November 03, 2004
It's all over now
We're deeply depressed. We're oscillating between despair and disbelief.
I agree with Scott that it's a decision on morals. One TV commentator said that people voted for good old values. I can't agree. Just as I can't believe Bush is really a Christian, because he lacks compassion and modesty, good old values are not about alienating the world and making everyone feel threatened. Good old values to me are respect for your fellow humans, manners, thrift, responsibility, respect for the rule of law.
I look at Abu Ghraib and I don't see good old values. I see fear and loathing of homosexuals used to rally the faithful, and I don't see morality. I read about how the President can declare any US citizen to be an enemy combatant, and can hold them without trial indefinitely, and keep them from legal help, and do things to them that -- well, that are not "torture" because they've changed the definition. But I can't look at this and say, yes, this is right. I can't look at my little boys and say, sons, be proud of this.
It seems to me that "values" are more likely to mean xenophobia. Fear of the Other, fear of those who are different. Fear of terrorists, of homosexuals, of foreigners, of liberals... poor old liberals! They've been losing election after election, everywhere, for years now. But they're still deeply scary, I guess. It seems to me that fear, not values, was what this election was about.
I am not an American citizen. But my husband is, and my children are. It's my adopted country, and I'm in some way part of it.
So what then shall we do?
Get active. Find a good cause -- pro choice, pro science, pro sex education in schools. Pro-something. Anti-fear.
We will. I promise.
Posted by claudia at November 3, 2004 07:34 PMI sympathize. I know how I would feel if Radical Party's Nikolić had won here in Serbia. I'd feel that my country betrayed me, I'd probably lost sense of belonging here. Fortunately, that didn't happen, but it was close. Too close.
Being liberal democrat myself, I don't like this. But people analysts here say Bush is friendlier towards Serbia then Kerry. We'll see.
"Get active. Find a good cause -- pro choice, pro science, pro sex education in schools."
Excellent suggestions, one and all!
Bernard Guerrero
Posted by: Bernard Guerrero at November 3, 2004 08:47 PMClaudia
I stayed up til the wee hours of the morning.
That's really the first time I've felt shock and awe. And then revulsion, fury, and disgust. And then embarassment when the European cousins phoned in.
I agree with everything you say--I consider me a Christian(Quaker/Lutheran) and I get deeply offended when he claims to be of the same religion as me.
The values he endorses make me sick to my stomach and chilled to the bone. That some majority of this country could endorse those views and return him to so much power when he has so little...ugh.
I do like the end of your post, though. I picked up something like that for my new sig.
"We lost the battle last night, but we will not lose the war. The important fight is not for the White House, but for the American people. We don't need a Democrat in office to work to make this country better. We don't need John Kerry to show us how to help each other. It would have made it a lot easier to have a compassionate man in the White House, but the fact that we didn't get that isn't going to stop us. There is comfort and inspiration in knowing that we have just begun to fight."
Also, one should remember that being in power does weird things. I'm going to love the moderates and the Christians pimp-slap each other back and forth. Hopefully.
The darker the night, the brighter the dawn.
Cheers
L
Posted by: Luke at November 4, 2004 12:36 AMThere's always hope. I want to believe this, at least.
Posted by: Randy McDonald at November 4, 2004 01:14 AMThis is either a lot like Smith/Hoover 1928, or it is much more like the Reichstag elections of 1907.
Posted by: A New York City High School Math Teacher on the Cusp of Matrimony at November 4, 2004 02:57 AMwell try this for fun. check the link below, right click the bush picture and select the "save picture as...". then check out the name of the picture. hope this will cheer you up a little.
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/election2004.jsp?feature=ne_election5
Well, Daniel... It's a bit blatant but it did make me laugh.
Thank you.
Posted by: claudia at November 4, 2004 11:00 AMClaudia,
Luckily I've been getting into practice at looking at the bright side of things since last month's Federal election in Australia.
Last week George W Bush was President of the United States of America. Today he's still POTUS. The difference? Today he is a lame duck who can never be re-elected again.
I'm actually surprised that his victory was so narrow. In 1941 America was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Three years later, President Roosevelt was re-elected in a landslide, despite being a very sick man.
Three years ago there was an attack on the USA that for many had resonances of Pearl Harbour. On Tuesday the Commander-in-Chief barely squeaked home. And unlike FDR as far as we know there's nothing wrong with W. So this election says something about the discernment of the American electorate or at least a large minority of it.
Posted by: Syd Webb at November 4, 2004 12:04 PM