And if you should see a hate crime happening, here is a guide on what to do. Sadly I think there will be more of these guides needed in the coming months.
I rarely go into politics on my blog. Like many I am making an exception, an unapologetic exception.
I am hurt and mad and more than a little bit scared and I'm not going to sugar coat it. Donald Trump is going to be a disaster for anyone who believes in diversity, clean air and water, climate change, women's rights, affordable health care, equal pay and THAT just covers some of the domestic issues. I'm not going to go down the road here on just how paralyzed by fear I will be when he receives the football. I also want to say, it's not sour grapes. We've elected a lot of not so great presidents. It happens but never have we elected one so lacking in any of the skills needed to be our highest world diplomat and defender and frankly, I'm terrified. Imagine, if you will, what the world would look like today if Al Gore had taken the reins? Do you think we would have seen such a destabilized Middle East and participating in numerous wars over the last 16 years? No one can know really, and what ifs are a dangerous game. I was willing to take a wait and see stance right up until the time Steve Bannon was named to DJT inner White House circle. The reality is I wake up every morning now, hoping a way has been found to remove DJT from ever becoming President, wishing for a do-over.
I've suffered two losses this fall. My Dad (who said he would never vote Trump even though he was a staunch Republican), and my country as I know it. There are new norms coming and I'm pretty sure they aren't going to be pretty. Look to history folks, with how hate and intolerance has insidiously come to power. The swamp is not going to be drained. It's likely to become deeper and much more toxic. Coal will not come back, neither will steel. We do need change but trying to roll back instead of look forward is doomed and it may cause permanent damage to our world and our democracy in the process.
So , what to do. Get involved with local government. If you don't have time, donate. The DNC is a mess right now but I'm betting there will be lots of positive things going on there in the coming months. Heck, there are even survival guides popping up on the internet. Here is one (Love the title!), and another from our friends across the pond.
Support good journalism. Buy and read newspapers. As much as we can't stand them sometimes, reporters and journalists are a democracies best watch dogs. Freedom of the press has saved our bacon numerous times. I subscribe to a couple of papers online. It's cheap and saves trees. My picks are the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. I like diversity in my daily reading material.
The Electoral College has got to go and that should be job one. I just can't imagine how we can call ourselves a democracy when it is plain to see the majority is NOT being represented in our largest and most important election. Two times in 16 years is two times too many. MoveOn.org can put you in touch with many petitions. Abolish the Electoral College and a good one for stopping the mess at Standing Rock. Imagine if foreign oil wanted to run right through Arlington Cemetery for a moment?
Michael Moore on Facebook probably won't give you a lot of feel good moments but he has a plan and it's as good as any right now.
I'll miss President Obama with his cool thoughtful presence. I never felt scared about a decision he might make. I might not have agreed with it, but I also knew it came from serious deliberation. He listened to all sides and our best interests were well represented. Ms. Clinton was a flawed candidate. We all know that, but I'm also betting that our country would have kept an even keel, good would have been done and we would all be feeling a lot safer.
I apologize to the rest of the world in advance for what might be unleashed.
This is how I feel. I love that you come and read here and thank you. You may or may not feel the same way and I'm quite all right with that. This is, as far as I know, still a free country more or less...
Parting shot: Truly, he was born in this country I'm sure of it!
16 comments:
I'm on board with you, Theresa. Thanks for the links.
You're telling it exactly as I see it. I hope to get past the gut-cramping fear and do something about it, but it's immobilizing at this point.
With you on every issue, thanks for posting.....
Well written Theresa - my thoughts and fears exactly. We are heading into scary times for all.
I just learned of the safety pin meaning yesterday - I need to go find one.
Right on! I never understand why people vote agains their own self interest. His tax plan was recently published-the lowest category has gone from 10% tax to 12% but the wealthys have gone down. It's all too frightening.
Agree, agree, agree....
But you must tell us more about the pooch in the parting shot!!
Well stated, Theresa! In fact, the word is spreading very quickly...so fast that the first link you posted has crashed, it seems!! My pin is in place...I'll be making some calls very soon to my representatives and senators. We've got to let them know.
The country is so f***ed. I can't think of anything else to say other than I hear the world screaming. And I can't fit under my kindergarten desk anymore.
Unfortunately, my father did not wake up and smell the coffee like yours did; I am having to suffer his gloating along with everything else....
Yesyesyes. I too am scared for what will happen to our country. We can only hope for a massive resistance movement, and charges brought forward to slow him down. Shame on those who bought into his campaign.
I continue to have faith in the process, because of people like uou T, who read and reflect.
We have watched your election from up here in Canada. Being a country of diversity, acceptance and some thought for the environment it is troubling to guess what may happen south of our border.
Mr. Trump has promised many things some of which he hopes to deliver but lets remember he is a father, grandfather and husband too and when he lays down his head at night to sleep it is those constants he will consider in some of his decisions.
Hopefully he will come to see as the leader of the strongest nation on Earth who can make so much better in the world he will soften and still remain a great leader.
Susan
Susan, Let's hope but I am left scratching my head over some of his recent top picks. I honestly get the sense he doesn't really want this job.
Mary, Seems to me you might have a bit more reading time on your hands than you want these days. Get better quick!
Michelle, It may be small comfort but he wasn't going to vote for HRC either. Sorry about the gloating but you could ask about that swamp draining. Doesn't seem to be happening....;-)
LOTL, Yep! I have seeded as much free cash as I can around, but with this continuing rhetoric I think my best firewall might have been the ACLU.
LA, Me too. There is a website in which you can bring them all up with phone #'s. The safety pin website seems to be working now. I keep some extra pins on mine in case someone needs one.
Valerie, The pooch is Pogo, Gene's Chihuahua rescue. He is going white isn't he? We've had him for years, but he is usually hanging with G, so I rarely get pics of him.
Tobie, I could live with a crappy tax plan, I worry about the folks lives who will be ruined over deportation and the environment most. These are things that can't be undone.I also worry about his fixation with Russia and Putin. Oh heck, I worry about all of it!
Cindie, I'm betting you found a whole trove of safety pins!
Anna, Thank you and it was so good to see you the other day!
Carol, It's hard to get past that consuming paralyzing fear isn't it. I've made a little progress but it was a struggle.
Peg, Your welcome. No doubt there will be more coming. Look on my sidebar for additional important ones.
Great post......loved everything you said.......btw, I emailed you with a question. Did you get it???
Good post Theresa. I think this would have had a much different outcome if the Clinton campaign hadn't undercut Bernie. Soooooooo many people have said to me that they coudln't vote for her after what she did to their candidate. Water under the bridge. Be aware that Wall Street Journal is owned by Rupert Murdoch. We're hanging in there with the NYT.
With you 100%. Thank you for posting.
I'm just as bewildered as you are. Most people I know are, but let me qualify that by saying "reading" people. The big hole in this picture is that few Americans take the time to read anymore, let alone read the news. Too many people get their custom-made news delivered by talking heads.
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