What. The Fuck.
Did we really just elect a reality tv star with no political experience to speak of into the office of President of the United States? Even worse, that he has emboldened racists and mysogynists to show their true colors, to make it ok to hate and to bully and be violent. I am sad for us. For what we have become. Or maybe it’s more like I’m sad that I am seeing us for what we truly are: a nation of racist mysogynists.
yes, I think this is it.
Last night as I was watching in horror the numbers roll in for Trump I was still in denial. I have been in denial for more than a year. When he began his race I laughed it off and said,”Oh he is ridiculous. This will never happen.” And even as he became the Republican presidential candidate (to my utter shock) I still couldn’t believe that he would beat Hillary. “Trump will never win, ” I said to myself.
When I woke up and checked the result and Google told me that “Trump won the presidency” I was forced to believe it. There it was right there. My reaction was to sit on my couch and sob.
We fucked up. We voted this monster into office.
I realize that dismissing those that voted for Trump as “stupid” or “uneducated” is misguided and wrong. There are people in my life that I love and respect that voted for Trump. I can’t just dismiss them. I refuse to do that.
As one of my British friends said after Brexit, we need to engage. The people who voted for Trump voted for him for a reason. We need to figure out that reason. Not all of them are racist mysogynists (though, admittedly, it’s hard to say this because how can you not be one if you support one so obviously racist and mysogynistic).
Trump gamed the system. He made it work for him. He realized who he needed to speak to, and he figured out how to speak to them. He figured out what to say to them. And it worked.
We need to do the same thing. We need to find someone who understands the system and game it the same way, but this person needs to be a good person, not a hateful, racist, mysogynistic shit bag.
This person should not be a Clinton.
This may not be a popular opinion but I’m going to get this off my chest: Why the fuck did we run Hilary Clinton, with all of her baggage, against Trump? Let’s face it. The DNC fucked up. We fucked up.
And now we have made our bed and we will have to lay in it for four years. I have no idea what will happen. But it will not be pretty.
Blatherskite 
Blunt, but insightful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think a lot of Trump voters were voting against Hillary. And Vice Versa.
It’s 2 years til the midterms.
It’ll be ok
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. There is a lot of people who don’t like her. She has a lot of baggage
LikeLike
The reason the liberals and democrats were caught off guard on Election Day is because they believed their own BS. The mainstream media controls the narrative for the nation. True journalism is dead. The media is supposed to be the Watch Dog for the citizens. It has become the Lap Dog for the liberal agenda. By the way, Fox News is included in the mainstream media as well.
The two main tools used by the liberals to brainwash their followers are ignorance and deceit. Trump is not a racist. He does not hate women. Has he done some things or said some things he is not proud of? Sure! I have, too! He wants to prevent people from coming in the country illegally, so he’s a racist, really? When the liberals use the race card against republicans and conservatives, it’s a clear sign they do not have anything concrete against their opponent. It’s equivalent to running out of bullets and then throwing your gun. Trump’s frankness and willingness to take on the mainstream media is turned into hate by the liberals. How dare he stand up to the establishment!
So some KKK members endorsed Trump. That makes Trump a racist? Did he ask for their endorsement? There’s a chapter of the KKK in California that endorsed Hillary. What does that say about her? Furthermore, the KKK is a DEMOCRAT institution! The Jim Crow Laws were created by democrats. More republicans than democrats voted to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. How do these FACTS bode for the democrat party? I bring this up because this seems to be the go to incident that is supposed to prove Trump is a racist. The issue is that the liberals are all about diversity until it comes down to diversity of thought. If you don’t agree with me, then you are a racist. If you don’t believe in global warming, then you don’t care about the planet. They shame you so they can control what you say. No one wants to be called a racist, right? The American people have had enough. There’s been a movement brewing for a long time. This movement was waiting for the right candidate to get behind. Romney and McCain were not the right candidates. This country has ALWAYS been right of center. On November 8th, 2016, they flexed their muscle. So Trump did not “game” the system. He simply listened to what was important to the people. High taxes are not a game. Open borders are not a game. Weak foreign policy is not a game. He simply listened to the REAL concerns of the people. Like I said previously, the liberals and democrats believed their own BS as their polling data was always skewed in Hillary’s favor. Be careful! Media Bias isn’t always what they tell you, it’s what they DON’T.
