My humor took a huge hit but it is making a come back--almost. Maybe next post but hopefully before 4 years is up.
Ok, lets not pack our bags and head for Canada yet. That is not a simple move at all and maybe we can make a much easier move right here in this country that will actually be effective.
If we left the country, we have done nothing but aided and abetted the cause that has left us reeling with sleepless nights worrying about the fate of our beautiful planet, its diverse residents and its fragile environment.
My plan is, what if we did move but the move actually had a purpose other than ostrich-ism and peace of mind?? What if our move actually makes a difference?
With our electoral college system, thinking our vote counts is pretty much a myth. If you live in a Red state like I do, my vote after the primaries might as well have been cast into an abyss. I'm sure Republicans who live in blue states feel the same way. Popular vote is just a no significance statistic thrown out there to make us feel bad. So how to get our vote to count??
Remember there were several states that teetered and had they fallen to the left would have changed the outcome. But they teetered to the right this time and cost us.
Rather than moving across the border and only causing the nice, polite Canadians to consider building a wall to keep us out, how about we instead move in mass to several of the swing states and bolster our party in those areas pushing them into a Blue status? This would only be effective if you currently live in a Red state where your vote is useless anyway. Ah ha.
Sadly we can't change this election but how about the next one?
Hey, my bags can be quickly packed. Anyone care to join me??
Till then I shall wear my safety pin each day in public in support of minorities who are threatened. I find it interesting that in about 30 years, whites will have become a minority. Enjoy while you can guys. What goes around comes around. If I make it to 107, I hope someone wears the safety pin for me.
Now we have to watch to see if the scary man in the red ball cap can actually do a tenth of the things he said he would. I really don't think he can. I desperately hope he can't. Even his party is dismayed by some of his goals. We will see. I can only hope that in time, his supporters will get to experience buyer's remorse.
Positive Patti took a gut punch but is back--almost. Sure is hard being a glass half full gal these days. As we wait this out, let's be doing all we can via emails to our representatives and the White House to hopefully limit the damage. Wouldn't hurt to start right now.
I'll end with what has kept me strong for 40 years.
Thank you for this wonderful post, Patti. I am living in a blue state, and I moved here from Colorado, which used to be red but now is blue. I hear you, and now that the worst of my despair is lifting, I will be looking for ways to help the revolution that Bernie is talking about. :-)
ReplyDeleteDjan,
DeleteI so envy you your blue state. You are right now is the time to work together on what we want to accomplish. We are bent but not broken.
You have written a powerful post Patti. I ache for those in my life who worry, live in fear that their rights will be trampled on, and that they will face discrimination.
ReplyDeleteI live in a solid blue state (NY), so I guess I'm not moving! But the amazing thing about NY is that if it were not for NYC, it would surely be a red state. I am surrounded by right wing folks in upstate NY.
Trump's pick of Steve Bannon for Chief Strategist should have us all very worried. I just read where Bannon did not want his daughters attending school with people of the Jewish faith. I wonder what Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner thinks about that.
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DeleteCarole,
DeleteBannon scares me too, as much if not more than Trump. Interesting about NY. Ar is like that also. Little Rock and a few delta counties were pro Clinton but they couldn't outnumber the rest of the state which is bright red.
I saw a headline a few days ago that was saying the same thing, Patti. It said something like, if millennials want to change our country, they need to move to Iowa. It's true. It would take a bit of a blue migration to change a few things. I'm not sure what it is about rural life that makes for a red perspective. What is that about? I have no idea. I'm afraid right now. It's not easy looking at the future being a brown-skinned Jewish woman who may lose the Medicare she thought she was going to have on her very next birthday. Sigh.
ReplyDeleterobin,
DeleteMe neither about what is it about rural life. I can only hope that sane minds prevail and prejudice will be again drummed into the underground and that Medicare and SS will survive. We are a huge voting block. Let's make our squeaky wheels squeak.
Kudos to you, Patti. I'm not there yet.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
DeleteWell I am not there yet. I still wobble back and forth from the news reports. I feel hopeful for a bit, then he puts Bannon on the staff. Grrr.
I have adopted my standard Pollyanna pose and am resolute to be of aid to any and all. The results were a hard pill to swallow but I guess I was wearing a safety pin prior to this but only for my own kind before this eye opener. I must stretch myself and help everyone I can. I look at my grands and see two groups of people who could be bullied, she a strong "nasty woman in training" and he with his disability. Some kids at both of their schools are terrified that they will lose their parents and all they know because of the deportations looming. Kids calling other kids terrible names in the name of Trump, eggs being pelted on minority and "different" kids. Yes, this was at school the day after the election. And what did my grands do? They weren't even wearing safety pins, and they stuck up for the "under dogs". I'm so proud that they feel what they were taught, nice matters, and put it into action.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, we need to stick together to be strong. Blue, red, black, white, yellow, brown, white all have one thing in common, the right to disagree peacefully and with purpose.
Glad you too are holding on and trying to find the new normal that suits you and brings you peace. xoxo Oma Linda
Linda W,
DeleteWhat you are describing in schools is my biggest fear. I feel like we have slipped back in time and I really thought we had progressed. Guess hate was boiling just under the surface. My heart bleeds for those who are victim to the hate. I had no doubt your kids would behave bravely and correctly. Your input shows.
How about we just do away with the Electoral College? I'm going to be closely watching the Democrats in coming days. Rumor has it that Obama is setting up a team of folks to take on redistricting and other issues that have not been good for Democrats. I heard Eric Holder say he wants to take on getting rid of the Electoral College. I want a good housecleaning at the DNC. Need to remove all evidence of remaining Clinton dust. Obama needs to step up in a leadership role in restoring the Democratic Party.
