Here's a hopeful way to look at things, if you enjoy being hopeful. Trump has been surprising since the day he entered the race. Lost the Iowa primary and then won New Hampshire and then went on to get the nomination. Was given no chance to win in the general election, but surprised most of the country.
So let's give him a chance to surprise us in office. We only get one president at a time. We owe it to the person who's elected to give our support. It's one of the principles this country is founded on. I think he's going to surprise some people. I hope so.
A lot of us weren't crazy about the past 8 years yet we survived. Every four years at least half the country feels like it's the end of the world. At least there seems to be more consensus this time around.
I haven't felt this sick and paranoid and hopeless since the 80s when I learned about nuclear bombs.
It's hard watching your neighbours implode. It's really hard knowing some of the debris will destroy your home and you can't do anything to prevent it.
This feeling will pass, I'm sure.
Now I'm off to the Royal Winter Fair to see the horses and goats and blow-dried cows.
A thought is that many people who love books say we want to consider perspectives that are different from the ones we currently hold. We ask for voices that our different from ours. We want to consider world views that are different from ours. We say don't censor books.
One approach to this morning's news--rather than being fearful and vilifying--might be to thoughtfully seek to understand perspectives that are different from ours. Just like many of us say we want to do when it comes to books.
So I went to sleep in America and woke up in Panem. In Potterverse before the boy who lived. I hope the death eaters are happy and that their ballots mark their souls. But at least there is still hope while we burn in the fire we created, because in fire, the weak are destroyed and the strong refined. And hatred is so weak.
My husband woke me up in bed this morning to gloat, causing me to see him in a whole new light (we never discuss politics because I'm so moderate, and he's so...not.) Heartbroken, not just for our country, but for me. For women everywhere. For immigrants, like my grandfather. Great changes lie ahead. May we navigate them with grace and honor.
I told my kids this morning that, according to Nostradamus (and my high school history teacher), the end times would be marked by three final popes. The first would bear the letter 'v' - my teacher thought JP II, as a solidarity supporter, fit the bill. The next two would have relatively short pontificates. Benedict's eight years isn't very long as far as popes go.
So I'm packing for the rapture. Even if I'm Catholic. Want to have the bases covered . . . .
All I could say I said here. http://dianelmajor.blogspot.com/2016/11/november-9-2016.html I apologize for self-linking, but this came out all in a glut, unedited, and it is an offering to y'all. Because you are one of the things that inspired what I had to say.
I am practicing gratitude, have practiced for ten thousand hours. Today's the recital.
You all mean so very much to me. Thank you for being here.
I went to sleep before the election was decided, and I've just been stunned all morning.
It's important to remember how we got here. Trump didn't gain support because he was reasonable or charismatic or moral, he gained support because people are afraid and angry.
If we want this country to be livable under a Trump presidency, we can't contribute to the culture that elected him. Instead of fear, open your mind to compassion. Instead of anger, turn your heart to generosity. I disagree with the president-elect on pretty much everything, but I agree on this: we've allowed fear and anger to divide us.
So read a good book, give yourself some time to adjust, and reach out to a neighbor (whatever their political beliefs). Volunteer for a good cause. Donate to something you believe in. Keep writing. The world's been going to hell in a handbasket for a long time, but we've never quite arrived. There's still a lot of good work to be done.
I've made no secret of my disdain for the now President-Elect. However, there's no point in despairing. As one commentator said last night/this morning, this is America and American democracy. The people voted, and the people have spoken. John has a good point--this is who we ended up with, so let's pray he's a better man in office than he was when he was a candidate. Indeed, the Bible commands that I pray for those in government, and Paul wrote those words under Nero's reign (1 Tim 1:1-2). As John also pointed out, this sense of disappointment, fear, etc. is common. Many Republicans felt it after the Clinton and Obama victories. And Democrats felt it (along with a sense of being robbed) after the Bush Jr victory. But here we are, still writing, still telling our stories.
I also echo 2Ns sentiment, because it is, again, a biblical sentiment. Romans 13 reminds us that all governments are given to us by God. And, again, Paul wrote those words while Nero was Caesar. Maybe we're getting what we deserve. And that should be a sobering thought.
Whatever your point of view, there will be challenging times ahead. This next presidency will be hard to take, but it's done, and, short of impeachment, we're stuck with it for at least the next four years. Again, remember, this is American democracy at work. Our next president wasn't imposed upon us by a military coup, or by the death or abdication of his father. There are many people in the world who would love to have the opportunity to elect their leaders as we do. The system may not be perfect, but the decision made yesterday demonstrates that truly anyone can aspire to be president.
So, my friends, don't despair, and don't be depressed. This may not be the reality we wanted, but it's the one we have. We can still write and create, we can use our words to imagine better realities, or help ourselves and others deal with this one. Now, have some tea/coffee/adult beverage, and get back to work! ;)
Everything will be all right. Do not despair or let fear and hatred rule you, I think John and Amy make excellent points as does Colin.
In the end, after all, power is only an illusion. No one can steal your voice though they may beat you or steal from you. It is up to us, the people, how this goes. If we lash out in fear and hate, then yes, the next 4 years will be a nightmare. And it won't be the President's fault. That will be on us, all of us.
However, if we react with love, kindness, compassion and light and try to simply understand one another even if we don't agree, it won't make any damn difference whose butt is in power. The world will be better.
After all, we, individuals regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, or ideology, are God's hands. This is our world, our playground, our Heaven, and our Hell. It isn't up to our leaders -most of them are too drunk on power to see the pain of the common man. It has always been so.
It's not for our leaders to change the world. Maybe it is up to us. And maybe that is the point of all this. Try to be the change you wish to see. Or at least write about it. Everyone of us has the power to make the world a bit brighter.
This community alone tells me that much. Please, do not despair. We can take care of each other. I adore all of you, and besides Janet is my queen. What do I care who the president is. If he tries to do truly terrible things, he's not Emperor. He can be stopped.
How I wish I could wrap my arms around our sharkly queen and provide loaner cats and great books to her and remove her pain and the pain of all those who are feeling scared and defeated today. This too will pass. Keep writing.
I hope you'll forgive me for this, but I'm copying and pasting my thoughts from Facebook. Because I have no words left and am still processing...
I'm not ashamed to say I cried myself to sleep last night. It has nothing to do with the fact that the candidate I voted for lost, nothing to do with the fact that we won't have a female president--those were two realities I could bear.
But knowing that hate won the highest office in our land, that the fear he has spread has been given that much more power, makes one feel defeated.
I'm terrified for my friends and family who were the subject of his ridicule, who may be the target of unknown repercussions from this decision: people who only want to love each other regardless of their orientation, people who want to feel safe regardless of their gender, people who want to pray no matter their religion, people who want to feel valued in their country--THEIR COUNTRY--no matter the color of their skin. People who look different, act different. People who are barely scraping by financially. People who are disabled or otherwise unwell. I'm terrified for our freedoms, for our safety, for our well-being--yes, even my own.
We are all vulnerable now--every single one of us. We've had to look inward and realize that the fragile lie of "them, not me" doesn't hold up anymore.
"Yes, you too."
Yes, you and you and even you.
No more sticking our heads in the sand. No more looking the other way. No more cowering in the corner waiting for the darkness to envelope someone else. You are a source of light in this world--it's time to stand together in love and dispel the shadows of hate.
Last night, as I tossed and turned in fitful sleep, I had a dream about a friend who recently passed away, a friend I think about often. I cried to her, told her I was missing her, begged her for some kind of peace of mind.
"I'm OK," she said. "You will be, too."
We will be, too.
*I stand in gratitude for this community. No matter our political views, no matter our differences in opinion, you continue to have my love and respect. Love is the strongest force there is, and I refuse to let that light go out.*
I am personally filled with dread. I take it personally, having a wife, a mother, a sister, and daughters. That said, many have so much more to fear. It's a very changed and scary world if you are waking up as a Muslim or Hispanic American. I hope going forward that we (and I) have the strenght and courage to stand up for what we believe.
Last Sunday, my pastor gave advice to his congregation including those, like me, who did not like either candidate. I followed his advice, because I agreed with it.
