Election Results 2016, Part 2

[Destiny]

Continued from here:

I have no snappy words to offer.

[Mela99]

I am numb. I thought I would be hysterical. But I am numb to the core. I have nothing to do at work yet and I've just been staring into space. My coffee tastes like nothing. 

I had half a glass of wine last night and stopped at that. The paralegal thought I looked massively hungover. Might be the poor sleep and lack of makeup.

I'm glad you guys are here though. Wherever you go - don't leave me. We need each other more than ever. 

[RoseWilder]

I'm really trying to figure out how to proceed from here. I wish there was some way of making racists see how wrong they are. I wish there was something I could say to make my brother not hate 75% of the world. 

I don't want to become like some of the Republicans I know (I'm not speaking of all Republicans here, just the far-right ones), who treat everyone who disagrees with them like they are my enemy. But I don't know how to be around family and friends now when they have revealed how sexist and racist and hateful they are. 

I don't know how to reject their hatred without become hateful myself. It's all so confusing. 

Thanks for listening FJers. I feel like these threads are really helping me process how I feel so I can figure out how to move forward. 

[Mecca]

Well, here I am several hours later with no sleep and I still don't get it. I hijacked my husband Facebook page and let it rip today. People were being so nasty. Hell, I deleted some of the assholes on his list that were being awful. I will ask for forgiveness later. 

What really sucks is our family and friends back in Australia leaving messages for him saying, "Thanks." Apparently we are solely responsible for the Trump win. Who knew we had so much power. Frankly, they need to realize what is happening in their own back yard with several movements that have grown in popularity over the last several years. This level of hatred is a world wide issue and not exclusive to the U.S. We have all witnessed what seems like small fractions at first can grow and the next thing you know you have a raging lunatic in office. 

[Cleopatra7]

I've always thought that Hillary was a problematic candidate because she's been the object of the right wing smear machine for decades and many people are convinced she's done all kinda of horrible things that have no basis in reality. There's huge infighting at DailyKos about how the Democrats should have nominated a real progressive, rather than a centrist, but I'm not sure that would have helped either, given that Obama and Hillary are both centrists, yet are painted as these radical communists by the rightwing media. Frankly, I think the underlying problem is that we live in a fundamentally, racist, reactionary society where many white people, rich and poor, college educated or not, enjoy punching down non-whites and don't see any need to expend any resources on such people. They would rather be without healthcare, for example, if it means non-whites also don't get to have healthcare (in fact, the only reason the New Deal packages passed was by making a deal that agricultural workers and domestic workers, the two largest categories of black workers in the South, would not be covered, and black women were barred from participating in the program for single mothers until the Great Society programs of the 1960s). However, we can't even talk about racism in the media, about the alt-right or the toxic chan culture or any of this.

Like many FJers, I am so done with Christianity, at least the white fundegelicals who are so intent on whoring themselves out to the first strongman they see. The pussygate scandal revealed how little they care about "character" and how it's just about power, patriarchalism, and white supremacy, and I think many fundegelical white women happily buy into this, because the women who are being assaulted "deserved it." Rightwing white Christianity is a scam and a moral fraud. Hopefully, one day these churches will be have the same level of moral authority the Dutch Reformed Church does in South Africa, which is none. As far as I'm concerned, these fundegelical churches are simply the White Citizen's Council at prayer, and should be treated accordingly.

[IntrinsicallyDisordered]

I am sick to my stomach and heartsick and just exhausted.  I realize now that America is and always has been rotten to the core.  All men are created equal has always had an asterisk next to it; @Cleopatra7 you are absolutely right that this country was not made for anyone other than white, Christian, straight men.  A "land of the free" does not have slavery.  Period.  The end.  Was it Franklin and Adams who said if slavery was allowed in the union, it would blow it all apart in a hundred years?  And then there was the Civil War, proving them right...too little done afterwards, just stuff everything back down...hundred years later it boils over again...it will never get better because the people who voted for Trump and who hold these views don't want it to get better for anyone but them because they don't truly view anyone else as fully human.  

I've always thought that most people of any sort are fundamentally decent deep down, this election broke that optimism.   I am glad I moved out of the US 10 years ago.  I am terrified for my siblings that are there, one of whom is disabled.  They're poor, but they're white, so I know they're at the top of the food chain, so to speak. I cannot imagine how others feel and my heart goes out to all of you.

