I stayed up way later than I should have last night. I’m running on about 2 hours sleep. I just could not unglue myself from the TV. I didn’t even knit. My stomach was in such knots that I just couldn’t even relax enough to knit. I found myself daydreaming about taking the day off in January to go to DC if Kerry was being inaugurated.
While we’re still waiting for an official winner to be declared, I thought I’d share with you a few thoughts.
Things that Make Me Happy or Proud
- NJ remained democratic
- PA did too!
- People in Ohio waited out a 10-15 hour wait just to vote. They understood how important their vote was and they made the sacrifice
- CA passed its stem cell research bill
- Nader did NOT decide this election
Things that Make Me Sad and Embarassed
- To paraphrase Tim Russert – While John Kerry clearly won the debates, it’s not enough to appeal to people’s intellect.
- 11 states passed measures to ban same-sex marriage
- My brother would have voted for Bush yesterday had he been properly registered. I don’t even know what to say to this.
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I can understand your thoughts. Apart from the uncredible sad news concerning the election, I know what you mean about your brother. I don’t know if you are informed about Italian politics, but my parents and my sister, who are very intelligent persons who had a superior education, vote for Berlusconi. This embarasses me and it is unexplicable to me.
yes, the same story here in illinois. There was no doubt we’d be democratic, but the edgyness of wonder just kept my stomach in butterflies all night. today is going to be a long day… an interesting thing that happened here, my mom wasnt registered, but they did something called a provisional vote. so she got to voice her opinion as well.
I feel the same, Jody. Thanks for speaking up. too many blogs are silent on the subject today.
hugs…
My Mom and brother voted for Bush yesterday, something I can not even fathom. It’s made worse by the fact that they are both registered Democrats in Massachusetts. I feel like I don’t even know my own family.
The only thing that has brought me solace is that the republicans no longer have any leg to stand on when they try to pass the buck for their own poor decission making. They now rule every aspect of the government. Whatever goes wrong cannot be attributed to Clinton or any other democrat.
Hi Jody –
It’s amazing isn’t it?? I just don’t get it. Salon.com had a really good article yesterday about it (“Bush Unbound”). I had so hoped that we could have a return to rationality and stop the assault on civil liberties.
[I’m checking back in now because I just noticed you RSVP’d “no” for the November Middlesex Co. Knitting meetup. I was hoping to see you there! But I can’t expect everyone else to make every event — I missed probably three months in a row. I went to the Oct. meetup — a disappointment. Only one other knitter there (first-timer) and I also ordered a pastry that turned out to be yucky!!]
It’s going to take a long time for this to even sink in.
Hope I’ll see you at a knit-up pretty soon.
Melissa
I’m proud that my mom and brother who are normally republicans saw the light and voted for Kerry. For the rest of my rants about the election, come visit my blog. I’m trying to work myself up to making a more positive post there today.
I wrote this yesterday, sort of a catharsis for me. Hope it helps…
I woke up this morning and went about the daily concerns of this family, trying to get the children off to school. For our kid’s sake, I tried to frame our expected loss as something we are able to overcome, regardless of the result of this election. I tried to teach them to accept defeat with grace and take heart that we will continue to stand for the values and rights we hold dear.
They handled it beautifully, resilient beings that children are, innocently showing me the way to stay whole. I drove them to school, thinking, “It’s going to be okay. We’re not broken. We’re strong.”
As they got out of the car and walked into the Elementary School waving and blowing kisses, it hit me. I didn’t want to send my six and eight year old children off into a world where the ideals and priorities of George Bush are imposed upon them. Unable to send them off as true Americans, with rights and courage and confidence that we are all truly equal and all captains of our bodies and our futures, I wanted to hold them close. But that will not help them.
Instead, I will need to keep learning and keep teaching. Not arguing, but teaching, not angry, but determined, that this is how human beings need to treat each other — showing by example that if we all treat each other with the utmost respect, not mere tolerance, but true respect, there is hope. I am not sure how, when we feel attacked and vulnerable and misunderstood, however I know that we evolve and we can find a way.
During the last several months, I have been driven by the commitment I made to myself that I would not go to sleep on November 2nd, without having done everything I could to secure a change for our country. It is hard to go back to doing dishes and laundry knowing that is exactly what Bush would like me to do. Sorry Cheney, sorry, Rummy, Condi, Wolfowitz, Ashcroft, Rove and the rest of you. This election may or may not be over. Either way, I do not concede my beliefs.
As I drove up the street, kids safely in the door, I passed mothers dropping off their children and was hit by a different emotion. My tears started to flow for all of those people I recognized who feel, so strongly, as I do, that America is not on the right course. Are they feeling this loss, as I am? Like E.B. White’s spider, can I bolster their resolve? “Chin up” everyone! To the hopeful half of America, you may be feeling weak and uncertain, like Wilbur, but I am Charlotte and I am not going to let you be bacon.
I hope you are feeling like Charlotte too.