1. Get down on your knees and pray for wisdom and guidance.
2. Vote. Hold your nose if necessary.
3. Get back on your knees and pray.
4. Repeat #4, because whoever wins, our nation needs it and will continue to need it.
5. No matter who wins, God remains on the throne and is still in control.
Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened. Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil.
I will be in total blackout from now until....no tv no newsoaoers. THE idea if this man taking the oath of office is devastating but very very telling.
I have been inspired by Shaunna. Tonight is a LotR night. I need a story - I need a very good story.
Also - thanks to all of you who are encouraging us with verses and words of wisdom. It's definitely appreciated. :) I remember 8 years ago, when I was much happier with the results but friends with those who weren't, I called out to my friends to pray for the president, despite politics. This morning (it took me a few hours to resist being a hypocrite) I did the same.
No president-elect has needed prayer because of his strengths. He has needed prayer because of his failings. It's as true today as it has ever been.
I stopped writing over the last 5 days, in part to focus on the election, but I don't think that was a good idea. Despair overtakes me more readily when I am not writing. So it's back to the WIP today.
I hope I can use the election result as a spur to practice being kinder and more aware.
I am one of those Americans who held his nose and voted for Trump. I considered voting for a protest write-in, but in the end, I had a responsibility to pick a viable candidate who at least expressed policy views similar to my own. So I voted for Trump. And a few others who challenged the status quo.
For those in shock or who are convinced that hate won last night, I want to reassure you that at least in my house, hate did not win. I stayed up most of the night watching the coverage and I watched Trump deliver a great acceptance speech. He said all the right things about reconciliation and thanked Hillary for her years of public service. That's a good sign and a great start.
So instead of despair, let's all pray President elect Trump grows into this job and puts aside his divisive rhetoric. Let's pray he delivers what we sent him to Washington to deliver. He will not be the first US President that people doubted going into office. When President Lincoln was elected, half the country tried to opt out. Let's pray that never happens again.
And finally - if any kind of movement around watering down the First Amendment gains momentum, I'll be one of the first to make a sign that says, "Donald Trump is a weenie. Now arrest me for illegal speech." I'll march in front of WCCO TV in Minneapolis with that sign and I'll invite people across the United States to join me.
Because, let's never forget what makes the United States great, no matter who is in office. We, the people have spoken, and they, the politicians work for us. Not the other way around.
I have kept quiet for so long, I don't know if I can even explain what I think. I've been silent for the better part of year, have quietly read comments left and right on FB, blogs, Twitter, and just about anywhere someone wanted their political viewpoint heard.
This one and only time, because this is a community I trust I can do this in, I'm going to "speak" my mind.
Silent Me is not a hater. Silent Me believes in hope and strength and courage of the people in the US. Silent me is not a bigot, or a racist. Silent Me believes in our country, and Silent Me cares deeply about our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, our founding fathers, and every drop of blood shed to uphold those beliefs. Silent Me is not gloating, or dancing a happy dance of "so there!" Silent Me is turning to you, and you, and you.
Hello. Remember me? I'm still me. And this country is still the country you believed in yesterday. Some here (a lot from the looks of it) may not have the President you wanted, but like Hillary herself said, "Stronger Together," right? You believed in that, right?
I have been offended many times over in the past months by things said on tons of social media platforms and I said nothing. Even right here on this blog, a comment was made just last week that prompted me to write a response which, like always, I deleted. There were comments made yesterday that really bothered. Comments made today.
It's okay. I'm over it, done with it, moving on. And see? I've procrastinated for the better part of an hour over posting this - even now. I appreciate all of you, and that's all there is left to say.
Oh dear the world just took another left and someone's scrambling for the map. Mind you there were a few clues on the way, what does contemptible mean again? Oh yeah an adjective applied for those held in contempt, maybe that kind of disdain is something best left to private expression, especially in a context where you need votes.
Meanwhile across the road, there's a bank holding an IOU with 18 trillion written on it and the three wise monkeys have just left, what happens next is going to be--interesting...
Contrary to what 99% of everyone is saying, Trump was not elected because people think he's a great candidate. People thought he was the lesser of two evils, which is a sad state of affairs.
If the Democrats had nominated a candidate who was less flawed and had less baggage, her emails show even the inside circle knew this was going to be a problem, this would have been no contest.
The same with the other side. However, the liberal media said themselves, Trump is bad for America, but great for ratings and so they gave him $3 billion + in FREE air time. In addition, they knew he was the only candidate Hillary was polling not to be able to beat. Combine that with the early winner take all states that were open primaries where Democrats could vote for the Republican they wanted to run against the anointed one and it was the perfect storm.
A lot of Americans are sick of being put down by their own president for eight years and being told they are losers not only at home but abroad at every opportunity.
I don't like Trump. I was looking forward to him going away so I didn't have to ever listen to him again, but I dislike Hillary also.
Maybe it's time we stop nominating candidates because they are (insert popular cause for the day) and start asking who is best for the country?
I think the left is going to be surprised because Trump is a Democrat. He's more leftist on some issues than Hillary was. That will also surprise and dismay the right.
For all the women gnashing their teeth that their uteruses are under attack, I think they're safe unless there's a rapist in your house. In that case, I think VP Biden recommended you get a shotgun and walk out onto your balcony to fire it into the air to scare your attacker off. Not sure what you do if you don't have a balcony.
I think it's very telling that some of us have remained silent for quite a while out of fear that we'll be eviscerated. It's also telling that we feel safe enough to say something here. And that is a good thing.
I'm not a person of faith, and this election hasn't changed that. But I believe Jesus said something about taking care of the weakest? But this election has made many marginalized people feel isolated and, yes, weak -- black people know that a candidate endorsed by the KKK was elected, Muslims have basically been told that they're not really a part of this nation, and there are American kids who are afraid their parents will be deported.
I have a personal stake as well because I depend on the ACA for health insurance. There are ~20 million people who do so. I'm not saying Obamacare is perfect (far from it), but the fact is it did become the law of the land. Yet Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare right away without going into any specifics of what will replace it (if anything). I have a chronic illness that makes getting insurance on my own prohibitively expensive, so how should I not feel terrified about the future? Seriously, what advice does anyone reading this have for me?
For those who are able to lose themselves in a good book, or write, I envy you. I'd love to do the same, but worries about going bankrupt or dying keep taking over. So when people say they're upset about the election, it's not just because a preferred candidate lost, or because we're not willing to offer empathy for opposing viewpoints -- for some of us it is truly life and death.
P.S. If you're represented by a Republican congressperson, please ask them to think about the consequences of all the legislation they enact. I'm begging you, consider doing that, please.
The best thing about the election is that it is over. Now we need to pick up the pieces and embrace America again.
Both of the candidates we had a chance to vote for were fringe candidates. They came from opposite ends of the spectrum. Because of that base things like a slow economy and rising costs took over.
It is obvious that there are more people who feel disenfranchised here than anyone wanted to acknowledge. We, the people, need to work toward true healing and not just covering things with band-aids.
Donna Bless you for your eloquence. I try very hard to never tip my hat to cause or party or tell which way my vote will go. I want to live a life of love, kindness, and compassion. I like knowing all kinds of people and do not wish to be hated or to alienate anyone just because our ideology does not agree. Few agree with me as I am an individualist and can't abide the collective. Lots of people desperately need to fit in so they relinquish their ability to think critically and objectively. No one wants to be despised or isolated.
It is not my way to judge someone for how they swing their hat. As I said before, everyone has a voice and none of those voices should be squashed or confined to "safe" spaces. I have, I admit, held my tongue here as I don't want to stoke flames of anger.
I wish I were as brave as Julie, Donna, Cynthia, Colin, Carolynn, Diane, and others here who speak their truth so beautifully, sometimes humorously, and so respectfully. I need this place so badly that I am sometimes afraid of saying things - like I said the other day- I am not fish or fowl. To quote Treebeard from Lord of the Rings "I am not entirely on anyone's side because no one is entirely on my side"
Like many Americans I have for a long time felt like the Forgotten Man. ( Read book of same title by Amity Shales for further understanding). I am hopeful this day that maybe someone will at last remember me, the individual, the self-determinist.
