It's long. It's not sugar coated. Feel free to skip it entirely.
Like many here, it's hard to get my brain around a Trump presidency even though I recognized that the current political climate, could well result in Trump being the Republican nominee and the winner of the presidential election. The thought appalled me at every level, but working for the rights of women and other marginalized people for 35 years has made it clear that we are a divided country and that racism and sexism are alive and well and a good number of women do nternalize sexism and fight against our own (and other women's) progress and rights because we are socialized to be "good girls," not rock the boat, not exhibit too much intellect or confidence (go along to get along). The anti-suffrage movement was large and extremely organized and comprised of women. Phyllis Schlafely and other women notoriously fought against the Equal Rights Amendment and the second wave of the women's rights movement. And most days I still hear at least one woman say something along the lines of, "I'm not a feminist, but..." (and then proceed to discuss all the ways she believes as a feminist or benefits from the work feminists have done to pave the way for her to be able to vote, earn a living, go to school, etc.). For the record, a feminist is simply a person (woman or man) who believes in the political, social, economic and educational equality of women and men. All of the nonesense, myths and stereotypes, including the deeply offensive "Feminazi" term is about intimidating and punishing, or shaming women away from our own equality. Don't bother giving examples of women who go too far or "hate men." I'm tired of defending the obvious. While much of those stories are exaggerations and urban legend meant to discredit feminism, please note that extremists and true feminists are not the same thing at all, so take care not to hijack and misuse the term.
And speaking of maligned, Hillary Clinton is judged in such a cliche way, held to a different standard, and had myths and lies perpetrated against her for more than 30 years. The target has been on her back so long that she had no chance to escape the dehumanizing and discrediting. No politician is a saint, including Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, for that matter. I have nothing against Bernie and agreed with the majority of his points, but there was no one more qualified than Hillary Clinton. Her track record for getting things done was longer and more significant. A number of his ideas were wonderful, but not realistic to actually accomplish and even he admitted he didn't know how he would do some of what he proposed. Bernie also escaped the vitriol and attacks precisely because he had not been in the public eye to the same extent and level as Hillary and had thus not been painted as an enemy of the more extremist Republicans for decades. When a person hasn't been a threat to the powers that be, they won't be attacked and maligned for years, and will then look pretty "clean" in comparison.
Again, no politician is a saint and don't agree with any of them, including Hillary, on everything, but much of what Hillary is accused of didn't happen as reported or was greatly exaggerated or misrepresented. How many Americans actually read the official report about the emails, for example? It does not depict what Trump says or even what Comey said in August, but it's not difficult to see how easy it is to discredit and create suspicion around a woman who dares to push past the status quo and be smart and strong and potentially powerful. God help her. The backlash is ugly and will go to whatever lengths it takes to put her back in her place and keep her there. Trump knows that. So he spouted lies and absurdities and misrepresentations every chance he got and all too many Americans --women included--were willing to believe it, many without ever having read objective, well researched articles, seeking facts from multiple, reputable, diverse sources, etc. That is what systemic sexism is and every one of our daughters is a potential target of it, so we need to see this kind of assault for what it is. If Hillary was held accountable only for her actual actions, and then compared to Trump's actions, it should have been a landslide in her favor. But not in a country that claims to be progressive while women still do not have constitutional equality, let alone a woman ever serving as President. And not in a country where no Democratic candidate for president since Lyndon Johnson has won a majority of white votes. Take that in, America. Really grasp what that says. And not in a country where a man is elected president who accused our sitting president of not being a citizen of the United States (birther movement) and was endorsed by the KKK. Where a black church was burned and pro-Trump messages were written on it. Not in a country where Trump supporters chant "Jew-S-A," rather than USA at reporters in their midst at rallies, because Trump blames bad media coverage on "the Jews who own the media outlets." Where the FBI is reported by some of its own agents to be "Trumpland" leaking lies and information to the likes of Guiliani and others just days before the election. Where Russian hackers go after Clinton because it works much better for Russia to have an arrogant chump in office than a President they could not outsmart and not out maneuver. Where a candidate for President can call people from Mexico murders and rapists, can sexually harass and assault women, had a lawsuit against him and another man for child rape, is being sued for Trump University, can refuse to reveal his taxes and his foreign investments and potetial conflicts of interest, and where a candidate can have Twitter wars about a Gold Star family, attack women for their age, weight and breast size, and blame them for their spouse's infidelity. A country where a Presidential candidate can mock a differently abled person, accuse a judge of misconduct because he is Mexican, say he will build a wall (like the Berlin Wall), will deport millions, will ban and "register" Muslims, will repeal LGBTQ gains and the Affordable Care Act that serves more than 20 million Americans. Where his running mate is an even more horrifying right-wing ideologue than Trump.