I went to bed last night anxious but sure Hillary would win because the alternative was madness.  Woke up in disbelief and fear that melted into tears when I saw a tweet that read "tell me again how accusations of sexual assault ruin a man's life" or something to that effect.  As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and later sexual assault, the idea that so many people - and it doesn't matter that it's not all, or even more than half - are okay with this man being the president is literally sickening.  I threw up, I can barely breathe.  I took some valium and that helped, but then I think about how my mother voted for this man and reprimanded me when voiced my feelings - "how dare you", she said.  "I was there after what happened to you, I saw what it did to you, it broke my heart."  Yet she still voted for him because abortion + "Hillary is so evil, she's just evil."  Apparently she read some book recently that described how Hillary killed people's pets and sacrificed their kids to Satan or something, I don't even know.

I am sure Trump's insistence that everything is rigged and his fans' insistence that their votes were being changed to Clinton will be roundly forgotten. 

I have a good friend who is Russian - lives in Russia - and I chatted with him this morning, they are thrilled.  Like, over the moon.  He was trying to be sensitive to my feelings because he knows about my past and "joked" that  of course Trump was their way to destroy America from the inside out, and when he'd served his purpose they'd depose him in favor of someone else so I wouldn't have to worry for too long.  I reminded him how horrible Pence was too and "joked" that I'd like a competent, stable, non-sexual predator, non-bigot if possible, if they were taking suggestions.   I don't know if the Russian theories are right but I definitely get the impression that Russia would like them to be.  This is a great guy who I have been very close to for almost a decade and we talk very openly and freely, except when discussing his country/government.  Then it's like I suddenly tuned into RT.  Party line and nothing else.  

[catlady]

This morning I looked at my local paper which ran a front page photo of the president-elect, and the color processing of the print made me throw it across the room and yell to Mr. CL, "He's fucking orange!"  ThenI get to work and hear the HR department (HR!  Three women!) gleefully discussing the results and how excited they are.  What is wrong with people?  I wish I had rum in my Coke. 

 

[Audrey2]

@Toothfairy (from last thread)

 

My biggest concern with the Democrats is how they are being shut out of more and more state legislators and governors. Through redistricting, many states that used to be toss up states are becoming redder and redder. Nationally, we need good Democrats who rise through the ranks to eventually become senators or governors to have a viable Presidential candidate.

 

As a baseball fan, it's like seeing a team constantly trading away its best Minor League prospects. Eventually, it destroys the club at a Major League level.

 

@Cleopatra7

Please don't paint all Christians with that brush. I know there are other mainline Christians on Free Jinger that are vehemently opposed to fundamentalism and who support a more liberal/progressive school of thought. There are mainline churches who are reconciling congregations, who want everyone to be able to participate in the life of the church, no matter what orientation. Not all Christians only vote against abortion and ignore all the other thoughts of the candidate. Not all Christians wish to force their beliefs down the throats of all. 

[takers401]

If I'm understanding correctly the Republicans took the Presidency, Senate, and House last night. What does this mean for the Supreme Court? Are there enough openings/Republican leanings that Republicans will also have the Court? As in ZERO checks and balances?

[RoseWilder]

The irony here is that 75% of the people I know who were Trump supporters are living on public assistance. They just shot themselves in the foot so hard and they don't even seem to realize it. 

The evangelical church has also damaged it's own reputation for years to come, and they don't even realize it either because they're too busy thinking they won. They have been lamenting for years that the church is losing people in droves, and they don't seem to realize that this will only make it worse. 

My brother and his wife, who voted for Trump, also just shot themselves in the foot because they want to have a third child but my sister-in-law's work does not provide a very good maternity leave policy. The Democrats wanted to give them the chance to have extra time to bond with their baby. And they threw it away out of racism. 

Every Trump supporter I know is going to personally suffer in some way for having voted for Trump, and they're all too foolish to realize it. 

[GeoBQn]

The only thing I can think of doing that will make me feel better (other than overdosing on Bob's Burgers on Netflix) is to make a donation to the family planning clinic I used to be on the board for.  It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but it's a start, and they are definitely going to need support.

[candygirl200413]

As a democrat, I do think that people can obviously be successful and do well regardless if they didn't go to college. I'm going to see if I can find it again but the chart was saying how many un-educated high school degree only men had the highest amount of votes go to trump.