Trump was not elected by hate unless that's how you decide to take it. Then yes, you will reap what you sew. He was elected by the forgotten and the silent, not because of him but despite himself like Julie said more or less. I am so tired of the division and I feel genuine sympathy for those feeling uncertain today, but this is not the Apocalypse. Anymore than it was when Obama was elected. This is an adjustment. In the immortal words of David Bowie "Turn and face the strange changes." We can weather any storm as long as we stand together and stop blaming each other and assigning masses of individuals we have never met such demonic traits. Ok, back to life and my WIP.
I am filled with despair today. Not because "my" candidate lost. Over the years I have had friends whose political leanings are different than mine. For the most part, we have more in common than we are at odds. I don't believe most of the people who voted for Trump are racist and hate women. But so many times I have watched him speak those sentiments, mock those who are different, and encourage violence against proteators and his opponent. These are the things that give me pause. Those are the things that make me stare in disbelief that he could be elected.
I am an American and I will respect that he is now our cheif executive. I do find it ironic that so many people who openly opposed and thwarted progress in this country because they did not "like" Obama, are the first to say we must come together as a country. Yes, we must come together, because we are stronger together.
All the same, I weep for the vulnerable in our country and the world, and yes, for me too. I value you all here. Now I need to go snuggle with my cat, and think about getting back to work.
Take a little time to mourn, celebrate, or worry but don’t get stuck there. Tomorrow will come, regardless. If we work together and listen to each other, we can make it better.
I'm bitterly disappointed. This is not the choice I wanted for our country. However. I am first and foremost a proud American; I believe in our democracy; and I go forward, always, with hope.
I look forward to the healing process; I look forward to finding common ground; and as HRC just asked in her concession speech moments ago, I will go forward with an open mind and give our new President a chance to lead. May he live up to the promise of this great nation.
Friends, Sad, strident, or satisfied, democracy demands that we accept the results and move on through an orderly transition of government. But we are not just a democracy, we are a democratic republic, which tempers majority opinions with rule of law. Let us all be as vigilant and spirited about protecting the law and constitution (all of it) as we have been about supporting or denigrating candidates. Many presidents have died, but the constitution is still here, and so is the USA.
When it first looked like it was going to be a close race, the Canadian immigration website got so busy it crashed.
How many people would have to be so committed to leaving if the wrong candidate got in that they could crash a government website?
It's not that easy to move to Canada from the US, though. I suppose some could request refugee status. I don't know if that would wash.
In any case, some are seeing this as a sign of discontentment with the new regime. Me, I see it as another symptom of the vast gulf between the two sides. The divisiveness that seems to get worse with each election, the hatred and derision of 'the other side'... Why would people who love their democratic country want to leave it because their side lost an election? I know the candidate wasn't ideal, but to want to leave your country bad enough to check out how to immigrate while the election was actually happening?
I suppose I should start making cookies. I did promise them to people who were 'moving to Canada' if the wrong side won. And oh crap. I guess I need to clean my house. I may be getting a few visitors...
Greg: Cool. (Crosses Greg's name off the list of people who get cookies.)
By the way, it can be just as hard to get across the American border the other way, even if you're just going down to visit someone. I've been lucky. Others I know have not.
I've always believed that we, as individuals, have a level of power to ensure good prevails - regardless of who is sitting in the White House. We can still lift up the women in our lives. We can still reach out to those who need inclusion. We can still go for a walk and pick up litter along the way. We can still make a difference in our own backyards... and like ripples in a pond, the good spreads. HUGS y'all!
And on a brighter note, I fell into Dixie's life last night and lost sleep reading "one more chapter" several times. I just want to grab her mama by the shoulders and give her a good shake. Bless her heart.
I really don't know how to move on from this. Seeing my biracial 8yo, who has overheard some of the things Trump says about minorities and women despite our efforts to shield him from it, break down in tears this morning was unbelievably painful. It's been one of the most painful days of my adult life, and I've had some damn hard days.
All I've got right now:
I know I'll double down on working to improve my community locally.
I know I will be pulling back from a lot of online spaces because I am simply too gutted and, if I stay, I will say things I regret (not the sentiment, but the way I will express anything right now).
You know, I really think we should all write diaries, starting today, whatever our political views. Because far in the future, historians will wonder what was going on in our heads. It won't do to wait a few years, because then you'll understand it from a different vantage point. They'll want to see our day-to-day thoughts as whatever takes place, does.
The only highlight of the day was when my daughter looked at her little brother said, "I'm so sorry. Hello Kitty didn't win." Although he was the only one who voted for the lovable kitty cat in our household election, he took the loss pretty well.
Adele: I think it will be a lot easier in decades and centuries to come for people to look back and understand how people thought and felt about life in the mid-2010s. As long as the social media data is available, along with the traditional press and TV, I think people will get a good picture. If only such technology was available in past times, don't you think Julie? Diane? Can you imagine Clovis I's blog? ;)
I refuse to fear. I refuse to despair. One of the biggest problems I see is that people assume the worst about everyone who voted for the other side. But many on both sides overlook flaws in their candidates, whether because they support a specific issue or set of issues above all else, or because they are afraid of the other candidate. And that's why most people voted as they did. Talk to your neighbors, your family, your friends. Listen. And look for the common way forward. I don't say this from a place of political victory. I did not vote for either major candidate (and in Texas, I didn't hurt either of them by voting third party). I say this from a place of knowing that we are much better off if we are not dividing unnecessarily.
I'm 60. Every election I can recall was the end of the world for a big hunk of America, starting with JFK's election (the Protestant/Catholic divide was huge at the time). I don't recall the '56 election, being a mere babe at the time. But the rest were definitely the ends of the world, and yet here we are. Don't abandon hope! Love well and look for a way forward that transcends the insanity. And make sure people know you have their backs. You guys rock, and I've got your back.
Colin: I think you say things in diaries (and I mean hand-written-in-a-little book diaries, not blogs) that you don't say out loud. Social media is highly censored - not by the government, but by other people, who think you should be shamed or threatened because you said something that wasn't what they thought you ought to say. Plus, historians can certainly access newspapers, but it's the little human thoughts and doings that say so much more. Here's John Evelyn, attending a secret remembrance ceremony for his murdered king - would you know about that if you hadn't read his diary? It says something the history books don't - or wouldn't without Evelyn's diary. Certainly the government of the day didn't know about it or they'd have arrested the lot, and any papers or broadsides wouldn't have mentioned it for the same reason. I'm not comparing a simple election to regicide, but there are so many things we all want to say that we don't dare say, even though we can, because we don't relish the fallout, and those are the things history misses if we leave it up to the media.
So many others of you spoke more eloquently than I can manage. I was brought to tears by the compassion and love some are expressing here, and I wholeheartedly feel for everyone feeling justifiably terrified for their futures.
I'm going to choose love. Because I know those who supported our President-elect had their reasons, which are as thoughtful and deep-seated as my own for not doing so. Because I know that the country is split exactly in half over this. Because I'm tired of seeing my friends tear each other into pieces over differences in beliefs.
I choose love. I'm relieved to see I'm not the only one.
Janet and others here, I read the blog often, but seldom comment. I'm assuming most, if not all of you, are writers.
Storytellers have always been important to our species. Not simply for entertainment, but to help us understand; to make visible what is usually invisible---by which I mean, to take us into another's experience, to help us see through another's eyes. You teach empathy. You engender empathy.
You are all so very important, so very necessary. You were necessary before the election, and you remain so now.
And Janet, you and others in the business help bring these stories into a world that needs them. You have the power to help us speak to each other, and to hear each other. You do this every day on your blog, too. You've created a fine community of people who clearly care about each other. It is a small piece of the world, but each piece contributes to the whole. Do not despair. You are more powerful than you know.
These words from Rabindranath Tagore gave me comfort yesterday while people were still going to the polls. They still give me comfort today. I share them here for anyone who might also find comfort in them.
