I encourage anyone who has lost a loved one to #trafficviolwnce to reach out to @familiesforsafestreets.org for support and action

But they did.

I feel like I need to write a column on the erosion of truly public space and community because of phones, but I’m glad other people jumped in on this one too. Not that I think that I’m going to change too much, but at least I realized I was not alone in the sentiment.

The end!

Anyway, I then said ‘multiple people have told you to turn it down, so turn it down!’

Then, the most surprising, awesome thing happened. The whole, small restaurant joined in & told that guy to turn it down. He was so surprised. I guess he genuinely thought he was right and others wouldn’t care 6/

Or earplugs to ignore each other. In public space, we should consider each other and care for each other, not act like entitled a$$holes (who are prob addicted to our phones - this is why I think a lot of people get SO mad when they can’t use their phones as they wish but that is for another day) 5/

Phone dude was mad. He said, ‘this is a public restaurant, I can do what I want so mind your own f-ing business!’

I was mad. I feel like common discourse on this topic is ‘buy earplugs’ but I am not settling for society to be broken down into our own individual bubbles where we just buy EarPods 4/

Enjoying a meal or living their lives with their loud phone convos, game playing, videos. This was not the first time I’d experienced this.

Anyway, a woman at the next table then said loudly, ‘hey you! You in the grey sweater!’ To the phone dude. ‘can you turn it down?’ 3/

I tell him, ‘can you turn it down please? Thanks!’ loudly from across the small room. I think he heard, the volume seemed to reduce.

Then it came BACK on. I couldn’t believe it. 10 years ago this would have been an absurd scene, but now people feel like it’s ok to infringe upon other people 2/

Just to add - while this may be just one experience (an n of 1!), I’ve definitely heard of others in the wake of Trump’s election victory, in other parts of New England.

That power trip is dangerous for people on the other side, whoever Trump deems that to be - anyone from a Harris supporter, to racialized people, to trans people. In different ways and degrees yes, but it's getting real. 4/4

While that may still be true, there is certainly a group of people who are emboldened to be openly racist now that Trump is coming in. And that is awful. It is not a legitimate political position worth engaging with, it is just a feeling of raw power. 3/4

Nothing like this has ever happened to me before in PVD. It's frustrating because I've spent a good amount of time trying to put myself in Trump supporters shoes and take their grievances seriously, as so many on the left harped on the economy as the main reason for the shift. 2/4

We cannot run from this, and so we have to address it head on. Now is the time. No running, no hiding. Let’s get to work. 3/3

This is far from over, in the US and in the Netherlands or elsewhere. I am Dutch and I have lived in the US a long while. These are my countries and I will fight for my right to be a part of them in the fullest sense, and I will fight for people who are more affected by Trump et al than I am. 2/3

who made these? They're awesome!

In any case, check out the episode of the short-pod I developed where we discuss the pro's and cons of court cases in phasing out fossil fuels with the lead campaigner of the Milieudefensie case (available wherever you get your pods, search Future Beyond Shell)
open.spotify.com/episode/4Fa0...

There has been a big swing in interest in climate court cases, because COP negotiations and other methods have not seemed to work, but I have always been a little tentative with the enthusiasm, and for these reasons. 8/

I also suspect court cases can also be swayed by political moments; the overturning of the decision, while grounded in some good argument, is after the war in Ukraine with all the oil price issues involved, not to mention a right-wing swing in NL (not sure if that is as related tho). 7/

Also potentially legislators to do something about it (I think at least), even if and maybe especially if the case is lost. So, then we have sounder legislation on what all corporations like Shell have to do. These are firmer grounds on which to sue. 6/