Going my own way

  Why I Was Tempted by the Right—and Why I Couldn’t Stay I’ve spent the last few years feeling politically homeless. At one point, I found myself drifting toward the conservative side of things—tempted even by the MAGA crowd. And no, it wasn’t because I hate people of color, women, immigrants, or LGBTQ+ folks. Quite the opposite. I was drawn to it because I was angry. Frustrated. Exhausted by the way certain voices on the left seemed to paint people like me—white, male, struggling—as the villains in every story. This is me being honest about why I leaned right, and why I ultimately had to walk away. Why I Drifted Right (At First) 1. I was tired of being blamed for things I didn’t do. I’ve never owned slaves. Never supported segregation. Never threw anyone off their land or into an internment camp. And yet, I kept seeing this narrative—especially online—that white people are inherently bad or guilty just for being white. I believe in learning from history so we don’t repeat ...

  When “Not Severe Enough” Means No Help: The Cruelty of Our Healthcare System I was driving for Uber one day, giving a ride to a woman who needed help as she was in a lot of pain and misery, going from one motel to another, trying to get home and everything. Somewhere between the traffic lights, she started telling me her story as she cried her heart out. She told me about the people she’s lost, friends, family members, people she cared about deeply. About her own health struggles and the endless search for help that never came. About sitting in waiting rooms, calling doctors, begging for treatment, only to be told again and again that her condition wasn’t severe enough . That phrase— not severe enough —still haunts me. Because it means denied care , it means ignored pain , it means forgotten humanity . This isn’t just one person’s story. It’s the story of millions. Of people living with chronic illness, disabilities, mental health struggles, and daily pain that doesn’t fit...

  “Abolish ICE”: When the Message Was Hot, But the Strategy Was Frozen Another day, another slogan that makes a good idea sound like a threat. And today’s icy disaster is brought to you by: ABOLISH ICE. Yes. Abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement —the agency formed in 2003 as part of the post-9/11 security frenzy and which somehow evolved into a turbo-charged deportation machine with the subtlety of a wrecking ball and the compassion of a DMV possessed by a ghost from Schindler’s List . Was it absolutely necessary to call attention to ICE's abuses? Yes. Did we need to push back against family separation, deportation quotas, and treating every immigrant like a cartel leader in disguise? Also yes. Did we have to call it “abolish ICE” and send half the country into a panic attack? Apparently… yes?  What Was Meant: “Hey, This Agency Is Out of Control” ICE under Trump (and to a lesser extent under previous presidents too) became notorious for: Ripping children...

  How to Lose the Public in 5 Words or Less: The “Abolish Prisons” Parade Last time on Progressive Messaging: Dumpster Fire Edition , we covered how “Defund the Police” was a masterclass in turning thoughtful policy into a punchline. Now, buckle up for the sequel: “ABOLISH PRISONS.” Yes. Abolish. As in eliminate , destroy , yeet the entire concept of incarceration into the sun. Because when people are already anxious about crime, what they really want is a political slogan that sounds like the opening line of a Batman villain manifesto .  Let’s Start With the Obvious: The Prison System Is a Mess We should all agree: The U.S. has the largest prison population on Earth. Private prisons make money off human misery. People of color and the poor are wildly overrepresented. Solitary confinement is torture. Prisons are often warehouses for trauma, not places of rehabilitation. These are real , urgent , fixable problems. So what’s the next step? Apparentl...

  How to Ruin a Good Idea in Three Words or Less: The “Defund the Police” Chronicles By [Your Name] Ah yes, 2020. The year everything was on fire—literally and metaphorically—and someone, somewhere, thought, “Hey, you know what this moment of national panic needs? A slogan that sounds like we want to throw every cop into the sun.” Enter: DEFUND. THE. POLICE. Was the goal nuanced and thoughtful? Yes. Was the branding the equivalent of giving nuance a lobotomy and shoving it on Twitter? Also yes.  The Intent Was Pure. Like a Labrador in a Protest Vest. Let’s be clear: the people who came up with “Defund the Police” weren’t sitting in a cave plotting the downfall of society. They had a solid point: Maybe armed officers shouldn’t be responding to mental health crises. Maybe we could reduce crime by addressing poverty, addiction, and homelessness . Maybe we shouldn’t give local PDs more military gear than a Marvel villain. That’s not crazy. That’s just common s...

  What Really Scares Me (And What Doesn’t) By Tim Friday People talk a lot about what they fear—things like ghosts, flying, spiders. But my fears are simpler. More grounded. Real. I fear dog attacks. I’ve been attacked before, more than once, without provocation. The worst part isn’t just the trauma of the bite or the shock—it’s the way people defend it. They say things like, “It must’ve sensed something,” or “Dogs only attack if provoked.” As if I deserved it. That gaslighting hurts worse than the teeth. I fear car crashes. I’ve already been in a few. Minor, maybe, by insurance standards, but not by mine. I know what that impact feels like. The snap of the seatbelt. The sound of metal folding in on itself. I’ve had close calls too—so close I thought, This might be it. That terror doesn’t fade. It lingers under my skin when I drive. I fear being assaulted. That should be a no-brainer. And yes, even men like me get assaulted. I’ve been hit, shoved, screamed at, threatened—u...