Maybe This Is The Wrong Platform To Pose This Question Given The Average Tumblr User But

the funny thing is that i don't think younger people - and i mean those under the age of 40 - really have a grasp on how many of today's issues can be tied back to a disastrous reagan policy:

war on drugs: reagan's aggressive escalation of the war on drugs was a catastrophic policy, primarily targeting minority communities and fueling mass incarceration. the crusade against drugs was more about controlling the Black, Latino and Native communities than addressing the actual problems of drug abuse, leading to a legacy of broken families and systemic racism within the criminal justice system.

deregulation and economic policies: reaganomics was an absolute disaster for the working class. reagan's policies of aggressive tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, and slashing social programs were nothing less than class warfare, deepening income inequality and entrenching corporate greed. these types of policies were a clear message that reagan's america was only for the wealthy elite and a loud "fuck you" to working americans.

environmental policies: despite his reputation being whitewashed thanks to the recovery of the ozone layer, reagan's environmental record was an unmitigated disaster. his administration gutted critical environmental protections and institutions like the EPA, turning a blind eye to pollution and corporate exploitation of natural resources. this blatant disregard for the planet was a clear sign of prioritizing short-term corporate profits over the future of the environment.

AIDS crisis: reagan's gross neglect of the aids crisis was nothing short of criminal and this doesn't even begin to touch on his wife's involvement. his administration's indifference to the plight of the lgbtq+ community during this devastating epidemic revealed a deep-seated bigotry and a complete failure of moral leadership.

mental health: reagan's dismantling of mental health institutions under the guise of 'reform' led directly to a surge in homelessness and a lack of support for those with mental health issues. his policies were cruel and inhumane and showed a personality-defining callous disregard for the most vulnerable in society.

labor and unions: reagan's attack on labor unions, exemplified by his handling of the patco strike, was a blatant assault on workers' rights. his actions emboldened corporations to suppress union activities, leading to a significant erosion of workers' power and rights in the workplace. he was colloquially known as "Ronnie the Union Buster Reagan"

foreign policy and military interventions: reagan's foreign policy, particularly in latin america, was imperialist and ruthless. his administration's support for dictatorships and right-wing death squads under the guise of fighting "communism" showed a complete disregard for human rights and self-determination of other nations.

public health: yes, reagan's agricultural policies actually facilitated the rise of high fructose corn syrup, once again prioritizing corporate profits over public health. this shift in the food industry has had lasting negative impacts on health, contributing to the obesity epidemic and other health issues.

privatization: reagan's push for privatization was a systematic dismantling of public services, transferring wealth and power to private corporations and further eroding the public's access to essential services.

education policies: his approach to education was more of an attack on public education than anything else, gutting funding and promoting policies that undermined equal access to quality education. this was, again, part of a broader agenda to maintain a status quo where the privileged remain in power.

this is just what i could come up with in a relatively short time and i did not even live under this man's presidency. the level at which ronald reagan has broken the united states truly can't be overstated.

USA folks, here's a little trick I used for times when I didn't have a therapist but needed to have a short confidential talk about something that was bothering me:

- Message the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Give them a short one-word message like GO.

- When the counselor comes on the line: the magic words are "I feel like I'm keeping too many secrets" and "I want to practice talking through something with you before I talk about it with other people"

- At some point they will ask if you're having thoughts about taking your own life. In my past experience they were pretty non-carceral when I said yes, but DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. Do your own research, and make your own risk-informed decisions about whether to disclose or not.

- When you are done talking through the thing, they will ask you what your next steps are. I would typically say "I'm gonna talk about this with a friend" or "I'm gonna journal about it".

- Then they'll typically give you links to some websites for more support. In my experience the websites would be kind of useless, but feel free to check them out and make your own mind. One person's "useless" can be another person's "life-changing".

You might be wondering "but what if I'm taking resources away from someone who needs them" to which I assure that if you have something so difficult to talk about that you can only imagine yourself revealing it to a trained counselor, then you are the Crisis Text Line's intended audience. You probably shouldn't be using it weekly as an alternative to therapy, but once every few months as a PRN? Go wild.

If homophobes weren't so awful to LGBT people, then maybe we'd be happier.

never let anyone tell you that trawling through mediocre victorian poetry isn't worth it. we just happened upon an absolute BANGER of a worm poem. go read it or else 🪱🪱🪱

Love seeing them being the staple of pride month each year

Pour one out for the pit scorpion tonight. Gone but never forgotten

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) // FNAF The Musical