I cried last night. I’ve never cried over an election — never even come close. But last night, I cried.
I cried not because of policies, or because I think our country is doomed to failure. I have hope that things will continue more or less as they have. That many of us will live our daily lives unaffected by the person in charge of the country.
But some won’t. Some may see their rights taken away unjustly. Some will fear for their safety, and the safety of those they love.
I cried because of what this says about us as a people. About our values and morals. How can I explain to Emma and Charlotte someday that a presidential candidate continually made racist, sexist, xenophobic and narcissistic statements…and was elected? That more than half of our friends and neighbors were able to overlook such statements simply to “shake things up” — or worse, that more than half of our friends and neighbors see such statements as acceptable?
If this is ok, what is NOT ok?
Where do we draw the line?
I feel so very, deeply sad today. I recklessly cling to the idea that saner heads will prevail now that the campaign is behind us. I am desperately hopeful that somehow we as a country can move forward.
Martin Luther King Jr. said “we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
I hope.
Oh, how I hope.
❤️
So many of us are crying with you today. One day at a time, one step at a time, we *will* continue our message of love, of tolerance, of acceptance.
Well said.
I live in Canada but I am so sad about this happening! Your post said it perfectly and that’s exactly how I feel.
❤️
I’ve cried so much the last few days – first because I was so inspired by stories of all the women getting out to vote for our first woman president, and then because I was so crushed by the outcome. I work in international development and am so worried about what a Trump administration will mean for how we engage with the rest of the world. I imagine you must feeling similar working in science in an administration that denies it is real.
Indeed. When the best I can hope for is that he ignores NASA entirely…well, that’s not encouraging.
Me too, me too. It is hard not to look at some people I know with a different eye today. I’m trying not to, but my stomach turns.
In a strange way, it has helped me to remember that the people who voted for Trump on Tuesday are essentially the same people they were a week ago, a month ago, a year ago. In other words, while Tuesday felt like a seismic shift, unfortunately it was merely an indication of things that many have been feeling for a long time. And while that sounds horribly depressing, it also gives me hope — in an admittedly weird and convoluted way — that we won’t immediately fall off a cliff in January.
You could always move to Seattle. I can guarantee nowhere near half my friends and neighbors voted for Trump.
Actually, here in Texas, it’d probably be more accurate to say that WAYYYYY more than half of my friends and neighbors voted for him. 🙁
Beautifully said Sarah.