On being political.

I came across a recent interview clip of a well known celebrity being asked their opinion about the catastrophe that is Ukraine and them saying "but I'm not political, I don't do politics". I know it's easy to roll your eyes when public figures like this elect to stay quiet about big issues. What's harder, however, is to own your responsibility as an ordinary citizen — I mean, how much impact can I/you really make, anyway? Here's the answer: a ton. To say you're "not political" is never morally acceptable. To say that you're "not political" in the UK now, when BJ is feeding his inner-Churchill, the Metropolitan Police are knocking at the door of Number 10, Pretty Pathetic is playing hard-ball with immigrants and the Russians are rampaging through Ukraine, is egregious and a cop-out. If now is not the time to be political, when is?

That's not to say that it's always easy to be political. Coming down on one side of an issue can have consequences. You can lose friends, you can be mocked, harassed, threatened. You can feel alone. No, it can be much easier to be apolitical, to shrug off your hesitations about issues that don't affect you — it's easy to keep your head down and shut up. But that doesn't make it right, does it?

Let’s be honest: choosing not to be political is a very privileged position. If you're not affected by the minimum wage, or the tax bill, or the raging threat of deportation; if you can afford the medical attention you and your family need; if you've benefited from a fair wage; if you've got a good pension; if the colour of your skin or your religion don't dictate how people treat you — then you can afford to ignore politics entirely. 

Good for you. You've benefited from the socioeconomic structures that are in place in the UK, and you don't necessarily have to worry about the people that those same structures systematically hold back. Except, you should. And not just because those people could have easily been you, under different circumstances. Because, because…….do I really have to explain to you that you really should care about other people?

Obviously, I don't mean that you have to be protesting against injustices every hour of every day, or that you shouldn't take a break for self-care whenever you need to. Being "political" simply means becoming aware of what's happening in your town, your county, your country, and taking the time to learn what you can do to create change.

Sometimes, this is going to mean a time commitment — when you show up to a protest, sign a petition, or contact your MP, for example. Not doing those things, however, or not being able to do those things, for any reason, does not mean you are not political. There is no checklist; there are no criteria. Either you choose to be aware of the political landscape and be as active as your circumstances will allow, or you choose not to be.

But there is a choice. It's a highly personal one — maybe not even one you ever speak about to another person. Only you can judge what your being "political" means. You can be quietly political, or shout your politics for the rooftops, or engage only in certain issues. But, you do have a choice. You do not have an excuse. What'll it be?