Where The Mind Is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake
Colin - essentially, I spent ten years writing Clovis' blog. I can't say I'm honestly the one who imagined it; but I was a conduit for a good, long time.
Lucie, you break my heart, but never even having seen his face just the idea of your son is hope, and that is beautiful. Only if you did not care could this be a catastrophe.
Breaking the 3-comment limit because this community is so civilized; which is all any of us were worried about this morning, right? THIS comments section, right here - this is the hope, and these are the people (on both sides) who make us realize it's okay.
My political persuasions are no secret, but I am not so partisan I'm blind to the fact that fleeing the country because "we lost" is a direct analog to the fears many at my end of the spectrum had, of those on the other end sowing unrest or even revolution if *they* lost. If I expect those people not to break down the fabric of our nation, it would be hypocritical and STUPID for me to do the same by abandoning it.
George Carlin's old bit about the Earth and environmentalism - "Maybe the planet needed plastic ... and the Earth isn't going anywhere if we destroy ourselves. The Earth will shake us off like a mild cough." (Paraphrased, of course.) Now, none of that stops me recycling or makes me laugh at driving a car that gets 50MPG, but the point is still important: we make it all about ourselves when we're afraid.
We're important. We should care. We should take our stewardship of this planet seriously. But more important even than that is our stewardship of one another.
This community here is THAT, done so right. Earlier today, I was practicing gratitude with my teeth gritted. It was work. By now, it is heartfelt. Y'all are a big part of that.
Panda, BJ - I'll make cookies myself for both of you if you're ever in my neck of the woods in Minnesota and want to come visit. Doesn't matter what side of the political isle you're on. Jennifer, you're welcome to some cookies too. So's anyone else who wants to stop over and say hi.
My sister called me this morning with a quote from one of my heroes.
“You wake from dreams of doom and--for a moment--you know: beyond all the noise and the gestures, the only real thing, love's calm unwavering flame in the half-light of an early dawn.” ― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
*Puts Minnesota on the list of places to go to, now that the markets are reeling and I'm sure the exchange rate will be much better soon* I love cookies. Gluten-free, please. Celiac disease is a bitch.
Panda, if you come here, you'll get Greg's cookies. If not, I know a really good cook in the Pacific NorthWest who may even like pandas. Sometimes she reads this blog. Maybe she can help you... (If I lived closer, I'd be asking for cookies, too.)
Others have commented far more eloquently than I can - and as an outsider, my opinion's not worth much anyway - but thank you to John Frain, Amy Johnson and Donna, among others, who have encapsulated my thoughts this morning. And yes, I'm praying.
I've been at such a loss for words. But I'm a writer and I feel the need to make sense of this in words. Or to try.
There is a great deal of racism and misogyny in the world, and there's plenty of it in this country. That played a big part in this election and I don't think it's helpful to pretend it didn't. Those prejudices aren't going anywhere and we need to be realistic about that.
BUT. I think the bigger issue is that a large percentage of this country, mostly rural, is still hurting from the recession. They're living in poverty and the jobs in their towns have disappeared. They feel hopeless and helpless. They're deeply hurt and they're angry. The things Trump said resonated with them, especially the things about bringing jobs back (a promise I desperately hope he can fulfill). They are literally fighting for their lives and if putting up with a bit of bigotry is the price they have to pay, they seem more than happy to do so. We can't ignore those people. They're Americans too.
Voting is a way to make yourself heard and now is a time for those of us who "lost" to listen. Not to the hatred and bigotry, but to the very real fear felt by a large percentage of our population that their livelihoods and promise for a better future for their kids have gone very horribly wrong. The status quo isn't working for them and they rejected it in favour of something that sounded, on the surface at least, radically different.
I am worried about a Trump presidency, especially when coupled with a Republican controlled congress and the situation with the Supreme Court. He is unpredictable and rash. And we face the prospect of losing many of the rights we've fought for, mostly for minorities. If that happens, we'll just have to get them back. We did it once, we'll do it again.
But I don't think he'll destroy this country. We're stronger than that. We've overcome much more difficult situations and thrived in spite of them. Because of them. We are wonderfully inventive and generally caring about the plight of our friends and neighbours. Too many of them are hurting right now and we need to try to fix that.
A good place to start is to focus on what we have in common, not what tears us apart. We've got work to do, and that requires us to be present and to pay attention. Not hide or leave. We're strong and smart and we'll get through these difficult times. Together.
OK, end of pep talk. I feel more hopeful now and I hope some of you do too.
KD and Sara: I'm glad I came back here to read through the rest of the comments. Thank you for putting into words what I've been trying to express all day--why I feel gutted and such loss. It has nothing to do with losing the vote. It has nothing to do with not having a female president. It has everything to do with the very legitimate fear my friends and family are feeling when we had come so far, only to worry that our voices and rights will not only be ignored, but actively suppressed again through violence and discord.
There is pain felt on both sides today. It's only when we acknowledge that pain, that fear, from each group, including those who voted for Trump, that we can actively work together to change all of our lives for the better. But it first has to be acknowledged.
Soon enough, this fear I'm feeling will be replaced with resolve, and I'll play my part in standing up and continuing to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. The past few years have taught me how. And if this life has taught me anything else, it's how to be brave in the face of defeat.
Bear in mind, the MAJORITY of your fellow Americans thought it should be her. The Electoral College (which is the law of the land) thinks it should be him.
"Bear in mind, the MAJORITY of your fellow Americans thought it should be her."
Yes, and thank God for the electoral college or cities in the north east and California would decide most elections since they hold the largest population centers. Look at a map of how the election went.
When pundits say politicians were wrong to dismiss fly over America, they finally got it right. Fly over America is tired of being ignored. Hillary is the one who erroneously assumed she didn't have to campaign in Wisconsin because it always votes Democrat. Keep courting the big populations and big money events at your own risk politicians. Hillary should have taken note from Bernie's grass roots campaign that America is tired of business as usual.
Julie, the Northeast and Northern California wouldn't decide an election without the electoral college. Everyone everywhere would, because everyone's vote would be worth exactly the same. It literally makes it so that no one region decides an election. Right now people in the regions you call "flyover" America have votes worth double the amount mine does, just because I happen to live in the wrong place. It doesn't get more "some people are more equal than others" than that.
85 comments:
I echo that sentiment...stay strong, read, and write!
I'm in shock. I can't believe this is what my fellow Americans think our country should be.
Here's a hopeful way to look at things, if you enjoy being hopeful. Trump has been surprising since the day he entered the race. Lost the Iowa primary and then won New Hampshire and then went on to get the nomination. Was given no chance to win in the general election, but surprised most of the country.
So let's give him a chance to surprise us in office. We only get one president at a time. We owe it to the person who's elected to give our support. It's one of the principles this country is founded on. I think he's going to surprise some people. I hope so.
I feel physically ill.
A lot of us weren't crazy about the past 8 years yet we survived. Every four years at least half the country feels like it's the end of the world. At least there seems to be more consensus this time around.
He's your president not mine, but I'm still depressed.
Buckle up boys and girls.
As my dear departed, say-it-like-it-is mom often said, "...honey, you get what you deserve."
God save us all.
WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't felt this sick and paranoid and hopeless since the 80s when I learned about nuclear bombs.
It's hard watching your neighbours implode. It's really hard knowing some of the debris will destroy your home and you can't do anything to prevent it.
This feeling will pass, I'm sure.
Now I'm off to the Royal Winter Fair to see the horses and goats and blow-dried cows.
99% convinced that the Maya were right and the world really did end in 2012. Now we're all just getting trolled in some kind of horrible nightmare.
I really hated having to be a good example when I told my kids this morning.
A thought is that many people who love books say we want to consider perspectives that are different from the ones we currently hold. We ask for voices that our different from ours. We want to consider world views that are different from ours. We say don't censor books.
One approach to this morning's news--rather than being fearful and vilifying--might be to thoughtfully seek to understand perspectives that are different from ours. Just like many of us say we want to do when it comes to books.
Peace.
