On the 2016 AmericanBrexit

I planned to write an after-election post on what I thought about the election. I assumed a Clinton win and wanted to write about the divisiveness that exists in this country. I wanted to write about the racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia that was normalized during this election. I wanted to write about the normalization of violence in politics. I wanted to write about how none of this goes away simply because Clinton won and that we needed to work hard to offset the divisiveness.

I wanted to write about those things...

and then Clinton lost the electoral vote...

So what do I write now? What is there to say?

We have not only normalized racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia. We have made it the official position of the country. Are all Trump supporters racist? sexist? homophobic? No. Maybe many are, maybe most aren't, I don't know. But when the KKK backs your candidate, when other white supremacist groups are working to get your candidate elected, you have to own that. When your candidate rates women on a scale of 1-10, talks about the size of his penis, you have to own that.  When your candidate's choice of vice president advocates electro-shock therapy to 'treat' homosexuality, you have to own that. You don't get to say, but I'm not homophobic, I like those people, and get a pat on the back.

I learned some things that were articulated by Secretary Clinton, we are a much more divided country than I would have guessed. It's probably because I matured and live in a setting of higher education where I am exposed to amazing and talented people from all walks of life regardless of gender, color, religion, country of origin, etc. I'm not terrified of the 'other' like many people in this country. 'Home of the brave'? I think not.

I no longer think most of the people who voted for Trump are racists, sexists, xenophobes, and homophobes. This leads me to question why these people voted for him. There is the anti-establishment crowd with whom I can commiserate. Neither party has done much for them, although one party is outstanding at allocating blame at the 'other' for all the suffering they feel. The allocation of blame can lead to racist, sexist, xenophobic, and/or homophobic ideologies. But here's my problem, if you really feel the establishment is fucking you over, why vote for one of the parties? Why not vote for third, fourth, etc parties? Why not get things done at the local and state level to build up alternative solutions? That's a long term solution, but how long did African Americans live in bondage or the effects of bondage (which Michelle Alexander eloquently argues is rampant today), when did white women finally get the right to vote? Some people work hard over a long period of time to get their intrinsic rights, but apparently lower middle class and lower class white people can't wait.

Maybe you think Clinton is the most corrupt politician ever. Trump has a fraud case this month and a rape case next month, Clinton emails no court dates. Trump foundation is a farce that he doesn't donate to and uses to pay off personal debts. Clinton foundation only put out 88% of proceeds and used the other 12% for overhead. Millions of dollars spent thousands of hours used and nothing on Clinton. Republicans have controlled Congress for the most recent 6 years and nothing. Are the republicans that incompetent? If yes, why did you vote for them? if no, why do you continue to call Clinton the most corrupt politician?

You are upset with the system, you just gave a party the White House and Congress. Trump gets to fill Scalia's seat (because the party you voted for refused to do their job) as well as probably another judge. For the next generation (not 4 years, an entire fucking generation) you have supported the party that wants Citizen United to remain the law of the land. You can kiss having government be interested in your needs goodbye when companies and billionaires can donate millions of dollars without oversight. On the plus side women's reproductive rights will be set back 50 years, but fuck them. (Not literally because they'll have to keep their legs closed to hold up that aspirin.)

83% of Americans identify as Christian. Tell me what aspect of Trump's rhetoric over the last 18 months you find Christian? Is it 'grabbing them by the pussy'? Is it mocking a disabled reporter? Is it egging on supporters to commit violence? Is it the overt racism (birther movement, etc)? Would Clinton get the pass Trump got if she was on stage with her 5 children by 3 different husbands? But there's a war on Christmas.

My point is, many Trump supporters for whatever reason do not care about all the other things. The female racists don't care about the sexism, the financially concerned don't care about the racism. The list goes on and on and on and on. People are upset, that's their justification for ignoring the hate. This is the mentality the causes some people to think I'm pissed, so I'm going to crash into this car that I think cut me off. This is the mentality the causes some people to think I get to use public lands to feed my cattle for free, and gun toting douche bags support them. This is the mentality that gets women raped because of how they dress.

There are major divides in this country. This election uncovered the extent of that division. Now let me ask you, how does electing Trump solve these problems?

Here's my pessimistic view. Trump has legitimized bullying and the basest of our instincts. The republican party has learned that this approach works and works better than expected. Olympia Snowe (former senator) and Susan Collins are republican senators from Maine that I disagree with on many issues but I think would not support this appeal to the worst. Cruz, McCain, Christie et al have shown that they are happy to give up values for power. So I see Congress moving farther to the right. The democrats will also move to the right to try and recruit republicans who care more about values than power. The DNC will assume more liberal voters will stay with them because anoth option is non-existent.

Young women, non-whites, Muslims (it's a religion so you can't tell based on country of origin or skin color), the LBGT community, and anyone else who could be considered 'other', I feel for you. You are in a bad place now. I sympathize with you, which at some level makes me an 'other' too. Hell I'm an elite because I have an advanced degree, so I'm already an 'other'. At least I can blend in, although I tend not to. "Others' you are in a bad place. We can, and should, work hard to get Congress out of republican hands in two years, but the long-term damage is done. The Supreme Court will be staunchly in the conservative column for the next few decades. I'll be dead before this can be rectified, but my son won't.

My son is growing up knowing that bullying is a legitimate and workable strategy. N**ger and B**ch are now terms that can be used without any real repercussion. Hate is a reasonable approach to getting what you want. I do and will continue to do my best to teach him the 'do unto others...' approach to life, but he is now at the age when friends and society have a growing influence on him. Pussy, in reference to the vagina, is now a part of his lingo. He didn't learn it from me and I'm trying to explain why words matter. My problem is the president-elect of the USA has made pussy 'normal'.

Since I can't even, here are some kittens and a puppy.

Cute kitten

Kittens with puppy