If you've popped over here from Twitter to be sure I'm not a bot, let me assure you I'm very much a live person with flaws, foibles, and thoughts that struggle not to exceed 140 characters. I hated twitter until this election cycle. It seemed too silly, too fast, too limited. However, I discovered it to be a blessing from July onward. Quick links to news, stats, and research points was welcome amidst the turmoil and, I admit, over-bloody-whelming information overload. I took both sides with a grain of salt post primaries. As I drilled down, that rapidly changed.
The brutal, vicious rhetoric of rallies and surrogates spinning lies for pay damaged my trust in the Fourth Estate. It has not recovered and probably won't until they critically assess profit vs duty to public in an open way with public [not government] input. They failed to research and fact check; I could not, as a citizen, afford to do the same. I voted and I wish that could just be the end of it, truly. I wish I could trust the media to alert me to issues of relevance with complete research not bites and bits flashing half-assed hype. I wish I could trust the voice of the barely 1/4 of Americans that elected this man had the best interest of everyone in mind.
I cannot because I believe many of the 1/4 did so based on a single issue or two, with a cursory examination of the candidates, and with indifference to equality for all, in some cases contrary to this proposition that all are created equal. I fear the repetition of lies presented as facts is all that pierced through. I cannot because I am stunned by how the word liberal has been transformed from a valid point of view to find common ground with to mean = the enemy within. This is not true, but the word liberal is being sneered often enough that many will believe it is. I am horrified that protesters are being characterized as villains when expressing their Constitutional Rights. Especially after the threats about pitchforks and fire, revolution and violence, plus the vows to obstruct the operations of government if the election did not go a certain way. Most importantly, I cannot because of the fact 1/2 the country did not vote. I do believe many of that 1/2 were denied their right to vote, but most simply abdicated their rights.
I cannot because the Congressional and potential Cabinet Member threats and promises being issued that jeopardize the healthcare of millions, the housing and food for millions, the Social Security of millions [paid for and earned-not an entitlement!], the Medicare of millions [also paid for and earned], the retirement accounts in mutual funds for millions, the rights guaranteed under the Constitution, plus the access of the Press -imperfect as they are- to our elected officials in danger. Insisting the country is in dire economic straights but offering the solution to this is to jerk the safety nets out from under the most vulnerable is Just Nuts. The poor and vulnerable did not create the economic crisis of 2008 - they survived it, barely. The poor and vulnerable, didn't get bailed out, the banks did. Vilifying the poor and vulnerable, compounding this with racial rhetoric, is not the way to make any country great, ever. The state of our poor and vulnerable citizens, not how high our towers or how wealthy our bankers, lawyers and CEOs, is the measurement of how great we are.
So, I dare not just go back to life as it was, quietly doing my best everyday, and consider that good enough. I acknowledge this inability being a person of faith, non-college educated, over 50, white woman. Amidst all the campaign coverage, I re-discovered my inner liberal that was silenced by years of being prayerfully submissive in marriage, diapers, dishes, and divorce when my youngest was less than a year old. I don't regret a single day, not one. They were full, noisy, and even when I worked three jobs to keep roof over head and food on the table, I went to bed knowing I did the very best I could every day. I always -always- fell short. That is a fact of single parenting that God alone can compensate for. I rose every morning knowing God would give me the energy -and whatever else I needed- to get through the day with contentment, and more often than not, a great deal of laughter. Sometimes, that pep talk required extra effort, but looking back, I'm certain of the truth. Despite the election, I am still certain of this truth.*
As an old biddy with mostly grown children, I am re-awakening to the existence of the Big Ole Goofy World beyond the daily business of living in a small community. Yes, we made it through without child support from so far below poverty level we couldn't even see the line. I want everyone else to survive and thrive as well. Everyone! Paying taxes so that others have health insurance, food, housing, and a better than merely decent education, fills me with joy -and yes, a bit of pride- doing my part is an honor. I spent 4.5 years on food stamps, have never needed the government otherwise since I was in a place we could afford to live on less. My children were healthy and we home educated around my bizarre work schedule. There were folks that shared blessings of food, passed along clothing, advice and assistance with home and car repairs over the years, we would not have survived otherwise.
To deny anyone the essentials of life is just not in me; I pray such never takes root! My faith drives this. Scripture clearly defines my neighbor, no laws of man can, or should, change that. If they are here, if they are in need, they ARE my neighbor. There is no other qualifier, not one. Being a neighbor does not give me the right, or excuse, to force my personal convictions on what constitutes sin on anyone. It does demand I step forward to defend my neighbor from injustice, persecution, and need. It does not demand the same in return. It does not demand anything in 'compensation' or 'recognition' for doing what is not only commanded, but the right thing. It is a response freely given OR it is a work done without love.
I am commanded to love everyone as myself. There is no greater commandment: no law that can violate this, no tax that can eliminate it, and no prejudice allowed to bend it. This love is supposed to define me, in all areas of my life. Lack of this expressed love is considered an admission I am not genuine in my faith. It is how others can identify me as a child of God, my expressions of love as I walk my faith. No cross, or fish, or bumper sticker, or church membership, or profession however eloquent is a substitute for this means of identifying a child of God. By the way, it does not apply in reverse. Believers cannot point fingers and say: you aren't living my faith therefore you don't matter, aren't my neighbor, deserve nothing from me. Scripture is pretty darn clear on these things.
Those things are my personal experience, convictions and bias disclosed.
How this impacts my response to this election remains to be seen now The Southern Strategy has been applied to the Nation, not just the South. I believe it will continue to be applied to distract citizens from the core violations of our rights and institutions, while we're being left behind with crumbs in our beggar's bowl with regards to trade and influence. The racial and gender attacks cannot be neglected, but we cannot afford to ignore the Congressional Actions that will drag us back to the days after Black Tuesday. There are so many fronts to be aware of these politicians are no-doubt counting on We the People growing weary and desensitized. They expect us to grow as selfish -take care of your own, screw everyone else- as they are; dividing us even further as they consolidate their power to the few at the expense of the many.
I know it will not allow me to simply sit and read what has become vitriolic catch phrases passing for dialog and debate. There has always been opinions galore. Conversation and dialog face to face, as well as via internet, was often heated, even flaming, but facts were seldom at issue. The flash points were usually over minutia of topics, over the best way to proceed in difficult or changing situation, over what the future would require of us. Now we find our country divided over our citizens basic human rights to health care, housing, food, potable water, and education; over the Inalienable Right that All are Created Equal; over Innocent until Proven guilty for all; over whether we as a Nation have a right to torture captives; over whether the elderly deserve government -not private industry- accountability for the taxed funds set aside for their present and our future health and well being.
I don't know how to comprehend even one of these being in Question, never mind that they are suddenly possibilities to repeal or deny. Being alert and aware, speaking up, even marching seems like holding up a matchstick on a dark, windy night knowing there is a cliff before you and no choice but to go forward.
*IMHO: I do not expect God to intervene in politics. He deals with us personally, individually, not as nations or territories. The entire world is His. He sees no borders, boundaries or difference between a child in Allepo and a child in Omaha; all of it is His Creation, both of them need His Mercy. Like the air that flows around the globe, so too His Living Love for each of us that we are commanded to share, generously, in the form of nourishment, water, shelter, and care. Petty politics, wars, rise and fall of potentates and rulers, are of our creation, not His. Endurance, strength, and will to raise our hand to assist each other is what He will give us.
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