Election 2017

JO and I have made a bit of a tradition out of watching the election results at Tavern on the Square in Central Square.  We were there eight years ago when Obama won and the energy was electric.  This year, not so much.  I couldn't even stay because I was so stunned at what was unfolding and looking at the utter shock and awe on the faces of the other people was too much to take.  Cambridge is probably the most Democratic place in the state and the election pretty much sucker punched all of us Cantabridgians.  I had a lot of trouble processing the results, and quite frankly, I'm still having trouble with it.  I wrote the following post the night after the election.  It pretty much sums up where I'm at with that.  Throughout the whole thing though, I've been comforted by the displays of solidarity my city has shown.  We get it here and we'll fight the good fight and I feel good about that.

Parlor Sports had a pretty touching post

and Gather Here made a lovely statement in their window

I thought long and hard about writing this (and it's long, sorry) but seeing as the ethnic market next door was defaced today I feel the need. This is going to be long, it's how I process things and I was stuck in traffic for a real long time today with nothing to think about but my feelings. I know it has helped me tremendously to read what my friends are feeling so maybe this will connect with you.

Maybe you saw us, those people with tear stained faces, red and puffy from a sleepless night. The ones that looked dazed and confused, unable to speak two sentences without the tears falling. We'd been crying all night, since around 11:00 pm when we started to realize this insanity unfolding in front of us was turning into reality. Maybe you're one of us. But maybe you're not, and that's ok. I'm not going to judge you, we're all entitled to our own opinion but I want you to know why I'm reacting like this.

Elections are all about winners and losers. I know this, you know this, we all know this. If you vote, at some point during the race you pick a candidate that most aligns with your views and the direction you think the country is going in. If you're candidate wins, great, but if they don't it stings. Your dreams for the country won't get fulfilled....but in time you can get over it and live with it and it's not as horrible as you thought it would be.

This election was different. We didn't just lose our candidate for president. Last night we lost some of our faith in humanity and that scares the crap out of us. Whether intended or not, a Trump victory sent the message that racism is ok, bigotry is ok, sexual harassment and body shaming is ok, making fun of disabled people is ok, making bold statements about excluding whole groups of people based on a religion is ok. Billy Bush was fired from a network tv show for his role in the Access Hollywood scandal, Trump was elected to the most powerful office in the world. Think about that for a minute.

And if you're a teacher, the feelings cut deeper. Today I heard from my teacher friends across the country. There were stories of children asking how long they could keep going to school, asking if we had a king now, if they should hide, if the wall was going to crush them, if they wouldn't have anyone to play with on the playground because their friends will get sent "home." Other children made their teachers goodbye cards because they are afraid they won't have time to say goodbye when their time comes. And for me, the one that was most telling, do Americans ever immigrate away from the United States? Seeing as we crashed the Canadian immigration website last night, the answer is yes.

People tried to comfort us by reminding us of the checks and balances in place. It's hard to find solace in that when their is also a Republican majority in Congress, and a soon to be conservative Supreme Court.

People tried to be optimistic and point out that Trump's victory speech was very "toned down" and "reserved." I spend my days teaching kids that you own your words and actions. Once you say or do something you can never take it back and I hold my political leaders to the same standard. Trump can't undo what he has sad and done and I can't forget it. Maybe that's my flaw to have to deal with, and maybe in time I will get there. But the wound is too raw now.

In this dark time, I am comforted to know that we still have the right to free speech and to protest peacefully. We must fight to protect what is important to us, even if it feels impossible. We cannot, must not, be silenced!

In the end, it's all about RESPECT!