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While the KKK has not been fully eradicated (those loathsome white hoods have a habit of rearing their ugly heads in the right corners of the United States to this day), those who support their ideals have gotten craftier. More chameleonic. Marches and cross-burnings have become podcasts and YouTube channels. Extremism has seeped so thoroughly into the margins of modern culture that we’ve grown numb to it — the worst news hits our dead eyes and we just … shrug. What are we supposed to do about it? What can we do about it?
The story of Stetson Kennedy should be a rallying cry in 2024. Here’s a guy who actually did something about it, and he did it in his wheelhouse. Not everyone can run for public office and change things from the top. Not everyone can be an investigative reporter who sheds light on the darkest truths. But we can use what we are good at, what we’re passionate about, to shift the world ever-so-slightly. In Kennedy’s case, he helped create a great Superman story that used a beloved character as his avatar in the battle against evil. Individually, we can all nudge the needle, and great art, whether it be fine or pop, is part of the process.
I’m thinking about Superman today. And I’m thinking about Stetson Kennedy. And I’m thinking about the headlines that make me feel numb and powerless. And I think about Superman, the opposite of numb and powerless, and how he inspires me to be better. And because Superman is a work of fiction, I’m inspired by the work of creators who are, like me, only human. Nudge the needle.
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