Do you love democracy? Of course, you do, otherwise you would live in Saudi Arabia or North Korea or China. It makes sense that the people make the rules, that we elect our leaders, that we prioritize things by which things people feel strongest about.

Are there frustrations? Of course there are. Since we live in little bubbles we thing that our bubble is the most important, which it is, to us. But democracy works best when we compromise, when we fight for the extremes then realize maybe the middle will be OK.

Case in point Guns and Voting and COVID and Education and Infrastructure and really any issue out of this morning’s news. We have to stop demanding that it’s my way or the highway because that’s gotten us exactly where we are.

Guns are an easy one. If you’re reading this you probably are a fellow hippie liberal or at least lean left and you think that all guns are bad but maybe understanding the argument of gun owners is helpful. Is there safe gun ownership, sure, a reason to protect your family, sure, sporting uses-maybe (provided you don’t kill too many animals, or ones that are endangered and then flaunt it like that punkie Trump kid).

We good so far? Finding common ground? Good, now let’s get rid of AK’s and the bump stocks and do more background checks because as far as I can tell, that’s what’s leading to the craziness. Because guns don’t kill people but more guns than people in America and more types of guns that are made to kill people kill people.

Next voting, did you see the J’Biden soundbite about making it illegal to give water to people waiting in line to vote. Why is that a thing? Can’t we all agree that water is good and giving it to people is also good and that we want more people to vote because we are a democracy and that’s how it works? Limiting access to voting is just wrong, that’s not my opinion but the definition of Democracy. And while we’re at it, isn’t it way past time to bag the racist electoral college?

And COVID, c’mon, is there still any argument? I’ve been vaccinated for weeks and I still wear masks, don’t fly, stay home when sick, party not at all, and am playing nice with all the ridiculous hybrid rules for my classroom because I’ve also been coaching for the last month and I see how much students need us right about now. Trust science. Oh, and if you are able to reach out to a teen right about now, please do it. Never has the need for mentors and teachers and champions been more important.

And about the classroom, am I writing blogs about how pissed I am to be starting hybrid learning, having to build a second plane while flying it. Heck no, bigger issues at play here like mental health and physical health and solving some of the problems which arise from a year of sitting on the couch covered in Cheeto dust. Yes, it has been the toughest year ever but the next two months will be pivotal as we come out of hibernation. I’ll rest this summer and you should too unless you need to rest now which is also fine.

And finally, infrastructure. Remember Robin Hood? Well, he’s now in charge of the country and he wants to take 2 trillion in new corporate taxes and put it into roads and children and schools and a host of let’s-make-the-humans-better programs. Are you against it? Well, sure if you own one of those corporations but isn’t it way past time to put people over profits? Of course it is.

And it all starts with Democracy. Understanding that this is America where we care for people, where we see children being dropped off over a border fence and we don’t turn it into a bipartisan photo op but we take care of the damn kids and work together to solve the bigger problem of immigration. Together.