The World According to Dawn

Let the Adventure Begin - It's all about fun & ease

What's Alive In Me

Why I Will Not Be Silent

I want to say this plainly: I welcome different perspectives. I believe in conversation, not consensus. Growth happens in that space where we don’t see eye to eye, and I want to live there honestly—with compassion, courage, and curiosity.

Lately, I’ve felt a growing fire in every cell of my body—sparked by the treatment of immigrants, the operations of ICE, and the normalization of authoritarianism. This isn’t just policy to me. It’s personal. In my soul, I know: I am a Safe Harbor. I exist to welcome, to protect, to comfort. And right now, I don’t feel safe—not for myself, but for the people who once moved freely and joyfully in the world around me. Many have disappeared. Some are hiding. Some are detained. It breaks my heart.

I’m a humanitarian. I love people. I believe in their goodness. I believe in the promise inscribed on the Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

That promise was never perfect in its execution—but it’s always been a north star. And right now, I feel we are drifting dangerously away from it.

I want to acknowledge something clearly: I have white privilege. If you’re white, you do too. Even if you’re Black with white skin, the world often reads you as white, and that comes with protections others don’t have. I’ve had moments where I’ve wanted to scream and yell in protest, knowing full well I’m unlikely to be arrested for doing so. But that doesn’t help. So I’m choosing a different path: to learn more about nonviolent resistance—its power, its history, its practice.

I am firmly against fascism and authoritarianism in any form. I do not believe concentrated executive power is safe—regardless of which party holds it. I worry not just about what’s happening now, but about the precedent it sets for what comes next. I plan to live another 50–70 years, and I want those years to be lived in freedom, in truth, and in defense of humanity.

Silence is acceptance. I will not be silent.

I am not okay with how people are being treated on American soil. I will engage. I will learn. I will act. Not out of anger, but out of love—for people, for freedom, for dignity.

This is where I stand. This is why I feel called.

Free Speech Is a Conservative Value —We Can’t Let It Be Undermined

Lately, I've been hearing troubling talk—some subtle, some loud—about making it unacceptable or even illegal to criticize President Trump or question his decisions.

Let me say this plainly: That’s not the America I know, and it’s not the America most conservatives believe in.

The right to speak freely—even when it's unpopular—isn’t just some liberal talking point. It's a bedrock American principle, one rooted in our Constitution and championed by generations of conservatives who believed government should serve the people—not silence them.

When someone in power starts suggesting that criticism equals disloyalty, that disagreement is treasonous, we’re stepping into dangerous territory. Our Founding Fathers didn’t fight a revolution so we could live under a king. They knew that unchecked power leads to tyranny, and that’s why they gave us the First Amendment.

Freedom of speech is what allows us to hold every president accountable—Republican, Democrat, or otherwise.

I understand that many of my friends and neighbors still support Trump. That’s your right. But no one—not Trump, not Biden, not anyone—should be above criticism. That’s how democracy works. That’s how liberty survives.

Some may ask, “Why are you angry?” I'm angry because I love this country. I care deeply about our freedoms, our founding documents, and the values that define us. If we're going to claim to be the party of liberty and the Constitution, we have to defend those principles even when it’s uncomfortable.

This is not about left vs. right. It's about freedom vs. fear. And I refuse to let fear win.

If "We the People" want to keep the country we love, we can't stay silent. We can't shrug off threats to free speech just because they come from someone we voted for.

Our silence, no matter how well-intentioned, is not neutrality—it’s permission.

Let’s stand up—for our rights, for our Constitution, and for the America we all believe in.

Free Speech Is Not Up for Debate: We Must Speak Out

Lately, I’ve been watching with deep concern as the Trump administration and its supporters float the idea—subtly or overtly—that criticizing Trump or questioning his decisions should be punished, silenced, or deemed "un-American."

Let’s be clear: this is not normal. And it is not okay.

In a democracy, free speech is not optional. It is not a luxury. It is not something to be permitted only when convenient or flattering to those in power. It is a constitutional right—enshrined in the First Amendment—because our founders understood that unchecked power is a threat to liberty.

Trying to criminalize or discourage dissent is not patriotism. It’s authoritarianism.

Criticism of leadership isn’t treason—it’s accountability. It’s how a functioning democracy stays healthy. We don’t owe silence to any leader, especially not one who was elected to serve us. When elected officials start demanding blind loyalty, demanding that we shut up and obey, we’re not talking about public service anymore. We’re talking about power consolidation. Control. Fear.

And I refuse to be silent.

Some say, “Why are you so angry?” To them I say: I’m angry because I care. I care about our rights. I care about truth. I care about people. If that makes me unpatriotic in their eyes, so be it. I won’t trade my voice for approval.

If “We the People” want a different future, we need to create it. That means using our voices—not just when it’s easy, but when it’s necessary. Especially when it’s risky.

Now is one of those times.

So I’ll keep speaking up. I’ll keep asking questions. I’ll keep resisting the gaslighting and the fear. Because silence in the face of injustice isn't neutrality—it's complicity.

And I am not complicit.

Fun & Adventure

Play is essential to the spirit

Playful adventure makes my heart sing

Let's experience Fun & Ease!

Animals Unite! lol

I love, love, love playful adventure — I am convinced that fun & ease are what make the world go ’round! It’s not unusual for me to pull over on a whim just to enjoy a walk with her dogs and soak up the beauty of the day.

But it’s not just my dogs who have my heart. From busy little honeybees to the magnificent blue whale, I feel a deep connection with animals of all shapes and sizes. Their presence reminds her to embrace wonder, compassion, and joy in everyday life.

Dawn Amber