We watched election coverage last night until about 10. I checked first thing this morning, still in bed. I’ll be honest – I was relieved there were no results yet, because I had a meeting first thing this morning with a man at work who likes talking politics. As a blue-leaning person in a very red state, this is never my jam, especially on election day week.
I, like much of the world, have been holding my breath today. I know it’s pointless, and at this point what will happen will happen, but I keep refreshing the results page anyway. I feel unmoored when I don’t know what’s going on. Once I know the news, even if it’s bad, I can react. Until then I’m in limbo. Today is the fourth day of NaNoPoblano, and while I wanted to write something that wasn’t about the election, I can’t really think about anything else. So here’s a quick list of what I’m thinking today.
- It astounded me to see a huge number of international folks I follow watching election night coverage as closely as I was. I knew that the US election was a world event, but I didn’t really know it until I saw it for myself.
- Before last night, I thought there might be some truth to a statement I saw a few weeks ago: Tennessee isn’t really a red state, but a non-voting state. Now I am not so sure, and I’m naively disappointed.
- I was also struck by this research on young voters. Young voters seem to be getting more and more overwhelmingly progressive – except the white ones. So many people, including me, have viewed this election as a referendum on white supremacy, and this year I’ve become more and more convinced that it’s white people who will need to push to end white supremacy. It’s us who hold the social power, so we’re the ones who have to open it up. Why don’t we seem to have it in us?
I’ve seen a lot of doom and gloom today. Just the fact that this election is still so close after the shitshow that is Trump’s adminsitration is disheartening. But truly, I’m not ready to give up. As I noted above, even though young white voters lean Trump, many, many other young voters do not. The races in traditionally red states, like Georgia, have been surprisingly close. Progressive candidates are even making headway here in Tennessee, even if they did’t win.
I’m not ready to give up hope in a more equitable America, regardless of this election’s outcome, because that’s the America I want to live in. And while I wait for the election results, and think about where I want to get involved going forward, I’m also making sure to take a deep breath. I hope you are, too.
How are you feeling today? What are you doing to ease your election anxiety?
NaNoPoblano 2020: 4/30
NerdyWordyBirdy 
Hey, nerdywordybirdy! Some of us are keeping tabs on your country’s election because we have family there and it impacts us. Not even just individually, but on a global economic and political scale. It’s also quite unfortunate to see what happens in our own countries is happening there, that some of the things that you are going through in terms of an irresponsible leader whose actions and utterances peg back political processes that safeguard democracy and a feeling of belonging to all races, gender and people. Also sad to see that half of America resonates with this. Hopefully whoever takes the presidency prioritizes healing and togetherness.
I’m glad that you’ve kept writing, so proud of you. We did a blog post for blogpost thing a few years back (on Sykes Things). I hope you are keeping well.
Cheers. 😊
Oh yes I remember that post swap! Wow, so good to hear from you. Hope you are doing well too!
Doing well too, thanks.
Children in cages, children orphaned by this cruel administration should have been enough! The fact that it’s close is mind numbing !
I’ve been stressed and ANGRY so ANGRY. I cannot believe that the people of Kentucky voted in that ghoulish prick AGAIN.
The children really ARE the future though- I took screenshots a few years ago of the results from the Florida governor’s race, and the disparity was striking and obvious: The older and whiter the voter, the more they went Republican. Below age 65, they voted blue in overwhelming numbers. The progressive candidates have the majority of the younger voters, the majority of the POC candidates, the majority of the college-educated candidates. So-called conservative candidates have all the old white people.
The Republican party is dying a war of attrition as their largest base ages out of life. We’re just not to the end of their foul and miserable lifespan yet. It can’t come soon enough for my tastes.
(I am usually a peaceful, easy-going, very very chill person. But these people take my chill. They take all of it. I have never been so angry.)
I felt this way about Brexit. An overwhelming majority of votes were made by over 60’s, people who do have the right to vote however if you looked at the remainer’s they were largely from a younger demographic. I felt and still do feel strongly that these people are the future and what they wanted should have been held in higher regard. It’s their future that has been taken away.
I am staying away from the “live” media and taking news in through our local newspaper (they do email briefs morning and evening, and breaking news as well, but the live stuff with commentary makes me think too much of sports. And I really think that is part of our problem.
The number of voters who turned out to vote for hatred and bigotry is disheartening. I do not buy the “uninformed voter” thing. They know what they are doing. The amount of racism and misogyny in this country makes me sick to my stomach.
The problem with close and almost in electing progressives is that, if the current incumbent wins, we will likely never have another real election. There won’t be another chance. He is 14 for 14 items on the checklist of fascism.
Ugh, when I woke up this morning, the Washington Post map made me sure that Trump would win. It doesn’t look that way anymore. Still I’m disgusted that the race is so close and the house and senate republicans who have backstopped the man for the past four years sailed through the election.
Same. Especially the mcgrath/mcconnell race. Just gross.
I can’t wrap my head around the tweet re: the referendum on hate that didn’t fail. That’s what really hurts, no matter the outcome.
It really does. I can’t imagine how much more for POC.
Now We wait and breathe. I’m glad to hear that You are taking care of Your Self.
Hope you are too! ❤️