Just Ridiculous

So, I’m going to dive straight into this mess of a topic: the TikTok ban. Yes, I have three kids—all girls—and two of them are active on TikTok. Hell, they even got me into it. And you know what? I enjoy it. But let me warn you now—this post is going to be a full-blown, passionate, unapologetic rant. If you’re easily offended, this might not be your cup of tea. I don’t care. I’ve had it with the absurdity of this situation, and it’s time to call it out for what it is: pathetic, ignorant, and shameful.

Let me just lay it out. The fact that the president, Congress, and every other out-of-touch, overpaid, useless person in power are pouring so much energy into banning a social media app is absolutely mind-blowing. Like, really? We’ve got a laundry list of critical issues in this country, and these clowns are laser-focused on TikTok? Bravo, America. Truly inspiring priorities.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: school shootings. Our kids can’t even go to school without fearing for their lives. Every single day, they’re walking into what feels like a damn war zone. But sure, let’s all clutch our pearls about TikTok instead of addressing the glaring issue of school safety. Because apparently, it’s easier to fight an app than to deal with real problems like gun violence.

And what about our healthcare system? Oh, that’s right—it’s a goddamn joke. Affordable healthcare? Keep dreaming. God forbid the government or big corporations lose out on a single dime of profit while the rest of us go bankrupt trying to stay alive. Need a doctor’s appointment? Better hope you win the lottery first. Need medication? Good luck choosing between eating and staying alive. But no, no—let’s all lose our minds over a social media platform instead of fixing the broken system that’s literally killing people.

Oh, and let’s not forget the whole livable wage debacle. Fifteen dollars an hour? Sounds decent, right? Spoiler alert: it’s not. Try paying rent, utilities, car payments, insurance, and every other necessary expense on that joke of a wage. Spoiler alert: you can’t. I would love to see every single politician try to survive for one year on $15 an hour. Watch them crumble after three months when they realize their cushy little world doesn’t exist for the rest of us. But no, instead of addressing poverty or the housing crisis, they’re too busy clutching their pearls over some Chinese-owned app. Priorities, am I right?

Then there’s the attack on women’s rights. This one really gets my blood boiling. Women can’t even have control over their own bodies. Laws and rulings are stripping us of our autonomy left and right. And don’t come at me with your self-righteous crap about what’s “right” or “wrong.” For the record, I’d never choose an abortion for myself, but guess what? That’s my decision. It’s not up to some man—or anyone else for that matter—to decide what’s best for me or any other woman. But instead of addressing these oppressive laws that force women into unsafe and desperate situations, our leaders are too busy worrying about—wait for it—TikTok. Makes total sense, doesn’t it?

Now let’s tackle the laughable “security concerns” surrounding TikTok. Are you kidding me? The argument that TikTok is some unique threat because it’s owned by a Chinese company is the biggest pile of steaming horseshit I’ve ever heard. Newsflash: every app on your phone is collecting the exact same data. Facebook? Instagram? Google? They’ve been doing it for years, and no one bats an eye. But because TikTok isn’t homegrown, suddenly it’s a national security crisis? Please. Spare me the fake outrage and thinly veiled xenophobia.

This is the part where I start to lose my faith in humanity entirely. We are living in a country that’s spiraling out of control. People are struggling to survive every single day. Kids are afraid to go to school. Women are losing their rights. People can’t afford basic necessities. And what are our leaders doing? Fighting a social media app. You can’t make this shit up.

The truth is, they don’t care about us. They don’t care about our struggles or our safety. They care about control. They care about money. They care about lining their pockets and keeping us distracted with nonsensical debates while the world burns around us.

What we need is less politics and more humanity. Less greed and more empathy. But hey, what do I know? I’m just a mom trying to raise three daughters in a world that feels like it’s gone completely off the rails.

Rant over. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk