I literally feel ill. And we don't even have a balance with opposing party majority in house or senate.
8 years ago
Yep. Last night my stomach wouldn't stop turning.
On the bright side, (which is still pretty dark), the Republicans will have NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME but themselves, if (when?), things go south.
They are masters at redirection. Have you looked at Kansas lately? The full conservative implementation has been devastating, and their response is to double down on their magical thinking about trickle down economics, and stop keeping stats so no one can see how bad it actually is to go full Brownback.
I am deeply ashamed of my demographic. Apparently white women hate black people, Muslims and Hispanics more than they like themselves. A vote for Trump by a woman is a vote based in self-loathing.
So many hugs. I know how you feel. It was the hardest thing ever for me to even get out of bed this morning, and I don't even know how to face the world today. I'm taking solace in the fact that my bookish friends, all of my Twitter friends, and a good chunk of my coworkers all feel the same. It makes me feel like I'm not alone. So know that you're not either. We're all in this together.
Somehow, as I went around, working, talking, even laughing with friends, today seemed more... normal than it seemed it should have.
And not all of us: I am disgusted by what he's said about blacks, Muslims, and Hispanics. And of course, women in general.
As one of my white, female friends said today, at least we're privileged enough that Trump won't come directly at us, but I'd been thinking about posting something today. Instead, I'll post it here. My heart goes out to all the minorities whose lives will become harder become of this. Some of us are aware of the privilege we have, and we don't take it granted. We don't hate ourselves, and we don't hate people based on their ethnicity or skin color.
Unfortunately, our voices were drowned out this year.
I'm trying to become a better ally but I can't find it in myself to be ashamed of other women. Disappointed, even hurt and angry, but shame always turns inward for me. I love myself more than I hate them and I refuse to spiral into self loathing over what others have done. I stood up and voted against racism and sexism.. I hope those that didn't learn what we've been telling them, that they aren't irreparably harmed by the lesson and that the country as a whole shows more responsibility in the next election.
8 years ago
Respectfully, I think your white female friend needs to think about the reproductive rights of women when she says that "we're privileged enough that Trump won't come directly at us." I don't believe anyone is safe from this man, or his second in command either, for that matter.
Fair enough. I don't have her around now, but I believe what she meant was he won't target us directly. As in he won't say that we need to be, say, deported. Or report on each other. We are in danger from him, definitely, but he goes after the Other more than us.
Anything different than him, women included, but we have the same skin color and that makes him less frightened of us.
And wow. I have never been as frightened of this man as I have now as I try to crawl into his think-space.
8 years ago
SusannaG, I'm rather beyond the point of having anything to fear for myself as well.
Grim, I am reminded of that old poem "First they came..."
It might not be us today, but it very well could be us tomorrow. :(
I'm definitely afraid, I'm just aware that, at least for the moment, there's the appearance of safety. I'm also reminded about how I laughed, figuring Trump didn't stand a chance.
If you brush aside dangers, they're allowed to linger and flourish.
My comment about my friend was not meant to lessen the threat. I don't believe hers was either. She's keenly aware of the danger to everyone, just that we most likely won't be the first they come from. I think I've sadly done her a disservice: she was, if anything, more shattered over this election result than I was. And I think if I'd had the chance to speak to her more before I needed to get comics or 'splode with the depression, that she probably would have agreed he's dangerous to everyone. It's a list, and we're not first on it.
That is: we are aware of the small amount of protection our privilege gives us. I think we're both scared for everyone who doesn't have that. Scratch that: I know I am, I think she'd agree. We're both terrified for ourselves as well.
Being aware of privilege and what, if any, security that gives us and being terrified of something aren't actually mutually exclusive. I'm afraid the fault was in my translation of events, however, and for that I apologize. I was simply trying to say we felt keenly aware of any privilege we had; we didn't look down on others for not being like us.
That being said, yes, absolutely, I agree, he's dangerous. To all women. I just, I guess, I don't think he's going to sue me or tweet directly at me.
I was also told by someone else she didn't believe that Trump wouldn't be impeached. So there's that guys, and that's my new lifeline: impeachment.
And y'know what, if there's a whiff of impeachment, I hope that company puts out the Im-Peach-Mints I loved so much. Peach flavored mints. Which is just another way I'm trying to sneak a bit of joy into my life at the moment.
And just to conclude: no one took Hitler seriously as the threat he became until he was upon us. We're there. Let's all be aware, let's all be wary, and I hope we do better. I hope he doesn't destroy us.
8 years ago
Understood, Grim. It could also be that I'm a wee bit sensitive today and took your friend's comment in a way in which it was not intended. I apologize if that's the case.
Me not explaining properly didn't help. I didn't even know if this comment came out properly: I'm also a wee bit sensitive today and trying not to snipe or lash out at anyone.
Oh please. I live in Philly. He's going to take away funding and try to make abortion illegal. He's coming directly at me. He just will lie about it. (Sorry about the oh please)
No, agreed. I think the context was important, though. It was a conversation about more of minorities/white people.
I made the point to say that while some of us realize we are privileged, we're fearful for those who have even less protection.
As I said, I do believe he's dangerous. There are going to be a lot of problems if we make abortion illegal again - and I hope he doesn't manage it.
You guys know how I feel about pregnancy, I believe. I find it incomprehensibly gross, and have from the time I was far younger. It starts at the actual taking off of clothes and ends, well, well after the kid comes out. (I have in/out issue: vomit, diapers, blargh, bodies. I've also been told I have pretty severe body dysmorphia which has been a more recent revelation. I needed someone to tell me it to my face, not online, and I'm still coping with that revelation. It's been a slow process, but it makes sense given how much I hate my body and would no matter what.)
That being said, the only way I could possibly get pregnant is rape. The only way. I wouldn't with someone, and I've actually tried and just haven't.. .I can't. It makes me want to vomit. Trust me, I understand needing to be able to control my own body: being forced to carry a baby to term would be traumatic to me on multiple levels. Physically, emotionally, mentally.
Is he going to come directly at me for being a woman? Yes. But not for the color of my skin. I apologize for the confusion.
On the other hand, I'm not sorry this happened. I think there's been a lot of good discussion here, and I worry that I offended people while leaving behind burning bridges, but I hope I haven't. I understand all of your concerns. I'm struggling as is, and while I've had moments of laughter and happiness, the worry and the struggle and depression come in waves. Right now, I'm in a particularly bad depressive moment. (And I was before I logged onto the computer, so it wasn't your comment at all. I texted someone about it, and then Gwenpool broke through momentarily and then... sighs.)
If anything, there is a good discussion going on: what do we want? What's going to happen? It's too soon for me to think about how to stop it, and it feels overwhelmingly large to go after the president.
But I am going to do my best to cope with this, and hope beyond hope that things turns out well for us all.
For now, I need to focus on myself, as selfish as that may seem. Until I break through this anxiety, this sadness and hurt and anger and disappointment, I'll be of no real help to anyone else. I'm going to drown myself in chocolate and comics and knitting.
Focusing on yourself is not selfish in a time like this. I live in Philly so we are quite annoyed because we are looking at a lost of federal funding. Emergency meetings all over the place. LIke you, my skin color somewhat protects me, but man not fun here. My students are screwed.
I was super depressed this morning. Worse than last night. I'm feeling better right now though. I'll take it. My heart goes out to you, your students and Philly!
I have been in a daze like state. Shock I guess. I couldn't sleep and I have this pit in my stomach that is just this pressure. I am just still in disbelief and I don't know how to look folks in the eye now. I am going to keep thinking, did they vote for this creature? For hate? I am afraid to find out about folks I have known for a long time.
What is happening to this county. I am terrified to be honest of what is to come. The ones that came out of the shadows, were basically allowed to finally openly show their hate, they are gleeful and now basically have permission to go ahead.
Young boys will grow up thinking its ok to assault women, young girls growing up knowing that they have to fight the fight all over again to defend the right to their own bodies.
Some people might literally lose their life over this all.
Yeah, I am in shock. I did not think that America is this hateful. I guess I was naive.
Brava! I love this response to it all, because you said a lot of things I was afraid to say.
8 years ago
Yep, very well said Atunah. Some of the comments I've seen today make me want to weep.
Such as" Now that we have a hard working white man in the White House we can stop with these hand outs."
No lie. Someone, (not a friend of mine, thankfully), said this. And all I can think is just what Atunah said, now they feel as if they are free to come out into the open with this racist bullshit.
It is going to get horrific. I live in Texas as atheist, liberal immigrant. So I have always gotten my share of certain "opinions", never asked for. But I am not "brown", which is where the vitriol tends to go and I am straight. Those that aren't are going to get it now even more in the open.
And lets not forget Pence here, this man might even be more frightening in his hate for women and using religion as a weapon. The combo of those two is like a wet dream for all the formerly hidden racists, bigots, sexists and religious fundamentalist. And that combination will be lethal. Like literal lethal.
They have all the power now. All of it. They can do whatever they want now. They can take away the right of women to do anything unless their chosen religious text tells them so, they can take away any welfare care to the poorer, they can take away the health insurance. They can isolate us in the world by creating borders and breaking agreements with Nato and other nations. They have free reign now. And watching them all smirking on TV already today about it is making me sick.
First goal is already to take away folks health care.
Because it doesn't affect them and their families. They live in their mansions while having paid for health care.
And Putin is rubbing his hands in glee. Guess now Drumpf doesn't have to pay back all the money he owns to Russia.
People we have know and thought of as sane and compassionate humans will say things to us that make us question everything we ever knew about them. Its already starting. They have permission now, they are not alone in spouting the deep seeded hate anymore.
All I can do is keep my head down even more than I have done in the past.
I have never had any issues with friends of mine being of a different political affiliation. I have always been one of few in my circle of friends. Its this particular brand of human they voted for I have issues with. How can you call yourself a decent human being and voting for him, after everything he has said. It does not compute.
Hopefully this opens our eyes and the damage won't be as bad as we're fearing. That hope is all I have to hold onto, that and the hope that we'll be smarter next time around.
True, hope is all we have. But I am not there yet. And after seeing this stuff put together on twitter, it will be quite a while. This is a collection of the racism and hate folks have experienced since yesterday. .
This is only the first day of Drumpf being elected. This is just the beginning of the scum out in the open. And the kids of the scum are right there with their parents, learning as they go. I am sickened.
And they do all this now with the stamp of approval of of our highest office and those republicans that didn't stand up to this vile creature.
8 years ago
Oh man, those tweets were just horrifying. And not in a way that I enjoy.
And, honestly, this is why I have no use for anyone who voted for Trump. "Good people" don't align themselves with THAT. Clinton was right about her basket of deplorables comment. And, you know what, if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
Exactly, you cannot call yourself decent if you voted for him. Doesn't really matter in the end who was on the other side. Its about whats right and humane. Someone on twitter said this in my feed,
"It's not about which candidate the Dems ran. You're supposed to vote against the racist, misogynist, xenophobic rapist no matter what. by @ChaiKovsky"
On the bright side, (which is still pretty dark), the Republicans will have NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME but themselves, if (when?), things go south.
And not all of us: I am disgusted by what he's said about blacks, Muslims, and Hispanics. And of course, women in general.
As one of my white, female friends said today, at least we're privileged enough that Trump won't come directly at us, but I'd been thinking about posting something today. Instead, I'll post it here. My heart goes out to all the minorities whose lives will become harder become of this. Some of us are aware of the privilege we have, and we don't take it granted. We don't hate ourselves, and we don't hate people based on their ethnicity or skin color.
Unfortunately, our voices were drowned out this year.
I'm trying to become a better ally but I can't find it in myself to be ashamed of other women. Disappointed, even hurt and angry, but shame always turns inward for me. I love myself more than I hate them and I refuse to spiral into self loathing over what others have done. I stood up and voted against racism and sexism.. I hope those that didn't learn what we've been telling them, that they aren't irreparably harmed by the lesson and that the country as a whole shows more responsibility in the next election.
Anything different than him, women included, but we have the same skin color and that makes him less frightened of us.
And wow. I have never been as frightened of this man as I have now as I try to crawl into his think-space.
Grim, I am reminded of that old poem "First they came..."
It might not be us today, but it very well could be us tomorrow. :(
I am very afraid. For everyone.
If you brush aside dangers, they're allowed to linger and flourish.
My comment about my friend was not meant to lessen the threat. I don't believe hers was either. She's keenly aware of the danger to everyone, just that we most likely won't be the first they come from. I think I've sadly done her a disservice: she was, if anything, more shattered over this election result than I was. And I think if I'd had the chance to speak to her more before I needed to get comics or 'splode with the depression, that she probably would have agreed he's dangerous to everyone. It's a list, and we're not first on it.
That is: we are aware of the small amount of protection our privilege gives us. I think we're both scared for everyone who doesn't have that. Scratch that: I know I am, I think she'd agree. We're both terrified for ourselves as well.
Being aware of privilege and what, if any, security that gives us and being terrified of something aren't actually mutually exclusive. I'm afraid the fault was in my translation of events, however, and for that I apologize. I was simply trying to say we felt keenly aware of any privilege we had; we didn't look down on others for not being like us.
That being said, yes, absolutely, I agree, he's dangerous. To all women. I just, I guess, I don't think he's going to sue me or tweet directly at me.
I was also told by someone else she didn't believe that Trump wouldn't be impeached. So there's that guys, and that's my new lifeline: impeachment.
And y'know what, if there's a whiff of impeachment, I hope that company puts out the Im-Peach-Mints I loved so much. Peach flavored mints. Which is just another way I'm trying to sneak a bit of joy into my life at the moment.
And just to conclude: no one took Hitler seriously as the threat he became until he was upon us. We're there. Let's all be aware, let's all be wary, and I hope we do better. I hope he doesn't destroy us.
I made the point to say that while some of us realize we are privileged, we're fearful for those who have even less protection.
As I said, I do believe he's dangerous. There are going to be a lot of problems if we make abortion illegal again - and I hope he doesn't manage it.
You guys know how I feel about pregnancy, I believe. I find it incomprehensibly gross, and have from the time I was far younger. It starts at the actual taking off of clothes and ends, well, well after the kid comes out. (I have in/out issue: vomit, diapers, blargh, bodies. I've also been told I have pretty severe body dysmorphia which has been a more recent revelation. I needed someone to tell me it to my face, not online, and I'm still coping with that revelation. It's been a slow process, but it makes sense given how much I hate my body and would no matter what.)
That being said, the only way I could possibly get pregnant is rape. The only way. I wouldn't with someone, and I've actually tried and just haven't.. .I can't. It makes me want to vomit. Trust me, I understand needing to be able to control my own body: being forced to carry a baby to term would be traumatic to me on multiple levels. Physically, emotionally, mentally.
Is he going to come directly at me for being a woman? Yes. But not for the color of my skin. I apologize for the confusion.
On the other hand, I'm not sorry this happened. I think there's been a lot of good discussion here, and I worry that I offended people while leaving behind burning bridges, but I hope I haven't. I understand all of your concerns. I'm struggling as is, and while I've had moments of laughter and happiness, the worry and the struggle and depression come in waves. Right now, I'm in a particularly bad depressive moment. (And I was before I logged onto the computer, so it wasn't your comment at all. I texted someone about it, and then Gwenpool broke through momentarily and then... sighs.)
If anything, there is a good discussion going on: what do we want? What's going to happen? It's too soon for me to think about how to stop it, and it feels overwhelmingly large to go after the president.
But I am going to do my best to cope with this, and hope beyond hope that things turns out well for us all.
For now, I need to focus on myself, as selfish as that may seem. Until I break through this anxiety, this sadness and hurt and anger and disappointment, I'll be of no real help to anyone else. I'm going to drown myself in chocolate and comics and knitting.
What is happening to this county. I am terrified to be honest of what is to come. The ones that came out of the shadows, were basically allowed to finally openly show their hate, they are gleeful and now basically have permission to go ahead.
Young boys will grow up thinking its ok to assault women, young girls growing up knowing that they have to fight the fight all over again to defend the right to their own bodies.
Some people might literally lose their life over this all.
Yeah, I am in shock. I did not think that America is this hateful. I guess I was naive.
Such as" Now that we have a hard working white man in the White House we can stop with these hand outs."
No lie. Someone, (not a friend of mine, thankfully), said this. And all I can think is just what Atunah said, now they feel as if they are free to come out into the open with this racist bullshit.
And lets not forget Pence here, this man might even be more frightening in his hate for women and using religion as a weapon. The combo of those two is like a wet dream for all the formerly hidden racists, bigots, sexists and religious fundamentalist. And that combination will be lethal. Like literal lethal.
They have all the power now. All of it. They can do whatever they want now. They can take away the right of women to do anything unless their chosen religious text tells them so, they can take away any welfare care to the poorer, they can take away the health insurance. They can isolate us in the world by creating borders and breaking agreements with Nato and other nations. They have free reign now. And watching them all smirking on TV already today about it is making me sick.
First goal is already to take away folks health care.
Because it doesn't affect them and their families. They live in their mansions while having paid for health care.
And Putin is rubbing his hands in glee. Guess now Drumpf doesn't have to pay back all the money he owns to Russia.
People we have know and thought of as sane and compassionate humans will say things to us that make us question everything we ever knew about them. Its already starting. They have permission now, they are not alone in spouting the deep seeded hate anymore.
All I can do is keep my head down even more than I have done in the past.
I have never had any issues with friends of mine being of a different political affiliation. I have always been one of few in my circle of friends. Its this particular brand of human they voted for I have issues with. How can you call yourself a decent human being and voting for him, after everything he has said. It does not compute.
https://twitter.com/i/moments/796417517157830656
This is only the first day of Drumpf being elected. This is just the beginning of the scum out in the open. And the kids of the scum are right there with their parents, learning as they go. I am sickened.
And they do all this now with the stamp of approval of of our highest office and those republicans that didn't stand up to this vile creature.
"It's not about which candidate the Dems ran. You're supposed to vote against the racist, misogynist, xenophobic rapist no matter what. by @ChaiKovsky"