birthplace of terrorism. (In the ways in which Arnold Mindell describes terrorism in Sitting in the Fire)

-I witnessed them take so many things personally which cues for me of a lack of emotional maturity to lead and hold a process without reacting and moving into a defensive power position.

-i saw them actively organize to block new people from contributing and participating in process (you are allowed to only where they tell you, in the way that they want it or be quiet)

-i saw them be completely unaware of their gate keeping (but wait we want new people but only here not there and the right kind of new people)

Some reasons for this:
- I witnessed righteous shutting down and cutting off opposition (instead of calling in a dialogue)
-actions to protect an imaginary civility or status quo (without acknowledging that this civility was not benefiting many in our communities to begin with)