Recently overheard conversation:

“I can’t stand Trump and can’t believe he is our President!”

“Did you vote?”

“What?”

“Did you vote?”

“Well, no, but–“

“Goodbye.”

When bad things happen to good people, sometimes it’s because of blind luck or things way beyond our control. But when bad politicians get elected or pass laws we don’t like, this isn’t because of luck. It’s because we let them get away with it.

You have to get involved if you want to complain about things. You have to make the difference. This is true not only in politics, but in life. If you bitch about how you have a terrible job and no one loves you and the world is screwing you over and you do absolutely nothing to change that, then whose fault is it?

Have you ever read history and thought “If I were alive during the civil rights movement, I would have been marching next to Martin Luther King, Jr.”? Have you ever thought “If only those people had stood up to Hitler earlier, World War II wouldn’t have happened”?

Well, history hasn’t stopped. Now’s your chance to prove you weren’t just spouting off at the mouth. Don’t just bitch and complain — do something!

In many states, there are primary elections coming up. Get out and vote. Even in these small elections (and in fact, moreso), your vote really counts. Even if you don’t know anything about the candidates, go out and vote against the Republicans. Don’t think “Oh, it’s just the County Dog Catcher, who cares what party he’s in?” If he’s a Republican, that means it’s very likely he supports what our President is doing or he wouldn’t be a Republican. And even if he doesn’t, every Republican you elect helps the party grow, raise money, and push its agenda.

Posting memes on Facebook to your friends who probably already agree with your political views accomplishes nothing except making you feel good.

Do something! Participate in a march! Write your congressman! Run for office! Donate to groups that are fighting Trump and his agenda! (May I recommend my favorites:  Planned Parenthood, The American Civil Liberties Union, and American Atheists.)

And don’t ever let me hear you complain if that’s all you’re doing.