The Tools You Have: Resistance and Feelings of Inadequacy

Photo by Jonathan Cooper via Unsplash.

To this day, I still don’t have a grill. I’ve been ambivalent about the size, the fuel type (charcoal vs gas vs wood), the safety. I was never taught how to use one growing up, so there’s also the burden of learning how to cook what I want. A grilled turkey for Thanksgiving is something I’ve wanted for years, but I’d have to borrow one to even attempt it.

But my oven and range work just fine.

I feel inadequate for this moment in history, and I know I’m not the only person who does. Since Trump’s second inauguration in January, his cronies (largely Musk and his band of teenage script kiddies) have been dismantling the federal apparatus, destroying social programs, science agencies, and other parts of government that keep our standard of living from bottoming out. He’s also destroyed our diplomatic standing, putting the existence of Ukraine and Europe in general in jeopardy.

I have no law degree, have not passed the bar exam, so I can’t fight him in court. I don’t have millions of dollars to pump into nonprofits to make up for the drying up of federal funding. (I’ve also been sick since the protests began in earnest, so I haven’t been able to make it to one yet this year.)

I’m a dude with a blog, a way with words, and just a few ounces of courage. Nowhere near enough by myself.

Good thing I’m not alone.

I don’t have a fancy grill, but I have an okay range. I can still cook.