I do agree that the DNC candidate was too flawed to be running for president. They need to get rid of the super delegate system. Hillary had those delegates in her back pocket from the beginning. Bernie did not stand a chance against the Clinton Machine. This I can tell you!
LikeLike
If I have to explain to you why Trump is a racist then we are not on the same page at all. I’m not going to get into a flame war with you. It serves no purpose. You elected a fascist for president. Congratulations. I hope that works out well for you. It won’t for women & minorities.
LikeLike
I don’t like flame wars. I like civil discussion. I would like to understand why he is a racist? What am I missing? What is going to change for you as a woman? What is going to change for minorities?
LikeLike
I’m not going to allow you to draw me into this discussion. You can do the research and find the answers yourself. I hope you do. There is an abundance of evidence all over the web, by regular people not journalists. Video of his behavior. find it yourself. It’s out there.
Have a nice day. I’m not talking about this with you so please do not respond to this comment.
LikeLike
That’s exactly what I’m talking about. That’s a typical liberal response. Your argument doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. It’s all emotion. It’s easier to run away. If you are going to make a political statement, don’t be surprised if you get some push back.
LikeLike
I will say this: you say you like civil discourse but right out of the gate you attacked me. That is not civil. I am perfectly calm and unemotional right now. I am not angry at all. I just know from experience that these discussions do nothing. You very clearly don’t care about my opinion. You came here and trolled me immediately. I just refuse to take your bait, that’s all. Our “typical” response is this because we know it doesn’t get anywhere to argue with people like you. This is not and will never be a civil discussion. It will be an extended rant by you. I’m sorry, I don’t want to do that. Go rant on your own blog.
LikeLike
Maybe the next time you want to have a civil discussion be more civil.
LikeLike
I don’t mean to come off as attacking you. I apologize for that. You kind of set the tone when you start off with the F-bomb! I am NOT a Trump supporter! He is not what I would picture as my president, but I did not vote for him because of his politeness and charm. He is not a statesmen and I believe that is why he is our 45th President.
I did not vote for Trump in the Primary, but I could not vote for Hillary. I respect everyone’s opinion. I’ve seen and heard the things about Trump, but I have not seen or heard anything racist and that is coming from a 44 year old black man. So when I ask you to tell me what is going to change, I am not trying to bate you. I really want to know what makes him a racist. I really want to know how his presidency will affect women in a negative way.
LikeLike
Hey shutteringthroughlife
If you really “respect everyone’s opinion”, this is your opportunity to demonstrate your virtue and STFU. Be a gentleman and not a troll.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yeah, I meant “foul” language not “fowl” language, LoL!
LikeLike
“Respect everyone’s opinion” doesn’t mean you can’t disagree. Viewing and responding to blogs in your WordPress Reader that interest you is not trolling. If that’s the case, then everyone trolls. I love film photography and Moni has post some really cool stuff that I have commented on. Why wasn’t I trolling then? I simply offered and answer to her question why Trump is now president. You can agree or disagree. It’s just a discussion. It’s ironic that I’m not the civil one when your response and the original post contain fowl language. It’s like I said and each response to this keeps making my point. Liberals are all about diversity until it comes to diversity of thought. Agree with me or be damned! There’s not a big enough safe place to keep away opposing opinions.
LikeLike
I am going to respond to you but please give me some time to give a thoughtful response. I have some things to say after sleeping on it. I will respond intentionally and thoughtful later on today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Take all the time you need. You might not believe me, but I do have an open mind.
LikeLike
The problem, as I see it, is that we all have an “us vs them” mentality. It’s the liberals vs the conservatives, etc. We are putting ourselves and others into boxes when really we are all living in this country together. So before you and I can have a conversation we both have to tear down the boxes we have built around the other. We are looking at each through filters. You are looking at me through a “liberals are brainwashed” filter and I am looking at you through a “conservatives don’t have an open mind” filter. I am going to take off my filter, and I’m going to trust that what you say is true, that you do have an open mind and you are willing to hear my side. But in order for you to truly have an open mind you need to take off your “liberals are brainwashed” filter.