So I went to sleep in America and woke up in Panem. In Potterverse before the boy who lived. I hope the death eaters are happy and that their ballots mark their souls. But at least there is still hope while we burn in the fire we created, because in fire, the weak are destroyed and the strong refined. And hatred is so weak.
My husband woke me up in bed this morning to gloat, causing me to see him in a whole new light (we never discuss politics because I'm so moderate, and he's so...not.)
Heartbroken, not just for our country, but for me. For women everywhere. For immigrants, like my grandfather. Great changes lie ahead. May we navigate them with grace and honor.
Oh yes, That's exactly how I feel.
I told my kids this morning that, according to Nostradamus (and my high school history teacher), the end times would be marked by three final popes. The first would bear the letter 'v' - my teacher thought JP II, as a solidarity supporter, fit the bill. The next two would have relatively short pontificates. Benedict's eight years isn't very long as far as popes go.
So I'm packing for the rapture. Even if I'm Catholic. Want to have the bases covered . . . .
All I could say I said here. http://dianelmajor.blogspot.com/2016/11/november-9-2016.html I apologize for self-linking, but this came out all in a glut, unedited, and it is an offering to y'all. Because you are one of the things that inspired what I had to say.
I am practicing gratitude, have practiced for ten thousand hours. Today's the recital.
You all mean so very much to me. Thank you for being here.
I went to sleep before the election was decided, and I've just been stunned all morning.
It's important to remember how we got here. Trump didn't gain support because he was reasonable or charismatic or moral, he gained support because people are afraid and angry.
If we want this country to be livable under a Trump presidency, we can't contribute to the culture that elected him. Instead of fear, open your mind to compassion. Instead of anger, turn your heart to generosity. I disagree with the president-elect on pretty much everything, but I agree on this: we've allowed fear and anger to divide us.
So read a good book, give yourself some time to adjust, and reach out to a neighbor (whatever their political beliefs). Volunteer for a good cause. Donate to something you believe in. Keep writing. The world's been going to hell in a handbasket for a long time, but we've never quite arrived. There's still a lot of good work to be done.
I've made no secret of my disdain for the now President-Elect. However, there's no point in despairing. As one commentator said last night/this morning, this is America and American democracy. The people voted, and the people have spoken. John has a good point--this is who we ended up with, so let's pray he's a better man in office than he was when he was a candidate. Indeed, the Bible commands that I pray for those in government, and Paul wrote those words under Nero's reign (1 Tim 1:1-2). As John also pointed out, this sense of disappointment, fear, etc. is common. Many Republicans felt it after the Clinton and Obama victories. And Democrats felt it (along with a sense of being robbed) after the Bush Jr victory. But here we are, still writing, still telling our stories.
I also echo 2Ns sentiment, because it is, again, a biblical sentiment. Romans 13 reminds us that all governments are given to us by God. And, again, Paul wrote those words while Nero was Caesar. Maybe we're getting what we deserve. And that should be a sobering thought.
Whatever your point of view, there will be challenging times ahead. This next presidency will be hard to take, but it's done, and, short of impeachment, we're stuck with it for at least the next four years. Again, remember, this is American democracy at work. Our next president wasn't imposed upon us by a military coup, or by the death or abdication of his father. There are many people in the world who would love to have the opportunity to elect their leaders as we do. The system may not be perfect, but the decision made yesterday demonstrates that truly anyone can aspire to be president.
So, my friends, don't despair, and don't be depressed. This may not be the reality we wanted, but it's the one we have. We can still write and create, we can use our words to imagine better realities, or help ourselves and others deal with this one. Now, have some tea/coffee/adult beverage, and get back to work! ;)
Okay... enough early morning babbling... :)
As much as I can't stand the man I DO NOT want him to fail because if he does, we do too.
Everything will be all right. Do not despair or let fear and hatred rule you, I think John and Amy make excellent points as does Colin.
In the end, after all, power is only an illusion. No one can steal your voice though they may beat you or steal from you. It is up to us, the people, how this goes. If we lash out in fear and hate, then yes, the next 4 years will be a nightmare. And it won't be the President's fault. That will be on us, all of us.
However, if we react with love, kindness, compassion and light and try to simply understand one another even if we don't agree, it won't make any damn difference whose butt is in power. The world will be better.
After all, we, individuals regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, or ideology, are God's hands. This is our world, our playground, our Heaven, and our Hell. It isn't up to our leaders -most of them are too drunk on power to see the pain of the common man. It has always been so.
It's not for our leaders to change the world. Maybe it is up to us. And maybe that is the point of all this. Try to be the change you wish to see. Or at least write about it. Everyone of us has the power to make the world a bit brighter.
This community alone tells me that much. Please, do not despair. We can take care of each other. I adore all of you, and besides Janet is my queen. What do I care who the president is. If he tries to do truly terrible things, he's not Emperor. He can be stopped.
How I wish I could wrap my arms around our sharkly queen and provide loaner cats and great books to her and remove her pain and the pain of all those who are feeling scared and defeated today. This too will pass. Keep writing.
I hope you'll forgive me for this, but I'm copying and pasting my thoughts from Facebook. Because I have no words left and am still processing...
I'm not ashamed to say I cried myself to sleep last night. It has nothing to do with the fact that the candidate I voted for lost, nothing to do with the fact that we won't have a female president--those were two realities I could bear.
But knowing that hate won the highest office in our land, that the fear he has spread has been given that much more power, makes one feel defeated.
I'm terrified for my friends and family who were the subject of his ridicule, who may be the target of unknown repercussions from this decision: people who only want to love each other regardless of their orientation, people who want to feel safe regardless of their gender, people who want to pray no matter their religion, people who want to feel valued in their country--THEIR COUNTRY--no matter the color of their skin. People who look different, act different. People who are barely scraping by financially. People who are disabled or otherwise unwell. I'm terrified for our freedoms, for our safety, for our well-being--yes, even my own.
We are all vulnerable now--every single one of us. We've had to look inward and realize that the fragile lie of "them, not me" doesn't hold up anymore.
"Yes, you too."
Yes, you and you and even you.
No more sticking our heads in the sand. No more looking the other way. No more cowering in the corner waiting for the darkness to envelope someone else. You are a source of light in this world--it's time to stand together in love and dispel the shadows of hate.
Last night, as I tossed and turned in fitful sleep, I had a dream about a friend who recently passed away, a friend I think about often. I cried to her, told her I was missing her, begged her for some kind of peace of mind.
"I'm OK," she said. "You will be, too."
We will be, too.
*I stand in gratitude for this community. No matter our political views, no matter our differences in opinion, you continue to have my love and respect. Love is the strongest force there is, and I refuse to let that light go out.*
I am speechless. Losing faith in mankind is not just a saying.
I am personally filled with dread. I take it personally, having a wife, a mother, a sister, and daughters.
That said, many have so much more to fear. It's a very changed and scary world if you are waking up as a Muslim or Hispanic American. I hope going forward that we (and I) have the strenght and courage to stand up for what we believe.
Last Sunday, my pastor gave advice to his congregation including those, like me, who did not like either candidate. I followed his advice, because I agreed with it.
1. Get down on your knees and pray for wisdom and guidance.
2. Vote. Hold your nose if necessary.
3. Get back on your knees and pray.
4. Repeat #4, because whoever wins, our nation needs it and will continue to need it.
5. No matter who wins, God remains on the throne and is still in control.
Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil.
I will be in total blackout from now until....no tv no newsoaoers. THE idea if this man taking the oath of office is devastating but very very telling.
Correction: In my previous comment, I gave a verse reference as 1 Tim 1:1-2. That should be 1 Tim 2:1-2. Sorry 'bout that. :)
Am I the only cynic here. The vote is counted on computers, which can be hacked.
I am truly disturbed to read articles telling us not to trust exit polls. Exit polling is how an election is validated.
Remember this is Trump who is as unethical as they come. And all he talked about was election theft. Was he projecting????
All this gnashing of teeth and rending of garments – seriously?
Yes. Seriously.
YA book about a student council hopeful convincing a grossly unpopular kid to run against her, then losing to him.
Explain the David Duke perspective shared by Trump, maybe I'm missing some subtle point.