[Toothfairy]

21 minutes ago, Cleopatra7 said:

I've always thought that Hillary was a problematic candidate because she's been the object of the right wing smear machine for decades and many people are convinced she's done all kinda of horrible things that have no basis in reality. There's huge infighting at DailyKos about how the Democrats should have nominated a real progressive, rather than a centrist, but I'm not sure that would have helped either, given that Obama and Hillary are both centrists, yet are painted as these radical communists by the rightwing media. Frankly, I think the underlying problem is that we live in a fundamentally, racist, reactionary society where many white people, rich and poor, college educated or not, enjoy punching down non-whites and don't see any need to expend any resources on such people. They would rather be without healthcare, for example, if it means non-whites also don't get to have healthcare (in fact, the only reason the New Deal packages passed was by making a deal that agricultural workers and domestic workers, the two largest categories of black workers in the South, would not be covered, and black women were barred from participating in the program for single mothers until the Great Society programs of the 1960s). However, we can't even talk about racism in the media, about the alt-right or the toxic chan culture or any of this.

Like many FJers, I am so done with Christianity, at least the white fundegelicals who are so intent on whoring themselves out to the first strongman they see. The pussygate scandal revealed how little they care about "character" and how it's just about power, patriarchalism, and white supremacy, and I think many fundegelical white women happily buy into this, because the women who are being assaulted "deserved it." Rightwing white Christianity is a scam and a moral fraud. Hopefully, one day these churches will be have the same level of moral authority the Dutch Reformed Church does in South Africa, which is none. As far as I'm concerned, these fundegelical churches are simply the White Citizen's Council at prayer, and should be treated accordingly.

We fightingthe same shit over again. Whenever non white people get something, whites take it away. The truly want America to be in the 1800s. Including slavery. 

[molecule]

I feel heart-heavy today. I didn't like either major party's candidate selection, and I knew that no matter the outcome, I wouldn't be thrilled today But I didn't expect I would feel this bad if this outcome happened. My once-blue state of Wisconsin is now washed in red. It feels surreal and wrong.

I can't decide whether I'm more heartsick about what the future holds or about the fact that I have learned that my country is not at all what I thought it was. But I also know that there are a lot of folks who feel their voices were heard for the first time in a long while. That is a good thing, and I'm trying to find some contentment in that.

Although I live in an urban area, I have quite a few relatives who don't. They have felt for years that their needs have been ignored and that when it comes to politics, they are the ones who are marginalized. They aren't wrong about that. I have friends and family on both sides of the political divide, and many of them are far from racist or misogynistic--but they still voted for Trump because they disagree with everything Clinton says and does. Clinton scared them more than Trump did.

I am trying today to think about my loved ones who voted out of their own frustration and disagreement and not out of wanting to make America white, straight, Christian, and male again. It's hard, and I'm sighing a lot. Coffee helps. So does the sunshine.

In the midst of this, I've been trying to do long-distance parenting of my very distraught gender-and-sexuality-studies major daughter who is trying to figure out how to muddle through her day.

[prayawaythefundie]

Obama haters will miss Obama so much. We all will.

 

It was almost impossible to hold classes in school today. Tons of scared German kids asking what's going to happen now. German teachers scared of what will happen when we get to vote in 2017.

[SassyPants]

My daughter (the one who lives abroad ) sent me an email  this morning that read "How is it possible that Donald Trump is the President of the United States"?  I replied, "the asshole factor was bigger than anyone even knew."

The absolute worse part:

HoR

Senate

Presidency

Supreme Court

 

Misogyny wins

 

[Cleopatra7]

33 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

 

 

@Cleopatra7

Please don't paint all Christians with that brush. I know there are other mainline Christians on Free Jinger that are vehemently opposed to fundamentalism and who support a more liberal/progressive school of thought. There are mainline churches who are reconciling congregations, who want everyone to be able to participate in the life of the church, no matter what orientation. Not all Christians only vote against abortion and ignore all the other thoughts of the candidate. Not all Christians wish to force their beliefs down the throats of all. 

I understand that not all Christians are power obsessed Trump supporters. However, I think white evangelicals and white conservative Catholics are obsessed with maintaining power in a way other Christians aren't. I mean, when we speak of "the evangelical vote," we aren't speaking of an AME Church, an LGBT affirming Episcopal Church, a Korean Presbyterian Church, or a Hispanic Pentecostal church, but of people like the Duggars and their fundie lite enablers who want to "take back America," presumably from their fellow Christians who have the wrong skin color or last name. When Franklin Graham talks about how hostile the US is for Christians, he means conservative white Christians like himself who share a common worldview, whether about abortion or racism. As with most things, there are white evangelicals and then there's everyone else, who somehow don't count as Christian, because they don't buy into the white evangelical social package, which is highly influenced by our toxic racial history. 

[SassyPants]

32 minutes ago, takers401 said:

If I'm understanding correctly the Republicans took the Presidency, Senate, and House last night. What does this mean for the Supreme Court? Are there enough openings/Republican leanings that Republicans will also have the Court? As in ZERO checks and balances?

