By Claudya

Funny San Francisco Latina Blogger

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Be the Kind Stranger and Stop Victim Blaming Puerto Rico

Help Puerto Rico

There is so much suffering going on in the world and we need to rise to the occasion and get our mierda together to help. I realize that we can’t all donate money, raise funds or volunteer, but we can all have compassion for each other. We can be the kind stranger handing out random acts of kindness. This helps keep the petty at bay, it reminds others to be kind as well and it makes the world feel like a better place. 

This is all on my mind because I’ve been so appalled by the tweets of 45 to the plight of Puerto Rico. I could go on and on about it and I will because this is my blog. Let me start by sharing what I wrote on FB:

This is how I read 45’s tweets about Puerto Rico:

Texas & Florida are doing great, but Puerto Rico…look at what she was wearing: broken infrastructure. The broke b!tch was asking for it..

…The old electrical grid she was wearing was so easy to tear apart. It’s no wonder she took such a pounding, with billions of dollars…

…owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with. I guess we should still give her food, water and medical care.

 

Wait, did he victim blame Puerto Rico? 

In case you don’t know what tweets I’m referring to, here you go: 

This smacks so hard of blame the victimness that I CAN’T EVEN. 

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I mean REALLY?! Puerto Rico is RAVAGED by Hurricane Maria, DESTROYED and the Tweeter-in-Charge has nothing to tweet about it for days because he’s too busy trying to get NFL players fired for exercising their right to peacefully protest. FFS we are the United States of America and you want to force people to stand for the national anthem like we’re some kind of totalitarian nation?

But, I digress….Back to the tweets about Puerto Rico: Finally days later he gets around to tweeting about the situation in Puerto Rico and feels the NEED to bring up their “broken infrastructure” and “massive debt” because why? Because petty is as petty does and that is some petty a$$ sh!t if you ask me. Especially coming from a man who knows about “massive debt” because his companies have filed for bankruptcy six times! 

Ugh, this brought up so many feelings for me. So many reminders of victims getting blamed like: “Oh, she was raped? Well, that’s awful, but what was she wearing and why was she drinking and out so late and why did she take so long to tell anyone about it?” And we all know that what is really being said when those kinds of questions are asked is: “This wouldn’t have happened to her if she (fill in the blank with some kind of bullsh!t).” 

Anger was one of the feelings that those tweets brought up for me, straight up anger. Then I remembered the random acts of kindness I witnessed over the weekend in my fair city of San Francisco.

The first one happened when a couple was walking home with their groceries and a paper bag they were carrying tore apart spilling groceries all over the sidewalk and crosswalk. I was reaching into my purse to grab a reusable bag I always carry with me to offer it to the couple when a car stopped in the middle of the street and a man called out to them, “I have something for you.” Then he hopped out of his car, popped his trunk and gave them a reusable bag. It was such a simple kindness, but it made my heart swell with joy. 

Then later that same day, as I was walking home with my family, we came across three gorgeous wooden chairs that had a “free” sign on them–solid wood, sturdy chairs. One of then had arm rests and the other two did not. I wanted them, but we weren’t all that close to home. After hemming and hawing a bit, my husband decided he would carry one of them home. As we were walking away, two different strangers offered to carry the other chairs home for us without even knowing or asking how far away we were walking. We didn’t take them up on the offer because my husband said, “No, we’ll just take this one so that someone else can have the matching pair.” I was touched by the strangers that offered to help us and I was touched by my husband wanting to leave the matching pair for some other stranger. 

Witnessing these kindnesses was a gift. Now every time I think about those petty tweets and start to get angry, I remember the kindness of strangers and decide to focus on that instead because I know it is the kindness of strangers that is going to continue to help the people of Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and Mexico. 

ALSO READ: Hurricane Harvey: Simple Ways You Can Help

Let’s all be the kind stranger

If you are able to donate to relief funds to help Puerto Rico, here are a few options:

Now, as is the tradition around this here blog, I like to send the Universe some requests in the form of wishes every week. 

Here’s what I’m wishing for this week…

Wishes for myself:

  • Help me be the kind stranger who steps up to help just because it’s nice to help when you can. 
  • Let me notice all the kind strangers that cross my path and send them light and gratitude for making the world a better place one kind gesture at a time. 

Wishes for others: 

  • Cindy’s wishes are for the people of Puerto Rico. 
  • Todd is all for manifesting a better future. 
  • Deborah is going on a long road trip. Please keep her and hers safe as they travel to and fro. 
  • Andrea continues to request strength and good health for a family member. 
  • Tami wonders if a new president is too much to wish for. I don’t think so. I think we deserve so much better than the one we got. 
  • Suzette requests clear skies and happy campers from October 7-9. 
  • Mari is grateful for all the individuals and groups that have been organizing relief efforts for Mexico and Puerto Rico. Keep them healthy, motivated and inspired. 
  • Elaina wants to pull a something heavy for something fun switcheroo. She’s thinking it’s time to win something. 
  • Irma is channeling light, send more light. 
  • Please keep Sonia’s grandson on the road to recuperation. 
  • Kaylia’s 5-year-old was back at the hospital because of her ongoing kidney issue. Please send answers and/or relief in the form of an open prescription so that she doesn’t necessarily have to endure hours of pain. 
  • Ah, Doreen is going to say some prayers for me. Thank you. For herself she would like help healing after being hurt by a now former friend. 
  • Deborah wants “we the people” to channel our better selves and be more loving and compassionate towards one another. 

 
That’s it for me this week. What are you wishing for? 

This post is part of the weekly Wednesday Wishes series.

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