It’s my personal tradition to wrap Christmas presents and listen to 90s rap. It’s one of my first loves. And sometimes I listen now and have to reconcile some of the lyrics – the misogyny I was oblivious to in my youth for one. But it’s nostalgia and I go on.
Here’s the thing – we can see things differently with time.
I remember when Bill Clinton was being impeached. I was a student at Ohio State and watched everything I could from the student union in between classes. He was the first president I ever voted for. I liked him. I didn’t understand the concept of abuse of power. It didn’t click in my brain that the intern was my age and he was the most powerful man in the world and that was consensual and also wrong.
I didn’t want him to get impeached. But he did something wrong. He was impeached for lying under oath. At the time I figured it was a personal issue between a married couple.
I’m thankful for the wisdom that comes with age and experience. I’m thankful to realize that just because I voted for and really liked a politician, I can change my mind and admit I was wrong. I’m hopeful others will have that revelation, preferably before next November.
My husband told me on November 10, 2016 that Trump would get impeached in his first term. A cheetah doesn’t change its spots or something like that. But none of this would have happened if we weren’t sounding the alarm and waking up the unwoke and knocking on doors and using our outside voices.
Maybe one day I’ll express why F*ck the Police was not just a song to me, but a secret anthem. Some know this story well while most know nothing or bits and pieces. But there is a reason why this music speaks to me.
And as for yesterday, I will quote one of my favorites.
“I can’t believe, today was a good day.”