Some American garbage
as a treat
On Monday I wrote several shitty drafts of a newsletter issue that attempted to address the fact that there is a global humanitarian crisis going on, and yet we all still have extremely banal obligations and challenges to tend to in the name of raising our kids.
These drafts weren’t great. I was trying to do that thing where you indicate that you are paying attention and are filled with sadness and fear and can grasp numerous conflicting ideas at once — but also to show awareness that you don’t have any new or valuable insight, perspective or advice but mostly please don’t be mad at me for getting this wrong because obviously in a catastrophe, it’s bad to have people be mad at you online.
Unwitchily, I tried leaning on the idea that it’s indeed a privilege to have monotonous childrearing non-problems at a time like this. However, if I can’t take my own advice and newly appreciate book fair/football practice/football dinner/chess club/regular dinner/COVID shots/homework/music lessons/additional online math work/pre-ordering the Thanksgiving turkey/dinner dishes/laundry/constant driving then why would should I send that pablum out to you?
Some of you pay me good money to not be told when you’re supposed to be grateful. If anything, many of us find parenting more difficult when we are anxious and worried. One friend told me she hissed “children are DYING” to her son, who was whining about having to go to open gym at the Y a few days ago.
Still feels weird to act like nothing is going on, though, so I’m going to save my funny takes on school progressive fundraising parties, the driving era of motherhood and my curiosity over why some kids have such a big learning curve over using forks and knives for another day.
Today, I’m going to focus hyper-locally on things we do have control over here in America, which includes our elections.
We little people don’t have much influence at the presidential level, but we do at the state level. And state elections impact national policies. Unlike our national government, which is about to shut down out of mendacity and tomfoolery, the states continue to pass laws banning abortion, limiting voting rights, ignoring the climate crisis, and making life hell for trans people.
Virginia is a state where we can make an actual financial impact and make governing life harder for Republican governor Glenn Youngkin (who is raising a lot of money on his own.) The States Project targets achievable state elections to support viable Democratic candidates (check out this recent article in Politico on their work.)
Please consider 🧙♀️ donating to the Evil Witches States Project Giving Circle 🧙♀️ to benefit Democratic candidates in Virginia. If you donate any amount between now and our deadline of November 3, I will either:
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You can find more information here in past issues about what the States Project does and why I support them. The proof is in the pudding in states like Michigan—this truly makes an impact and helps with those hopeless, out-of-control feelings.
If you want to learn more, get involved, and/or have a crush on J. “Gerri from ‘Succession’” Smith-Cameron, she will be on a video call this evening with the States Project to talk about why Virginia is crucial in this upcoming election. RSVP to that here.
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Thanks for reading and being a human and doing your best or, when necessary, just doing.
End credits
Evil Witches is a newsletter for people who happen to be mothers. New here? Here’s what the newsletter is all about. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for future issues, you can reply directly to this email. If you want to become a paid subscriber without donating to the Giving Circle you can still do that!
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Source request: Do you happen to have professional experience as a social worker, in mental health, or supporting the unhoused? A reader sent me a question about how witches explain it to their kids when they see folks in crisis in public, and I wanted to hear from anyone who may have expertise. Please drop me a line at ew.clairezulkey@gmail.com if this is you.
One witchy thing