For me, personally, I don’t buy into the mainstream media. I don’t watch the news on television. I don’t read my news from a single source. I get my information from a variety of sources. I also fact check everything I read because I am smart enough to know that not everything I read is the the truth. I also get where you are coming from when you say that “liberals are brainwashed” by the media. I would go further and say all people are brainwashed. There is a certain amount of propaganda that comes through the mainstream media and it would do all of us well to understand that and be wary of it. In my experience, and most liberals that I know (I know a lot of them) are like me. They get their news from various sources and don’t just accept what they hear from the news as fact. And often when a person does share something that isn’t fact they are often called on it.
So before we go any further in any form of civil discussion it is important for us to come at it on an equal playing field. If we can’t do that then we really can’t have a discussion. If you are looking at me as a “brainwashed liberal” then everything I say will be dismissed and that’s not fair. If I look at you thinking you don’t have an open mind then everything you say to me will viewed through that filter and will be dismissed and that is not fair to you.
Having gotten that out of the way I am going to answer your questions by telling you about what it is like to be a woman in the United States and how Trump’s comments and behavior towards women affects me as a woman living in this country.
Imagine constantly living with the fear of being attacked and raped in the back of your mind. Every time you lace up your shoes to go for a run, every time you walk alone in the dark, you automatically go through in your mind the scenario of what you will do if you are attacked. Walking to your car after work alone is not an option. You make sure you plan to have another person to walk with you, just in case. This is a real thing. This is a real fear woman deal with everyday. And it is just automatic, we don’t even really realize we are doing it. It is just a reality of life. But think about that. We can’t even walk alone in the dark without the fear of getting attacked. As a male you have never experienced that feeling. You will never know what that feeling is like. You will never know what it is like to live with this fear on a day to day basis.
So imagine what it is like for me, a woman, when I hear on a video the person who is running for the office of President of the United States say: “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful ― I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy, You can do anything.”
He is talking about forcing himself on women. This is the President-Elect of the United States talking about forcing himself on women. This goes beyond saying things you are not proud of. This is intolerable. This is rape. This affects me because I am already living with the everyday fear of walking home at night alone planning what I am going to do in the event someone “grabs me by the pussy.” To know that our future president is actually one of the ones doing the grabbing does not make me feel safer. It makes me feel the opposite of safer.
Let me also talk a little bit about Mexicans and what they might be going through. They come to our country willing to do work that no other American will do. Some of them don’t speak English and some don’t even know how to read. I personally think that what they are doing is brave. Can you imagine what it would be like to be in such a foreign place? Yes, some of them are undocumented but the majority of them are not. And they are good people. I am around some of these people every day and I can tell you they are really good people. Their kids are polite and kind and that says a lot. And they are doing backbreaking work and they don’t complain about it. Imagine the President Elect wanting to build a wall between your country and the new country you now call home? And saying that people who come over from your country are rapists, and that you are not your country’s best. How would you feel if you were in their position? I am willing to bet that you wouldn’t be happy either. Because now you have a future President that thinks you are a rapist when really you are just a person who wants to make a living for their family.
These are just two of many, many examples.
Yes, maybe saying that Trump is a racist and a misogynist is a blanket statement. Maybe it is more accurate to say “he has said racist and misogynistic things.” I don’t know. But in my mind if you act like one then you are one. Your words have consequences. Words are powerful and they create karma.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great response! Believe it or not, I agree with almost all of what you said. You hit the nail on the head about the filters. I am definitely guilty of that. I try to be diplomatic, but sometimes I can get carried away with my beliefs. There is so much passion on both sides that we all need to take a deep breath and actually LISTEN to what others have to say. Excellent Point!
Like you, I don’t buy into the mainstream media either. We haven’t had a TV for years and will probably never have one again. I never realized how much time I wasted sitting in front of the television. I get my news from the radio and various sources on the internet. I’m a pretty rational person. I usually do a good job of navigating through the weeds to get to the truth.
