I hate talking about politics in this sphere. Let's be honest: the fountain pen community skews older and more conservative. I'm in my twenties, I'm not straight, and I refer to myself as a leftist. These characteristics are not usually met with fanfare here.

But I don't know where else to put this so it has to go here.

Shortly after the 2016 election, a very well-known calligrapher made an Instagram post. It featured some of her beautiful calligraphy over artwork of Trump. I politely commented that I felt uncomfortable with the piece. After all, Trump had shown us who he was up until that point: a millionaire with an inflated ego who has consistently insulted women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Why give him the benefit of the doubt? I immediately received a reply from a locked account that, well, let's just say it repeated many of Trump's rants about "liberals." The calligrapher herself responded that she would not accept arguments in her comments but did not outright condemn the individual's statements. I unfollowed the calligrapher shortly thereafter. It's been four years since that occurrence. I wonder if she remembers it. I do.

Not too long ago Ravelry made a stand against right wing content on its website. I saw several knitters in the fountain pen community angry about this. "But if they remove things they don't agree with," they cried, "that means they can remove everything else! I don't agree with the content, but they shouldn't be allowed to do that." This also struck me as patently ridiculous. Removing abusive content is not censorship. It's about protecting minorities and individuals who have already been dealt a poor hand in our society and communities. Being a centrist in this argument is not a viable option. You are either against abusive content or you aren't—and if you aren't, you're the same as the people who publish abusive content. It is that simple.

Several popular pen companies have made "Thin Blue Line" pens that... I cannot even come up with the words to describe what I felt. After the deaths of countless black men and women, countless trans men and women, countless indigenous men and women... Countless people taken from us before their time, and you want to release a pen that proudly declares police as above the law, as the only shield standing between people and tyranny? This weekend a group of policemen in Ohio took down the American flag and raised the Thin Blue Line flag in its place. This weekend police all over the country fired baton rounds and tear gas and pepper spray at protesters and journalists and citizens in their homes; drove through protesters in cars; kettled protesters for mass arrests; doxxed a mayor's daughter. This in the middle of a pandemic where the virus ravages the respiratory system. Leaving behind what you think of "looting" protesters, is this behavior of the men and women who are supposed to serve and protect? Who (or what) are they defending? I don't think it's people, let alone us.

I don't know if this post will go over well. I suspect some people will decide that I'm a left wing nut. I'm happy to sit here posting reviews every week to a brick wall. But I don't think I'm capable of being silent. Not right now. I have been sitting in front of my computer scrolling through social media feeds, unable to look away. I don't think I should be able to look away. I don't think you should either.

Please donate to national bail funds. Please donate to local bail funds. Please. He couldn't breathe. Black Lives Matter.