Thoughts

This is going to be different than my usual posts (not sure if I can qualify anything as "usual" though, seeing how little I've been writing these past couple of years).
Will be something of a meandering of thoughts that have been coming at me for the past 10 days.


Like a lot of people out there, I was terribly shocked by the results of the US election. Yes I intellectually knew it was "possible", but deep down I held on to the belief that there couldn't be a majority of people who would put someone who spoke and encouraged in others such hateful diatribe against women, immigrants, minorities... (not to mention the politics about social rights, climate change, international relations, those in my mind fall under "normal" political differences). I knew there were people who were just so deeply against Her, and Democrats and the Institution that they would disregard His more negative traits and vote for him anyway (in addition to the extreme right-wingers), but I honestly could not fathom there would be so many. It's small consolation that She won the popular vote. That didn't help us 16 years ago either.

I know there are people celebrating these results (including some of my own family members, we've agreed not to discuss politics or we'll end up regretting it). I honestly hope they know something (good) about Him the rest of us don't know.

But it's 10 days later, and I'm still in somewhat a state of shock. And still angry (although not as thoroughly pissed off as I was when I woke up to the news). And sad. I hadn't realised just how much I was hoping the U.S. would finally get its first female POTUS (politics aside), until it didn't happen.

I read personal stories people share on Facebook. People across the pond who put into words the fear I feel for this new state of affairs. People who are already being targeted for being non-WASPs. Because they're different. I'm scared for them. Because no person should have live in fear for being different in a civilized country! I'm worried for my latino/black/asian/LGBT/muslim friends and family in the States. I'm worried for my sister and my niece. I'm worried for ALL of us if a lack of judgement or a 3 a.m. spiteful outburst leads the planet down the path to a nuclear war. I'm angry the Paris Accords will probably be gutted. I'm certainly not looking forward to traveling to certain countries for my job and people asking me if I'm American when they hear me speak English and having to explain things... (I've already had to explain the Electoral College system to several people, it's 2000 all over again!)

But I refuse to give up hope that the better side of human nature will rear up to oppose the ugliness. I also read of people sharing tales of how they've confronted bullies, people making xenophobic or racist comments. I just hope they keep standing up for others once this surge of post-electoral energy has died down.

And as one joke that has been going around here in Europe says... "This must be the first time that people are hoping a politician will not maintain his campaign promises"! Let's hope the worst of the rhetoric was just fanning the flames to attract certain voters. Let's hope cooler and wiser heads will prevail. Let's hope.