When I finally went to bed late last night, there was a small part of me that hoped I would wake up this morning to find that Donald Trump’s improbable victory had been nothing more than a very bad dream.
Barring that, which I knew was a bit of a long shot, I hoped that I would at least wake up with the inklings of a plan for what to do about this catastrophe. I hoped I could write a rousing blog post sketching out my thoughts on the road ahead– for this blog and for the anti-Trump movement as a whole.
Alas, that didn’t happen either. I’m still processing the bad news, emotionally and intellectually. And I know a lot of you are doing the same.
And that’s ok. Trump will not take office until the end of January. There will be plenty of time to come up with ways to fight back against the orange one.
Right now the important thing is to take care of ourselves and those around us. Give yourself however much time you need. Avoid stress. Don’t beat yourself up for what happened, and don’t take out your anger on others on our side. Turn off the news if need be. Do whatever you need to do to clear your head and keep yourself safe.
In the comments here, feel free to continue the discussion that started in the “VOTE” post yesterday. And please share any self-help and self-care strategies you have — even if all you’ve got at the moment is pictures of cats and videos of hedgehogs.
If trolls show up, or if there is anything else that pops up in the thread that I should know about, please send me an email about it.
We can fight this thing. We can beat this thing. But first we need to get ourselves centered.
… Interstate Compact.
Holy shit, you guys. That’s a thing you can do in your system. That’s a thing you can do in your system. That’s a state legislature thing.
Guyse. Look up your state representative and write them. Call them. Whatever. Tell them that to either support the fuck out of the bills to join the Interstate Compact, or if your state doesn’t have one, tell them to introduce one.
State legislatures are rarely bought out by the same sort of big money – they actually listen to their constituents still, if enough people raise their voices. They know – they should goddamn well know by now at least – that they still need the votes if they’re going to win.
That’s a path to fixing this problem, guys. That’s a thing you can do right now!
This election season has brought out the worst in everyone. Border-line paranoia on this side, and foul, hateful deeds on that. I hope that the next four years will not be as bad as these first few days.
Hey, they’re not in office yet, and if we make a big enough deal to our electoral college representatives, we can possibly stop them.
We also have two years until mid-election and we have to work to make sure people vote Democrat to get rid of the Republican majority.
We have to be diligent but we can do this. We just have to keep pushing.
@kupo, there are some lovely farmer’s markets around here and I’d be happy to send some boxes of fresh produce down if needs must. Alberta’s got some of the best beef in the world if you eat beef, too. I’ve been to the States a few times and can’t bring myself to eat what you call ‘steaks’, it just ain’t right.
http://marketingforhippies.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Farmers-Market-Old-Strathcona-1024×6071.jpg
First things first, I have to help my girlfriend get naturalized, then the rest of her family.
…actually, no, first things first, we have our previously-planned picnic on Veterans’ Day and play Pokemon Go, with the possibility of mutual comfort sex later. Then the naturalization. Then, I fight.
I will get through this. We will get through this.
And everyone who doesn’t get through this, I lay at the Republican party’s feet.
http://www.interstatecompact.org/
….I had an idea, y’all.
The consensus here is that Trump’s essentially a supervillain, right?
Maybe
we need
a superhero(ine).
(obviously the compact is awesome too, but think about it y’all.)
Oogly: is that the right link? It went to a site for something called the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision…
Can confirm.
@Nequam
That’s just one link wiki has a list of them that are currently in operation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_compact#Operating_agencies_created_by_interstate_compact
Listen guys, for real, if you live in a swing state, write to your electoral college reps and get as many people as you can to write as well. Picket in front of their offices if it comes down to it. Clinton needs around 166 votes to win. A few thousand letters can give us those votes.
EDIT: As far as I understand, interstate compacts are agreements between states to work towards something. It isn’t, like, something that you enact or whatever, but more like a contract states make over a common goal.
Hey, just wanted to check in here. I’m glad to see so many people commenting, and I’d like to welcome all the new commenters. (I just let through a bunch of comments from newcomers.)
I’m still processing this, in my own way, will resume regular posting when I can stand to wade into the muck again, but right now I can’t.
If any trolls wander into the comments here, send me an email, because I’m way behind on the comments right now.
Thank you for everything, David. Do we thank you often enough? Do I? In your own way, you are a hero for social justice.