I understand the fear women have during their day to day lives. I get it! My wife feels the same way. What I don’t understand is what does this have to do with the person sitting in the Oval Office? Your fears are legitimate, but aren’t these fears going to be the same regardless who is in office? Are you telling me that men are now emboldened to harass and rape women more? The same laws that apply for harassment and rape while Obama is still in office will still apply when Trump takes over. I asked my wife this question and she says she does not feel any different. Bill Clinton was impeached because of his sexual relations with a young woman in the White House. Kathleen Willey alleged that Bill groped her in the Oval Office. Bill’s sexual escapades are well known, but somehow, he is still celebrated today. Did you feel any different then while he was president?
I sympathize with the plight of the Mexican immigrant illegally crossing the border in the hopes of a better life. However, we have to have borders. We have to understand who is crossing those borders, today more than ever. All Mexicans crossing the border illegally are not rapist and murderers and Trump did not say that. Here is an excerpt of what he really said:
“……Thank you. It’s true, and these are the best and the finest. When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people……”
I always hear the statement that the illegal immigrants do the jobs that we Americans won’t do. Who did the jobs before all the illegal immigration? These jobs did get done, right? The truth is that Americans won’t do the jobs for the current wages for such jobs which is a direct result of the influx of illegal immigrants. If you stop the illegal immigration, those jobs will become available and the free market will adjust to bring the wages back to where they should be. By the way, you don’t have to deport people. If you simply “demagnetize” the country, they will go back on their own or make the better decision not to cross illegally. We need to fire those people upholding sanctuary cities and enforce the current immigration laws.
My niece is Hispanic. Her family came to the US the right way and they don’t have any issues with stopping illegal immigration. My niece is actually about to take a trip to Honduras to do some teaching abroad, yet again. She is against illegal immigration also. My wife’s stepmom is half-Mexican and conservative. It’s a sad situation for these people. Why don’t we take all this energy and point it toward Mexico? You have to ask yourself. Why are they fleeing Mexico? Instead of allowing Mexico to send people across the border, why not encourage the Mexicans to stay and fight the corruption. Our country was born because we had enough of an overbearing government. In my opinion, building a wall will do more good than bad. Decreasing the amount of drugs and MS-13 gang members crossing the border will benefit us all. Ultimately, I think we need to figure out a way to improve the current immigration process so that we don’t have waiting lists that last years.
On a more personal note, I am a minority. Try living a day in the life of a black man. I’m kind of jokingly saying that because my life is great! I’ve been blessed. I don’t speak Ebonics and I wear a belt with my pants. Thus, non-black people treat me with respect. My wife even fears for the safety of me and our boys being black men more than her safety as a woman. Here’s a funny story. Back in my college days, my college buddy and I took a trip to the campus of the University of Tennessee. We were playing some basketball and during a break we started talking about finals. My friend is black by the way. When one of the guys overheard us talking about engineering, he looked over at us with a puzzled look and said, “I thought you guys were a couple of thugs”. We laugh about that to this day. My point is that everyone has to deal with some type of prejudice or fear. In my opinion, a sitting president is not going to have any real effect on the prejudices and fears I face day to day.
Yes words have consequences. It’s up to parents to teach our kids the truth about the propaganda that is being pushed by the media so our children are not scared of something that they shouldn’t be. I do share your disdain for Trump’s behavior. My vote was really against Hillary and the mainstream media. I’ve enjoyed this conversation. Thanks for coming back to the discussion. I hope Trump surprises us all and becomes a president you could get behind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your response! I feel like this has been a good discussion as well. I don’t know you well and I had no idea you were black so I apologize that I assumed you were white. Wow. that was bad judgement on my part. Thanks for setting me straight. I think I am worried about the way Trump’s behavior has emboldened others to bully minorities. It is already happening and it scares me. But at the same time it is bringing a lot of issues to the forefront that need to be dealt with. and yes, I am worried about being harassed because of his behavior.
I totally understand and respect the way you voted. Like I said, I think running Hilary against Trump was a big mistake. I get that for a lot of people this was really a vote against Hilary. I can respect that. This is a free country and we have the freedom to vote however we want. And the people spoke loud and clearly that they are done with the establishment. I hope that our leaders listen! And, boy, do I hope that Trump surprises us all since he is in the driver’s seat.
Thanks again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No need to apologize! I may be black in appearance, but my wife says I’m white on paper, LoL! I hope you have a great rest of the weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You too!
LikeLike