I have been inspired by Shaunna. Tonight is a LotR night. I need a story - I need a very good story.
Also - thanks to all of you who are encouraging us with verses and words of wisdom. It's definitely appreciated. :) I remember 8 years ago, when I was much happier with the results but friends with those who weren't, I called out to my friends to pray for the president, despite politics. This morning (it took me a few hours to resist being a hypocrite) I did the same.
No president-elect has needed prayer because of his strengths. He has needed prayer because of his failings. It's as true today as it has ever been.
I stopped writing over the last 5 days, in part to focus on the election, but I don't think that was a good idea. Despair overtakes me more readily when I am not writing. So it's back to the WIP today.
I hope I can use the election result as a spur to practice being kinder and more aware.
I am one of those Americans who held his nose and voted for Trump. I considered voting for a protest write-in, but in the end, I had a responsibility to pick a viable candidate who at least expressed policy views similar to my own. So I voted for Trump. And a few others who challenged the status quo.
For those in shock or who are convinced that hate won last night, I want to reassure you that at least in my house, hate did not win. I stayed up most of the night watching the coverage and I watched Trump deliver a great acceptance speech. He said all the right things about reconciliation and thanked Hillary for her years of public service. That's a good sign and a great start.
So instead of despair, let's all pray President elect Trump grows into this job and puts aside his divisive rhetoric. Let's pray he delivers what we sent him to Washington to deliver. He will not be the first US President that people doubted going into office. When President Lincoln was elected, half the country tried to opt out. Let's pray that never happens again.
And finally - if any kind of movement around watering down the First Amendment gains momentum, I'll be one of the first to make a sign that says, "Donald Trump is a weenie. Now arrest me for illegal speech." I'll march in front of WCCO TV in Minneapolis with that sign and I'll invite people across the United States to join me.
Because, let's never forget what makes the United States great, no matter who is in office. We, the people have spoken, and they, the politicians work for us. Not the other way around.
- Greg
Bethany Elizabeth, I am loving every word you have to say today.
And that's my third comment. Be well, all, and see you when we're fretting more harmlessly again about the business of this blog.
I have kept quiet for so long, I don't know if I can even explain what I think. I've been silent for the better part of year, have quietly read comments left and right on FB, blogs, Twitter, and just about anywhere someone wanted their political viewpoint heard.
This one and only time, because this is a community I trust I can do this in, I'm going to "speak" my mind.
Silent Me is not a hater. Silent Me believes in hope and strength and courage of the people in the US. Silent me is not a bigot, or a racist. Silent Me believes in our country, and Silent Me cares deeply about our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, our founding fathers, and every drop of blood shed to uphold those beliefs. Silent Me is not gloating, or dancing a happy dance of "so there!" Silent Me is turning to you, and you, and you.
Hello. Remember me? I'm still me. And this country is still the country you believed in yesterday. Some here (a lot from the looks of it) may not have the President you wanted, but like Hillary herself said, "Stronger Together," right? You believed in that, right?
I have been offended many times over in the past months by things said on tons of social media platforms and I said nothing. Even right here on this blog, a comment was made just last week that prompted me to write a response which, like always, I deleted. There were comments made yesterday that really bothered. Comments made today.
It's okay. I'm over it, done with it, moving on. And see? I've procrastinated for the better part of an hour over posting this - even now. I appreciate all of you, and that's all there is left to say.
Oh dear the world just took another left and someone's scrambling for the map. Mind you there were a few clues on the way, what does contemptible mean again? Oh yeah an adjective applied for those held in contempt, maybe that kind of disdain is something best left to private expression, especially in a context where you need votes.
Meanwhile across the road, there's a bank holding an IOU with 18 trillion written on it and the three wise monkeys have just left, what happens next is going to be--interesting...
I turn to poetry...
Some old favorites: Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Langston Hughes again.
A new favorite: America the Beautiful by Alicia Ostriker.
Contrary to what 99% of everyone is saying, Trump was not elected because people think he's a great candidate. People thought he was the lesser of two evils, which is a sad state of affairs.
If the Democrats had nominated a candidate who was less flawed and had less baggage, her emails show even the inside circle knew this was going to be a problem, this would have been no contest.
The same with the other side. However, the liberal media said themselves, Trump is bad for America, but great for ratings and so they gave him $3 billion + in FREE air time. In addition, they knew he was the only candidate Hillary was polling not to be able to beat. Combine that with the early winner take all states that were open primaries where Democrats could vote for the Republican they wanted to run against the anointed one and it was the perfect storm.
A lot of Americans are sick of being put down by their own president for eight years and being told they are losers not only at home but abroad at every opportunity.
I don't like Trump. I was looking forward to him going away so I didn't have to ever listen to him again, but I dislike Hillary also.
Maybe it's time we stop nominating candidates because they are (insert popular cause for the day) and start asking who is best for the country?
I think the left is going to be surprised because Trump is a Democrat. He's more leftist on some issues than Hillary was. That will also surprise and dismay the right.
For all the women gnashing their teeth that their uteruses are under attack, I think they're safe unless there's a rapist in your house. In that case, I think VP Biden recommended you get a shotgun and walk out onto your balcony to fire it into the air to scare your attacker off. Not sure what you do if you don't have a balcony.
I think it's very telling that some of us have remained silent for quite a while out of fear that we'll be eviscerated. It's also telling that we feel safe enough to say something here. And that is a good thing.
I'm not a person of faith, and this election hasn't changed that. But I believe Jesus said something about taking care of the weakest? But this election has made many marginalized people feel isolated and, yes, weak -- black people know that a candidate endorsed by the KKK was elected, Muslims have basically been told that they're not really a part of this nation, and there are American kids who are afraid their parents will be deported.
I have a personal stake as well because I depend on the ACA for health insurance. There are ~20 million people who do so. I'm not saying Obamacare is perfect (far from it), but the fact is it did become the law of the land. Yet Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare right away without going into any specifics of what will replace it (if anything). I have a chronic illness that makes getting insurance on my own prohibitively expensive, so how should I not feel terrified about the future? Seriously, what advice does anyone reading this have for me?
For those who are able to lose themselves in a good book, or write, I envy you. I'd love to do the same, but worries about going bankrupt or dying keep taking over. So when people say they're upset about the election, it's not just because a preferred candidate lost, or because we're not willing to offer empathy for opposing viewpoints -- for some of us it is truly life and death.
P.S. If you're represented by a Republican congressperson, please ask them to think about the consequences of all the legislation they enact. I'm begging you, consider doing that, please.
The best thing about the election is that it is over. Now we need to pick up the pieces and embrace America again.
Both of the candidates we had a chance to vote for were fringe candidates. They came from opposite ends of the spectrum. Because of that base things like a slow economy and rising costs took over.
It is obvious that there are more people who feel disenfranchised here than anyone wanted to acknowledge. We, the people, need to work toward true healing and not just covering things with band-aids.
Donna Bless you for your eloquence. I try very hard to never tip my hat to cause or party or tell which way my vote will go. I want to live a life of love, kindness, and compassion. I like knowing all kinds of people and do not wish to be hated or to alienate anyone just because our ideology does not agree. Few agree with me as I am an individualist and can't abide the collective. Lots of people desperately need to fit in so they relinquish their ability to think critically and objectively. No one wants to be despised or isolated.
It is not my way to judge someone for how they swing their hat. As I said before, everyone has a voice and none of those voices should be squashed or confined to "safe" spaces. I have, I admit, held my tongue here as I don't want to stoke flames of anger.
I wish I were as brave as Julie, Donna, Cynthia, Colin, Carolynn, Diane, and others here who speak their truth so beautifully, sometimes humorously, and so respectfully. I need this place so badly that I am sometimes afraid of saying things - like I said the other day- I am not fish or fowl. To quote Treebeard from Lord of the Rings "I am not entirely on anyone's side because no one is entirely on my side"
Like many Americans I have for a long time felt like the Forgotten Man. ( Read book of same title by Amity Shales for further understanding). I am hopeful this day that maybe someone will at last remember me, the individual, the self-determinist.