We are better than them. We are stronger than them. We will not take this lying down. You, David Futrelle, help us be that way.
You take care of yourself too, David! Chat if you want, ignore if you want. We’ll let you know if anything explodes.
Seconding Karalora.
David, WHTM has kept me informed for months on end now, and it’s galvanized me in a way I would never have been without it. You’ve done a great service, and you deserve a break from this shitstorm.
This will not be the end. It cannot be.
David its thanks to your blog and its commentators that helped me pierce the lies of the MRA. We won’t let them make their fascism become the norm of this country. I refuse to let the neonazis and the alt right to turn us all into second class citizens.
hello and welcome to @Jedi Mind Tricks of the Bible, @Malik Malachi Robinson, @cmb, @The Nightingale, @Becki, @Elizabeth, and anyone else I have missed! You’re all very welcome here. Please do comment if you want to! Your comments will show up right away now that David’s approved you. Come on in!
For fucking real look
http://i.imgur.com/FCjhEmP.png
Look and do something, somehow.
It’s close we just have to convince a few states, please. PLEASE.
This cheered me up slightly. I fear it may be especially moving for hardcore Buffy geeks like myself, but figured I’d post it here anyway in case it helps cheer anyone else up even a little.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/are-you-ready-to-be-strong?utm_term=.edRJpaXRv#.rfZZ16GAr
The first quote doesn’t really work until you think about the context (white men who created their protector by traumatising a woman and stealing her humanity, who then became cross and tried to wield their power through creating fear – because they realised their unchallenged mastery of the woman was slipping as she became aware of the fact the whole structure was corrupt and unnecessary. Might work even better as an analogy for BLM and the situation of Native Americans right now.) The whole thing also really made me think about how apt the seventh season currently is. I’ve seen Buffy… more times than I care to admit, and every time I feel so hopeless at the power of the evil (especially the white male pastor who believes in the inherent filth in women) and watching the “good guys” turn on each other from fear and struggling leadership. Yet they make it through, by pulling together and sharing their power, as well as recognising that even when everything seems hopeless it is they who hold the power and simply need to exploit it – by sharing it and standing up for the people who need it.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is: Let’s all be slayers.
Edit: adding to the love for David. I may not comment much at all but I read every blog post and lurking here is what gives me hope.
@Jesalin
it’s definitely people who have trouble being considerate or people who don’t get that the whole world doesn’t revolve around them. I always get annoyed with the “I’m a woman/poc/disabled person/lgbt person/etc and x thing that people of my shared identity finds offensive so therefor it’s not offensive” because not every woman has the exact same experience and having a different experience from someone doesn’t make that other person’s experience invalid. Having different feelings from someone doesn’t make that other person’s emotions invalid
@valentine
I am also hopeful he won’t be able to get much done. If you look at other presidents, the most succesful presidents are those that have served in the congress or senate because they have relationships with other senators and congressmen so I’m hoping his outsider status and his burned bridges with politicians will limit him as a president
I have nothing concrete to offer except for this fantastic piece of art that always moves me. Enjoy.
<a href="[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTB9rzP2efE&w=854&h=480%5D“>
Five people shot at protest march in Seattle. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/seattle-police-responding-to-reports-of-4-shot-downtown/
I too went to sleep hoping it was all a horrible dream. ..wife and I are planning to expatriate, perhaps to Guyana, if they’ll have us and our kitties. We are heartbroken.
Cinnamon Hitler? Dumpster Fire? I refuse to use that shitheel’s name too.
I now have some assholes on my FB going “well, Bernie Sanders would have won”.
I have a feeling I’ll be unfollowing these people soon. These were, of course, people who were voting for Stein because Hillary was “untrustworthy”. It’s taking every ounce of restraint I have not to start huge FB wars with these people.
Instead, I’m just gonna “AAAARRGGELBARRGLE” for a bit before I go to bed.
ETA: If you’re able to, donate to the ACLU, they’re gonna need the funds when the civil rights violations start.
@everybody who refuses to type the name of the President-elect:
Might I recommend “T.H.O. Groper” (Trigger-Happy Orange Groper)? I’ve used it upthread, or in the VOTE thread.
Re the shooting in Seattle: I’m not even shocked. Appalled, but not shocked. Doubly so because that’s close to home for me.
I love you all.