Exactly what does it take to disqualify a person from arguably the most powerful position in the free world? Apparently it takes any misstep and exaggerated reports about an email server for Clinton and the fact that she needs to smile differently or speak differently, but the sky's the limit for Trump. THAT is a double standard. We voted in a man who appears to be narcissistic, racist, mysogynistic, Xenophobic, homophobic, has a quick temper, and a divisive personality with zero public or military service/experience and even less understanding of the world around him and the global implications of being a loose canon. America needs our ally support. These are dangerous times. We need people watching our backs and coming to our aid as we have needed other times. We wouldn't even be a country were it not for France. We are not an island unto ourselves. Yes, Trump can charm when needed and sound reasonable--when it serves him--but we have seen his true colors and heard the tapes of his own words when he didn't know he was being recorded.
It is also not typically helpful not to vote or to give a write-in or a protest vote---especially not this year. I understand it is our right to vote however we wish, but a vote for a third party, a write-in, or no vote at all was ultimately a vote for the Trump presidency, according to the analysts. Too much was at stake here domestically and globally this election. This was not the time to not participate or to make a "statement" that ended up helping Trump get elected. Did people think Bernie was joking when he begged everyone to vote for Hillary? The last thing he wanted was a Trump presidency. It puts everything he worked for and wants at risk more than any other outcome. There comes a point when we have to very seriously consider and understand potential outcomes and do our part to cut off the electoral path of a demagogue like Trump. People tend to hesitate to compare him to Hitler, but there are similarities in the way he has come to power and what he used to get here---fear and hate mongering, making people feel even more disenfranchised and like he is their only savior, pitting groups against each other, villifying and dehumanizing people, threats and bullying, etc. As for "change"---what a farce. Trump is more a "politician" than most politicians and the same old Republic guard was voted in. This is neither change nor anti-establishment.
I have had the honor of meeting Hillary Clinton on more than one occasion and being close friends with people who are close friends of hers. She has always exuded kindness, genuiness, compassion, humor and self deprication, intelligence, and dedication. The people who are close to her and have been for years, describe her similarly. She has dedicated her life to justice and the marginalized since she was a teenager. How many Americans have any real idea who Hillary is or what she has done through the span of her life, beyond what was spouted on TV or overheard or repeated as truth whether it was or not? She didn't arrive on the scene with Bill. She was a force unto herself before that and is, in my opinion, the more qualified Clinton, though---again--not perfect. She had one of the highest--if not the highest--ratings as Secretary of State and was a popular Senator. How soon we forget and how willing we are to still allow women to be villified for daring to apsire to the level that their qualifications should allow.
Watching the hope go out of my daughter's eyes on election night of this first year that she was elligible to vote was heartbreaking. Yet, I knew the US takes for granted our voting rights with typically only around 57% of elligible voters voting, and that our country is divided and fear, misinformation, ignorance, bigotry, and/or frustration might rule the day and the election, but I held out hope that we are better than that. Women, people of color, and others who fought beside us for the right to vote, suffered, and some died. Yet, that sacrifice is dismissed when that right is taken for granted. Thankfully, it wasn't by those who exercised their right to vote, made their voice heard, understood the stakes and took them seriously.
A devastating statement has been made about our country and the way we devalue women, people of color, people of various cultures and religions, the LGBTQ community, ... The underbelly has been exposed for what it is, but times like these are when movements are born and when good people stand up, speak out, and take action.
Our country and our world are divided and growing more so of late. It behooves us to heed the warning signs and come together as countries and continents and a global family. Our lives and the lives of our friends, neighbors, children and grandchildren depend on it.
If you are so inclined, look for ways to get involved, to be a part of making sure that we hold on to what is good and just and fair. We need to show our children that we are not going to let things fall apart. We are not going to allow them to inherit an absurd legacy. We are not going to quietly accept the loss of rights and the gains that have been made, the destruction of our Supreme Court, and a mockery of our federal judge appointments. Find an organization to support financially, a group to join and actively work for, sign a petition, organize a resistance march, write something for your local newspaper or a blog, gather friends, family, and neighbors for a roundtable discussion about what you can do to mitigate the outcome of this election, get to know Muslim and immigrant community members, work for gender equality. When we feel like retreating and licking our wounds, that is the time we most need to advance, and speak up and fight on.
All is not lost unless, we the people, allow it to be. The election results demonstrate what collective action can do and the same collective action can be used for GOOD. As Clinton herself said in her concession speech, "Scripture tells us not to grow weary in doing good, for in good season we shall reap. My friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary and lose heart, for there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do."
Phoenix
Author
Topic: 
U.S. Election