Trump was not elected by hate unless that's how you decide to take it. Then yes, you will reap what you sew. He was elected by the forgotten and the silent, not because of him but despite himself like Julie said more or less. I am so tired of the division and I feel genuine sympathy for those feeling uncertain today, but this is not the Apocalypse. Anymore than it was when Obama was elected. This is an adjustment. In the immortal words of David Bowie "Turn and face the strange changes." We can weather any storm as long as we stand together and stop blaming each other and assigning masses of individuals we have never met such demonic traits. Ok, back to life and my WIP.
Hugs to my American friends.
-- a terrified Canadian
I am filled with despair today. Not because "my" candidate lost. Over the years I have had friends whose political leanings are different than mine. For the most part, we have more in common than we are at odds. I don't believe most of the people who voted for Trump are racist and hate women. But so many times I have watched him speak those sentiments, mock those who are different, and encourage violence against proteators and his opponent. These are the things that give me pause. Those are the things that make me stare in disbelief that he could be elected.
I am an American and I will respect that he is now our cheif executive. I do find it ironic that so many people who openly opposed and thwarted progress in this country because they did not "like" Obama, are the first to say we must come together as a country. Yes, we must come together, because we are stronger together.
All the same, I weep for the vulnerable in our country and the world, and yes, for me too. I value you all here.
Now I need to go snuggle with my cat, and think about getting back to work.
Take a little time to mourn, celebrate, or worry but don’t get stuck there. Tomorrow will come, regardless. If we work together and listen to each other, we can make it better.
I'm bitterly disappointed. This is not the choice I wanted for our country.
However.
I am first and foremost a proud American; I believe in our democracy; and I go forward, always, with hope.
I look forward to the healing process; I look forward to finding common ground; and as HRC just asked in her concession speech moments ago, I will go forward with an open mind and give our new President a chance to lead. May he live up to the promise of this great nation.
Peace.
Friends, Sad, strident, or satisfied, democracy demands that we accept the results and move on through an orderly transition of government. But we are not just a democracy, we are a democratic republic, which tempers majority opinions with rule of law. Let us all be as vigilant and spirited about protecting the law and constitution (all of it) as we have been about supporting or denigrating candidates. Many presidents have died, but the constitution is still here, and so is the USA.
When it first looked like it was going to be a close race, the Canadian immigration website got so busy it crashed.
How many people would have to be so committed to leaving if the wrong candidate got in that they could crash a government website?
It's not that easy to move to Canada from the US, though. I suppose some could request refugee status. I don't know if that would wash.
In any case, some are seeing this as a sign of discontentment with the new regime. Me, I see it as another symptom of the vast gulf between the two sides. The divisiveness that seems to get worse with each election, the hatred and derision of 'the other side'... Why would people who love their democratic country want to leave it because their side lost an election? I know the candidate wasn't ideal, but to want to leave your country bad enough to check out how to immigrate while the election was actually happening?
I suppose I should start making cookies. I did promise them to people who were 'moving to Canada' if the wrong side won. And oh crap. I guess I need to clean my house. I may be getting a few visitors...
BJ, you'll get a kick out of this story. I have no desire to go back to Canada.
http://www.infrasupport.com/long-couple-days-life-consultant/
- Greg
Greg: Cool. (Crosses Greg's name off the list of people who get cookies.)
By the way, it can be just as hard to get across the American border the other way, even if you're just going down to visit someone. I've been lucky. Others I know have not.
Congrats on getting your certificate!
Dear Query Shark,
It's going to be okay... Helen says so:
https://margaretandhelen.com/2016/11/09/this-too-shall-pass-like-a-kidney-stone/#like-4774
Hang in there- we will rise up again.
I've always believed that we, as individuals, have a level of power to ensure good prevails - regardless of who is sitting in the White House. We can still lift up the women in our lives. We can still reach out to those who need inclusion. We can still go for a walk and pick up litter along the way. We can still make a difference in our own backyards... and like ripples in a pond, the good spreads. HUGS y'all!
Yesterday I retweeted a proofreader's tweet, with a photo of a grocery store sign over a bunch of lemons, which read:
"LEMONS
Perfect for making orange juice!"
Yesterday, I found it funny.
Today, I think it's profound.
-- Barb
And on a brighter note, I fell into Dixie's life last night and lost sleep reading "one more chapter" several times. I just want to grab her mama by the shoulders and give her a good shake. Bless her heart.
I really don't know how to move on from this. Seeing my biracial 8yo, who has overheard some of the things Trump says about minorities and women despite our efforts to shield him from it, break down in tears this morning was unbelievably painful. It's been one of the most painful days of my adult life, and I've had some damn hard days.
All I've got right now:
I know I'll double down on working to improve my community locally.
I know I will be pulling back from a lot of online spaces because I am simply too gutted and, if I stay, I will say things I regret (not the sentiment, but the way I will express anything right now).
I wish everyone here well.
I actually threw up this morning. Trying to explain this to my daughter was gut-wrenching.
You know, I really think we should all write diaries, starting today, whatever our political views. Because far in the future, historians will wonder what was going on in our heads. It won't do to wait a few years, because then you'll understand it from a different vantage point. They'll want to see our day-to-day thoughts as whatever takes place, does.
I should mention I'm an optimist. I think it will all work out, though I don't know how:
It's a mystery.
The only highlight of the day was when my daughter looked at her little brother said, "I'm so sorry. Hello Kitty didn't win." Although he was the only one who voted for the lovable kitty cat in our household election, he took the loss pretty well.
Adele: I think it will be a lot easier in decades and centuries to come for people to look back and understand how people thought and felt about life in the mid-2010s. As long as the social media data is available, along with the traditional press and TV, I think people will get a good picture. If only such technology was available in past times, don't you think Julie? Diane? Can you imagine Clovis I's blog? ;)
I refuse to fear. I refuse to despair.
One of the biggest problems I see is that people assume the worst about everyone who voted for the other side. But many on both sides overlook flaws in their candidates, whether because they support a specific issue or set of issues above all else, or because they are afraid of the other candidate. And that's why most people voted as they did.
Talk to your neighbors, your family, your friends. Listen. And look for the common way forward.
I don't say this from a place of political victory. I did not vote for either major candidate (and in Texas, I didn't hurt either of them by voting third party). I say this from a place of knowing that we are much better off if we are not dividing unnecessarily.
I'm 60. Every election I can recall was the end of the world for a big hunk of America, starting with JFK's election (the Protestant/Catholic divide was huge at the time). I don't recall the '56 election, being a mere babe at the time. But the rest were definitely the ends of the world, and yet here we are. Don't abandon hope! Love well and look for a way forward that transcends the insanity.
And make sure people know you have their backs.
You guys rock, and I've got your back.
The image of blow dried cows, and of cows with their stylists, has been the only bright spot today. Thank you for that.
BJ, I like cookies. Just sayin.
I'll have Greg's.
Peace and love y'all.
Sensible, grounded advice. Thank you.
Colin: I think you say things in diaries (and I mean hand-written-in-a-little book diaries, not blogs) that you don't say out loud. Social media is highly censored - not by the government, but by other people, who think you should be shamed or threatened because you said something that wasn't what they thought you ought to say. Plus, historians can certainly access newspapers, but it's the little human thoughts and doings that say so much more.
Here's John Evelyn, attending a secret remembrance ceremony for his murdered king - would you know about that if you hadn't read his diary? It says something the history books don't - or wouldn't without Evelyn's diary. Certainly the government of the day didn't know about it or they'd have arrested the lot, and any papers or broadsides wouldn't have mentioned it for the same reason. I'm not comparing a simple election to regicide, but there are so many things we all want to say that we don't dare say, even though we can, because we don't relish the fallout, and those are the things history misses if we leave it up to the media.
To me one of the most frightening things is they way DT treated journalists.
So many others of you spoke more eloquently than I can manage. I was brought to tears by the compassion and love some are expressing here, and I wholeheartedly feel for everyone feeling justifiably terrified for their futures.
