Proud to be “Woke”

The word “woke” (past participle of “wake”) is defined as “being aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.” The Thesaurus includes synonyms such as “awakened and awoke”. Antonyms include “stifled” and “asleep”.

The term woke has come into use by conservative Republicans, including references by our Senator Hertz, as a way of denigrating Democrats, independents and others who don’t agree with them. As a political independent and a person of faith, but not attached to any particular religion, I see the word quite differently.

As a human being living on the planet, I have long been awakened to the responsibilities of everyone to follow the underlying tenants of all faiths: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I believe that honor is implied here and that it could be interpreted as “honoring the rights and principles of others as you would have them honor yours”; or “not to impose your personal beliefs on another.”

It is the role of any officer of the state or union to leave their personal and religious situational beliefs at home and work for the broader public benefit; to both listen and engage in debate and be open to the exchange of opinions, resulting in compromise that provides for social justice.

Our constitution was formed to assure our collective rights and freedoms remain untethered by the religious and authoritarian governments from which the founders fled.

So yes, I try hard to live a woke life – one that strives to be actively attentive to those important societal facts and issues. It is what makes me consciously awake and active in helping mitigate some of the human suffering wrought by years of political and religious warfare.

So yes, you may tag me a proud “woke” individual. My question is: does that mean that you, as an “anti-woke politician,” is committed to the radical right’s mission to stifle racial and social justice? And just how does that play out in your community and world?

Wake up, world!

Billie Lee

Polson