I don't like it.
I don't like doing it.
I don't enjoy myself in the process, I don't like knowing that people I know are blocking me, or rolling their eyes, or just (even if they agree) settling me into that category of "those people who are always posting political stuff."
I don't like cold-calling volunteers at district congressional offices.
I don't like sending blankets and safety gear to the water protectors in North Dakota WITHOUT knowing if it'll do any real good, or be enough – I want to help, you know, but I don't want to waste money, either; I want to know it'll help, and I just… don't. It stresses me out.
I don't like following every breaking story on the Washington Post, or scouring the four-page-long posts on 'what you need to do as an ally' from the LGBTQ people I know, just in case there's something I should be doing that I didn't know about.
And I don't like that I almost never LET myself just repost something someone else said – that I have to rewrite everything myself, so at least it's not just a spammy re-post – it's a spammy original post.
So… I don't like it. Don't imagine I do.
I don't like paying my mortgage, either. I do that.
I don't like getting up at 6am to get my kids breakfast. I do that.
I don't like doing laundry, or doing dishes, or a hundred other thing that I do anyway.
I do them, because I signed up for them.
I wanted the house.
I am a dad.
This is what's required.
And all this other stuff? The politics? The calling? The researching? The reading?
I asked for it.
Because I'm a dad, or a husband, or an uncle, or just a friend, and I can't see these people in my life in pain, or in danger, or in fear. I won't.
I don't enjoy any of it – if nothing else, I don't like knowing even more about politicians I didn't like much in the first place. I have a hard time understanding folks that do genuinely enjoy breathing this stuff, day after day. Maybe they don't exist – maybe it's all people like me, doing it for a reason. Maybe. Nice to think so.
So: sorry if it's tiresome to see on your newsfeed. Sorry if it's annoying or just boring. I understand, but please don't imagine I'm like some kid at a birthday party, throwing cake frosting around and having a grand old time. That's not what this is.
But I'm not going to stop, either.