I'm going to choose love. Because I know those who supported our President-elect had their reasons, which are as thoughtful and deep-seated as my own for not doing so. Because I know that the country is split exactly in half over this. Because I'm tired of seeing my friends tear each other into pieces over differences in beliefs.
I choose love. I'm relieved to see I'm not the only one.
Janet and others here, I read the blog often, but seldom comment.
I'm assuming most, if not all of you, are writers.
Storytellers have always been important to our species. Not simply for entertainment, but to help us understand; to make visible what is usually invisible---by which I mean, to take us into another's experience, to help us see through another's eyes.
You teach empathy. You engender empathy.
You are all so very important, so very necessary. You were necessary before the election, and you remain so now.
And Janet, you and others in the business help bring these stories into a world that needs them. You have the power to help us speak to each other, and to hear each other. You do this every day on your blog, too. You've created a fine community of people who clearly care about each other. It is a small piece of the world, but each piece contributes to the whole. Do not despair. You are more powerful than you know.
These words from Rabindranath Tagore gave me comfort yesterday while people were still going to the polls. They still give me comfort today. I share them here for anyone who might also find comfort in them.
Where The Mind Is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake
Colin - essentially, I spent ten years writing Clovis' blog. I can't say I'm honestly the one who imagined it; but I was a conduit for a good, long time.
Lucie, you break my heart, but never even having seen his face just the idea of your son is hope, and that is beautiful. Only if you did not care could this be a catastrophe.
Breaking the 3-comment limit because this community is so civilized; which is all any of us were worried about this morning, right? THIS comments section, right here - this is the hope, and these are the people (on both sides) who make us realize it's okay.
My political persuasions are no secret, but I am not so partisan I'm blind to the fact that fleeing the country because "we lost" is a direct analog to the fears many at my end of the spectrum had, of those on the other end sowing unrest or even revolution if *they* lost. If I expect those people not to break down the fabric of our nation, it would be hypocritical and STUPID for me to do the same by abandoning it.
George Carlin's old bit about the Earth and environmentalism - "Maybe the planet needed plastic ... and the Earth isn't going anywhere if we destroy ourselves. The Earth will shake us off like a mild cough." (Paraphrased, of course.) Now, none of that stops me recycling or makes me laugh at driving a car that gets 50MPG, but the point is still important: we make it all about ourselves when we're afraid.
We're important. We should care. We should take our stewardship of this planet seriously. But more important even than that is our stewardship of one another.
This community here is THAT, done so right. Earlier today, I was practicing gratitude with my teeth gritted. It was work. By now, it is heartfelt. Y'all are a big part of that.
Panda, BJ - I'll make cookies myself for both of you if you're ever in my neck of the woods in Minnesota and want to come visit. Doesn't matter what side of the political isle you're on. Jennifer, you're welcome to some cookies too. So's anyone else who wants to stop over and say hi.
- Greg
My sister called me this morning with a quote from one of my heroes.
“You wake from dreams of doom and--for a moment--you know: beyond all the noise and the gestures, the only real thing, love's calm unwavering flame in the half-light of an early dawn.”
― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
*Puts Minnesota on the list of places to go to, now that the markets are reeling and I'm sure the exchange rate will be much better soon* I love cookies. Gluten-free, please. Celiac disease is a bitch.
Panda, if you come here, you'll get Greg's cookies. If not, I know a really good cook in the Pacific NorthWest who may even like pandas. Sometimes she reads this blog. Maybe she can help you... (If I lived closer, I'd be asking for cookies, too.)
Others have commented far more eloquently than I can - and as an outsider, my opinion's not worth much anyway - but thank you to John Frain, Amy Johnson and Donna, among others, who have encapsulated my thoughts this morning.
And yes, I'm praying.
I've been at such a loss for words. But I'm a writer and I feel the need to make sense of this in words. Or to try.
There is a great deal of racism and misogyny in the world, and there's plenty of it in this country. That played a big part in this election and I don't think it's helpful to pretend it didn't. Those prejudices aren't going anywhere and we need to be realistic about that.
BUT. I think the bigger issue is that a large percentage of this country, mostly rural, is still hurting from the recession. They're living in poverty and the jobs in their towns have disappeared. They feel hopeless and helpless. They're deeply hurt and they're angry. The things Trump said resonated with them, especially the things about bringing jobs back (a promise I desperately hope he can fulfill). They are literally fighting for their lives and if putting up with a bit of bigotry is the price they have to pay, they seem more than happy to do so. We can't ignore those people. They're Americans too.
Voting is a way to make yourself heard and now is a time for those of us who "lost" to listen. Not to the hatred and bigotry, but to the very real fear felt by a large percentage of our population that their livelihoods and promise for a better future for their kids have gone very horribly wrong. The status quo isn't working for them and they rejected it in favour of something that sounded, on the surface at least, radically different.
I am worried about a Trump presidency, especially when coupled with a Republican controlled congress and the situation with the Supreme Court. He is unpredictable and rash. And we face the prospect of losing many of the rights we've fought for, mostly for minorities. If that happens, we'll just have to get them back. We did it once, we'll do it again.
But I don't think he'll destroy this country. We're stronger than that. We've overcome much more difficult situations and thrived in spite of them. Because of them. We are wonderfully inventive and generally caring about the plight of our friends and neighbours. Too many of them are hurting right now and we need to try to fix that.
A good place to start is to focus on what we have in common, not what tears us apart. We've got work to do, and that requires us to be present and to pay attention. Not hide or leave. We're strong and smart and we'll get through these difficult times. Together.
OK, end of pep talk. I feel more hopeful now and I hope some of you do too.
I forgot to add this line to my post above so it makes sense, so I'm copying and pasting:
Yesterday I retweeted a proofreader's tweet, with a photo of a grocery store sign over a bunch of lemons, which read:
"When life hands you lemons, make orange juice."
"LEMONS
Perfect for making orange juice!"
Yesterday, I found it funny.
Today, I think it's profound.
-- Barb
All I want to do is cry into a gallon of Rocky Road. All I have is a freezer-burned half gallon of vanilla bean. That'll do.
KD and Sara: I'm glad I came back here to read through the rest of the comments. Thank you for putting into words what I've been trying to express all day--why I feel gutted and such loss. It has nothing to do with losing the vote. It has nothing to do with not having a female president. It has everything to do with the very legitimate fear my friends and family are feeling when we had come so far, only to worry that our voices and rights will not only be ignored, but actively suppressed again through violence and discord.
There is pain felt on both sides today. It's only when we acknowledge that pain, that fear, from each group, including those who voted for Trump, that we can actively work together to change all of our lives for the better. But it first has to be acknowledged.
Soon enough, this fear I'm feeling will be replaced with resolve, and I'll play my part in standing up and continuing to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. The past few years have taught me how. And if this life has taught me anything else, it's how to be brave in the face of defeat.
Until then, I need to process.
Carolynn: Thank God ice cream exists.
Susan, ice cream is my wine, whiskey and way to cope.
@ Peggy Rothschild...
Bear in mind, the MAJORITY of your fellow Americans thought it should be her. The Electoral College (which is the law of the land) thinks it should be him.
Michael,
"Bear in mind, the MAJORITY of your fellow Americans thought it should be her."
Yes, and thank God for the electoral college or cities in the north east and California would decide most elections since they hold the largest population centers. Look at a map of how the election went.
When pundits say politicians were wrong to dismiss fly over America, they finally got it right. Fly over America is tired of being ignored. Hillary is the one who erroneously assumed she didn't have to campaign in Wisconsin because it always votes Democrat. Keep courting the big populations and big money events at your own risk politicians. Hillary should have taken note from Bernie's grass roots campaign that America is tired of business as usual.
The dimly glowing, hardly discernible, dying coal of a bright side is that I now have a LOAD of new stuff for my SF adult dystopian WIP.
Julie, the Northeast and Northern California wouldn't decide an election without the electoral college. Everyone everywhere would, because everyone's vote would be worth exactly the same. It literally makes it so that no one region decides an election. Right now people in the regions you call "flyover" America have votes worth double the amount mine does, just because I happen to live in the wrong place. It doesn't get more "some people are more equal than others" than that.
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