Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Dark Days




Dear George,
The election results, of course, are unexpected and astonishing.  There are lots of possible interpretations and meanings.  Like most people I know, my opinion is that the forces of ignorance and hatred, sexism and racism, have triumphed in the American electorate.  If Trump’s blustery stances hold true, there are likely disastrous consequences for every sector of the society (the economy, international relations, the Supreme Court, climate change, women’s rights, health care, race relations, social inequality, immigration reform, etc., etc.)  Hillary Clinton graciously said, “We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.”  That is gracious, and we will work toward accepting that advice, at least for the immediate future.  In the meantime, Katja has vowed to leave the country, and I find myself retreating into my private cave.  I tried to find something positive to hold onto in the last 24 hours.  Perhaps Trump’s victory will be less horrible than had it been an ideologue like Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio.  Probably the sole positive is that there will be plenty of fodder for late-night comedians.  That’s about it.
Love,
Dave


3 comments:

  1. People have been gathering at Pantsuit Nation on Facebook to commiserate and plan for the future. The stories people share are touching and inspiring. It's a private group, but I could invite you to join.Obviously, you don't have to stick around if it doesn't suit you. They're even forming groups by state and maybe eventually by city. If you're interested, let me know (we're Fb friends) and I could add you to the group.

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  2. I also belong to Pantsuit Nation and I think both you and Katja would find kindred souls. In the meantime, I am grieving

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  3. Maybe this TED talk from another social psychologist would help you. http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_can_a_divided_america_heal?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2016-11-12&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_content=talk_of_the_week_image

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