Yes, no checks and balances

[foreign fundie]

24 minutes ago, Cleopatra7 said:

Like many FJers, I am so done with Christianity, at least the white fundegelicals who are so intent on whoring themselves out to the first strongman they see. The pussygate scandal revealed how little they care about "character" and how it's just about power, patriarchalism, and white supremacy, and I think many fundegelical white women happily buy into this, because the women who are being assaulted "deserved it." Rightwing white Christianity is a scam and a moral fraud. Hopefully, one day these churches will be have the same level of moral authority the Dutch Reformed Church does in South Africa, which is none. As far as I'm concerned, these fundegelical churches are simply the White Citizen's Council at prayer, and should be treated accordingly.

I am so sorry to read this, although the feelings you articulate will be an inevitable consequence of this election. As a pro-life Christian and a pretty  fundie one at that, I feel so deeply disappointed at the choice maybe not all, but so many of my brothers and sisters have made. It seems the ideal of overturning abortion law has become an idol and has blinded people to so many other important things. I am afraid evangelicals will reap what they have sown and their lack of descernment will come back to bite them. Christians all over the world will feel this too. 

Today it is hard to know if I should feel angry with the Trump voters or ashamed so many of them share my faith. It is a time for reflection and confession. May God have mercy on us all. 

[louisa05]

Third grader tearfully told me this morning that her immigrant dad said he might have to leave the country , I had no words for her. I have been in this classroom before and she knows me so I just hugged her and she held on tight 

Every Trump voter should have had to face this little girl this morning or the other children like her

[Mela99]

I've been sitting here wondering what I would tell my child, if I had one. 

I wish Fred Rogers was still around. "Look for the helpers - you will always see people helping." 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

I am so sorry for you all. I feel like offering condolences as if someone died. I hope that the dream of a better and fairer society didn't die yesterday. 

I offer virtual hugs a slice of chocolate cake laced with Grappa.

[VelociRapture]

@Audrey2Thank you! I'll look up the channel and will be informing husband that we'll be tuning into BBC America from now on for our news. 

37 minutes ago, takers401 said:

If I'm understanding correctly the Republicans took the Presidency, Senate, and House last night. What does this mean for the Supreme Court? Are there enough openings/Republican leanings that Republicans will also have the Court? As in ZERO checks and balances?

They did, but don't appear to have won a super majority. Which means they'll either have to work with Democrats to get Supreme Court nominees appointed or they'll have to use the nucleur option - which would be highly hypocritical since they spent the last few months mocking the Democrats for considering that option.

35 minutes ago, GeoBQn said:

The only thing I can think of doing that will make me feel better (other than overdosing on Bob's Burgers on Netflix) is to make a donation to the family planning clinic I used to be on the board for.  It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but it's a start, and they are definitely going to need support.

 Excellent idea!!! 

 

35 minutes ago, Toothfairy said:

We fightingthe same shit over again. Whenever non white people get something, whites take it away. The truly want America to be in the 1800s. Including slavery. 

Please don't think all of us are like this. My brother is LGBTQ - he faces similar challenges under this administration as other minority groups do. And even if he didn't, this would still break this white woman's heart (and the hearts of many other white people too.)

I know it doesn't seem like it, but I promise not all of us are horrible people. 

[JoyfulSel]

I woke up this morning and had a full blown panic attack when the reality just hit me like a ton of bricks. Then, it felt as if an awakening happened - even though I am a white refugee immigrant woman whose family is Muslim and Catholic, I thought we were moving in a better direction. I thought that we had made progress. I thought we  could do this on the back of positive ratings for our President. I was so so incredibly wrong.

We haven't gone forward at all - but only the dirty, disgusting underbelly disease that has always been there has now been brought to the forefront and legitimized. People will see how much of a disaster all of this will be. To the poster who said that most people who voted for Trump will be affected directly as well, I wholeheartedly agree. So many Trump supporters I know sure don't mind government assistance for them, but they are white and "deserve it" and the immigrants need to get out. (I have had this said to my face by so-called friends who KNOW I am an immigrant ??) I am numb. I am scared. But I now see. And I will fight, harder than ever to trump out hate.

[JMarie]

I am truly terrified.  What is Trump going to do to Medicare and Social Security?  What's going to happen to my 88 year old father, who has multiple health issues, including dementia?  It's one thing to not care if you lose almost a billion dollars, but try telling an elderly person you're going to mess with their $1228/month.