My friend Rene noted that come Wednesday, half of America will be very disappointed. I’m hoping it is the Trump half, but I think it is important to note that this election has scarred America like no other in my life time.
I have lost friends over this election. I will not patronize businesses that supported Trump. I have lost respect for approximately half of my fellow Americans. In the past, I didn’t like certain Republican candidates, but I certainly didn’t think that Romney or McCain or Bush would ruin our country. This election is different.
This is an election in which the other side has systematically removed our yard signs. They put up signs that call for the imprisonment of my candidate. Many of the people I talked to were afraid to put out Clinton signs because they thought the other side might retaliate. Here, in America, they were afraid to put out political signs.
Both sides think the election is rigged. Over thirty states have increased restrictions on voting to reduce minority voting, the campaign finance system aids people like the Koch Brothers, and gerrymandering helps to ensure Republican dominance of the House. I think it’s rigged.
The other side thinks the rigging takes place in the voting, although they can never seem to find actual examples.
In this election season, hate crimes against Muslims have increased. High school kids shout insults at fellow students. Women who were abused in the past are experiencing stress. A former Latina student sent me an email telling me how worried she was.
Do you think Trump will accept the results if he loses? Of course not. If Trump wins, do you think I will shrug and say, “Oh well, the people have spoken.” Of course not. I will be calling for his impeachment before he is even inaugurated.
Democracy is always under attack. You can never take it as a given. I don’t know how resilient this country is, but it will take years, perhaps decades, for us to return to the kind of civil society I once took for granted.
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