I’m cycling through the phases of grief. Today I spent a lot of time in anger.
I’m angry at the people who voted for a hateful bigot who believes I am worth nothing more than the number he’d use to rate my appearance.
I’m angry that all the news outlets need to treat that racist, misogynistic monster with kids gloves now that he’s the president-elect. That he basically gets a free pass on all the horrible things he said and all the hate he spread.
I’m angry that I’m being implored to have empathy and understanding for the close-minded people who did this, when it’s clear they have no empathy and understanding for people who are different from them.
I’m angry that I will have to be the bigger person, because it’s clear that the people who support Trump are not capable of being the bigger person themselves.
I’m angry. And right now I’m not interested in bridging the divide. I’m not interested in empathy and understanding. I’m not interested in feeling for the white man who feels marginalized by the reality of 21st century America, who is scared of globalization and rapid technological change, who just wants his good old, white, hetero normative privilege back (though he won’t admit to enjoying such privilege).
Right now I’m angry.
And I’m not going to make myself feel anything else. At least not yet.
Well said and I feel the same.
Anon in Massachusetts
YES!!! (fist bump of solidarity)
Yes. Exactly. We’re expected to have empathy/come together/ etc. with people who are the antithesis of that.
The news has been covering voter turnout. Not only that less people voted, but less democratic voters voted. https://www.google.com/amp/uproxx.com/news/hillary-clinton-democratic-voter-turnout/amp/?client=safari
So yet another group of people to be angry at, especially as many of them are in disbelief about Trump.
I typed this long response and it disappeared…
Numbers blow my mind. 112,000 Voters gave us Trump. Over 90 Million Eligible Voters didn’t vote in this election, which means 43% didn’t vote and it’s THE lowest (and most important) voter turnout in years…lowest one was in 1996. So, if we’re to be angry at anyone, isn’t it the people who didn’t vote? Guess how many turned out to vote in California? 49%. In Texas? 59% I could go on and on.
I’m livid. I’m not angry at the people who decided to make their voice heard and practice Democracy. I mean, at least they went out and said, “no more.” Yes, I’m upset that they bought into what he’s selling which are empty promises but I get what they did…they voted, albeit a mess of a President-Elect and I’m not giving them a pass by any sorts b/c honestly, it’s time to start being open minded.
I’m angry at the ones who decided, “ya my vote isn’t important”…well here you go. You get President-Elect Donald Trump.
*I’m sorry if my post upset anyone. Apparently I need a bottle of wine.
After this election I just can’t be as upset any more at the no-show voters. A state-by-state comparison shows that turnout is higher than the national average in every swing state. Could it be that feeling like their vote counts makes people more likely to show up at the polls? Could it be that people are more excited about the presidential race when the candidates have visited their state multiple times rather than completely ignoring their state? As the votes continue to be counted, I see that Clinton is up by 400,000 popular votes but down by 62 electoral votes. My vote was one of those 400,000 that just don’t count. Again (see Bush-Gore 2000) the electoral college system is going against the will of the people and forcing on us a president (again Republican) other than the person that we collectively chose. It’s nice that we all (theoretically) have an equal right to vote, but it would be even nicer if we all had the right to have our votes count equally toward the result. I think of voting as a civic duty, and I’ll continue to vote, but I can’t say I blame people who are unmotivated and demoralized by this system.
Re California, no excuse for not voting, but there was very little chance we would go trump so the California non voters aren’t to blame. Fucking rust belt, how could you???
You know I feel exactly the same. The justifications and defensiveness I’m hearing just makes me want to vomit. Standing with you in anger, friend