ReplyDeleteYes!! We should absolutely have a system where it's "One man, one vote"!!
DeleteFran,
DeleteThat is my first hope.
Linda,
DeleteKilling the electoral college would be my first choice. I think without it, more people would vote knowing their vote would be counted. I doubt however that will go through--for now anyway. The current system fits the Rep party too well. I agree that getting rid of Gerrymandering at the same time would level the playing field.
Well, I voted in VT, but maybe if I changed my residence to Florida my vote would have helped tip it in another direction. I am wearing my safety pin as well.
ReplyDeleteOlga,
DeleteI had a similar thought that I maybe shouldn't have moved from Florida when I saw it tumble. So glad you are wearing the pin also.
Well, we're not moving to Canada (although I'd love to visit)... much too cold for these old bones! But talking about red and blue states, if I'm not mistaken, *red* Texas had a *blue* circle here in Dallas...
ReplyDeleteRian,
DeleteLittle Rock had the same thing with the blue circle but the state still carried Red. Seems big cities are more blue than the rural areas.
I don't live in the US but I truly fee your pain and will for the next 4 years, at least we only have 3 three between elections.
ReplyDeleteMolly M,
DeleteThanks for your comment. I am really curious how the rest of the world views this election. I know what we do affects others.
Come join us great people country weather and healthcare and we get to change thoce useless pollys in a much easier fashion' COME ON DOWN1
DeleteAs a Canadian, I watched with some amusement and then trepidation on election night. I realize so many voted for "change" but from what I've read/heard it was a vote to turn back the clock 40 or 50 years or more.
ReplyDeleteI think you are onto something...moving to one of the swing states might be the way to a different outcome.
In any event, I doubt and sincerely hope that DT finds he has little ability to bring about the policies he ranted about during the campaign. In the meantime my heart aches for those he targeted. We've even seen some of the same rhetoric repeated here in Canada. In Toronto posters were hung called for "only whites" to join a movement called the Far Right. Scary times, not matter which side of the border you live on.
One final note, you'll always be welcome here!
Eileen,
DeleteI am so sorry that Canada is also getting a taste of the Far Right and the hatred it spawns. It is like we have been thrust back in time and not in a good way. Let's hope that movement fails in both our counties.
Aww, thanks so much on the final note. Good to know.
I'm just now getting to a place where I can get past the election, but when I close my eyes at night I still feel despair.
ReplyDeleteStephen,
DeleteI know. Daytime I cling to the positive, moderate reports but still cringe at the bad. Like you, I am dealing but boy at night--that is when things spin in a nasty way.
Thank you for this post, Patti. "You are safe with me", too.
ReplyDeleteI am beginning to realize that those who voted for Trump in spite of what he is but just because he was the Republican party candidate may be in for a rude awakening. Those who voted for him because they wanted to shake things up, blow things up, if you will, may get much more, and much less, that they had in mind.
I will be watching much as I would be watching a snake slithering across the floor - in abject horror, and yet mesmerized.
Linda R,
DeleteWe have to watch and while interest is there, trepidation is there in full force. What a roller coaster this is.
I see your humor is coming back.
ReplyDeleteGail,
DeleteThanks and I hope it does come all the way back. I've missed it.
Well said, Patti. My main emotions remain disgust and embarrassment. Fear never! Quoting Churchill, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the rest."
DeleteTB,
DeleteThanks, I needed the reminder. I remember Churchill's words and will cling to them in times like this. He was such a wise man.
Thanks, Patti! I needed this post! You're so right: we need to stay and fight every way we can. I still wake up each morning hoping it was just a nightmare. Then I see his prospective cabinet and staff and am shocked anew. So sad that those who depend on his promises the most will get the least. And the hate that has been legitimatized and the fact that one can be the worst that humankind has to offer and still get elected is appalling. I've been away from blogging and reading blogs for a while because of a very tight book deadline. I finished my book the afternoon of the 8th -- thank goodness! Because hours later, I would have just stalled out in sheer shock and horror!
ReplyDeleteDr. Kathy,
DeleteCongrats on finishing the book and what great timing. I know my mind has slipped into an unproductive neutral since the election. I can't seem to get it functioning again. We can only hope neither side's joys or fears will be fully realized.
I am sorry that you feel those who voted for Our President elect are so evil. It is sad that adults cannot have discussions filled with facts, and reasoned logic, instead of painting those they disagree with as evil or misguided or hicks... I wish I was more articulate in expressing my reasons for my position on these matters, I am working on that... Lastly, I thank God for the foresight of our founding fathers in putting the electoral college system in place.
ReplyDeleteBrig,
DeleteWe are on different sides of the fence politically but we both have the same goal--a healthy and safe USA. May we both enjoy victories and survive defeats in the coming four years. But mainly may no irreparable harm be caused by either side. Our country,for ALL the people, needs to heal
you ended with a wonderful words of wisdom .
ReplyDeletetruly agreed
baili,
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by and commenting. Though they are not my words, I do try to live by them.
I am terrified by the young people marching and chanting because they didn't like the outcome. These are scary times indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have to go back quite a few years to the last president I voted for and actually liked. This election was the most vile, hateful, mean-spirited and downright disgusting election cycle I have ever seen in my life.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post, Patti. I can always count on you. The comments you got were also fabulous. We were in South Korea when the results came in and our whole bus was devastated. There might have been somebody who voted for Trump, but they sure wouldn't have let the rest of us know. Even our S. Korean tour guide was concerned. It makes me ill just to see Trump on TV. I discovered the other day that a zumba friend voted for Trump and was happy he won. I have to tell you, sorry to say, it now colors what I think of her. It didn't make any difference since Hawaii is a blue state, but gosh... I need to rise above this and be able to smile too.
ReplyDelete