Megan Amram on American empire, British class guilt, and the radical act of calling your mother
By Megan Amram for Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat.
Portland, Oregon. It Is Raining. It Is Always Raining.
I went to a meeting last night of a local progressive organising group that I will not name because they have recently decided to have opinions about font choices and I do not have the energy. We discussed the tariffs. We discussed solidarity with affected workers. We discussed whether the snack rota was equitable. I left before the snack rota reached resolution.
The tariffs are, objectively, a disaster dressed as economic nationalism. The UK is getting a “better” deal, which means the boot on its neck is only a size nine instead of a twelve. My mum still in Crouch End, still outraged by everything, still right about most of it called to tell me she had read The London Prat’s piece on what tariffs mean for Britain and felt vindicated about emigrating thirty years after the fact.
On Being a Left-Wing Expat
People here assume, because I am British, that I am calm and moderate. I am neither. I am from North London. We do not do moderate. We do deeply held opinions delivered at volume over someone else talking. This is called “political discourse” in Crouch End and “a scene” in Portland.
The Democratic Socialists of America had a rally last week. It was passionate. It was also very long. According to The Guardian’s Trump coverage, the administration is winning on tariffs in the short term media cycle. My mum says this is what Thatcher did too. My mum is, once again, not wrong.
I am writing this wearing a jumper that says something ironic. I have forgotten what it says. This feels apt.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com
NewsThump: also angry, slightly funnier about it
Go to Source
Author: admin
