So, I’ve not blogged for aeons. It’s not that I haven’t had anything to say; I just haven’t been able to find the words. There’s been too much, and the words have been trapped. Blocked, even. But this morning, I think something may have changed. I have followed and read the work of James (JJ) Patrick for well over a year now (@J_amesp on Twitter) and his tweets last night have triggered my writing.
Here in the UK, we are being marched ever onwards to Brexit. To leave the European Union, which is an idiotic, hairbrained “plan” (I use the word “plan” very loosely, because I still don’t think there is anything resembling a plan). I hate it. I didn’t vote for it. It has exposed a massive divide in this country, and I don’t think we will recover from that divide, in my lifetime anyway. But does it all have to be doom and gloom and misery? Well….. no.
My fellow Remainers. We protest. We march. We write to MPs. We are vocal on social media (particularly Twitter, I think). We work so, so hard to try and make our voices heard. We won’t give up, and we won’t ever accept it. We cannot. I will never say “I accept it, get on with it”. Ever. I don’t accept it, and I reserve my right to protest it. But whilst we are protesting, we need to prepare. We need to have contingency; back up. We need to think about the “what if..”. This isn’t capitulating or accepting, nor is it defeatist. It is preparing. And this is what James was saying on Twitter last night.
What I am now thinking about is the how to prepare. How do we pull together? We know we are stronger together, us humans. Whilst some people may be able to sell up, pack up and leave, there are many others who cannot, for various reasons. How do we help one another? What resources do we have? What skills? How can we network that together, to reach out, to not leave anyone alone?
We can do more than just one thing..it doesn’t have to be all protest and nothing else. I know it is draining. I know it saps the energy, but the preparing can be done alongside protest.
Today is the anniversary of Jo Cox’s murder. Today can be, and maybe should be, a date to start the Protest & Prepare movement, to remember Jo’s words, “we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.”
Will you join me?
I Am Frog Princess 