What are they feeling, the people who voted for the incumbent?
Those of us who did not, if I may be an example, felt at the moment of “victory” a great weight of despair lift from our hearts–the very light, if not a lightning strike, of hope in the darkness.
But look. According to the vote count, my group of “we the people” is only a few million more than half the voters this time. Nearly equal millions of my fellow citizens believed that the incumbent represented their best hopes for the country, and perhaps the deepest values in their hearts. I find this beyond troubling.
This is a time to listen to them, I say to myself. But I don’t want to.
I don’t want to hear that transparent lying is acceptable from the nation’s executive. I don’t want to hear that criminal self-dealing is no big deal in the White House. I don’t want to hear that ignorance is somehow more honorable and sincere than science, or that violence has a place in our political process. There’s so much I don’t want to hear from people who seem to embrace a worldview so different from mine.
What am I not hearing? What do “they” want?
This huge nation, never imagined by the so-called Founding Fathers, has divided itself into countless categories of self-interest: urban v rural, white v black, women v men, coastal v central, college v high school, liberal v conservative v progressive, and libertarians besides, religion v other religion v no religion.
Then, because what it comes down to is not just “What does everyone want?” but more significantly, “Who’s going to pay for it?” we must add haves v have nots.
Finally, from my Christian perspective, I observe yet another division: Love thy neighbor v Hate thine enemies.
In the past four years, we’ve learned, if nothing else, that the loudest. meanest, most outrageous voice can win. Will the quieter, kinder, compassionate voice have a chance? Even better, will the many, many voices that have never been heard before stand forth now and become the family of a better, greater nation?
We are not all alike. But we all need to go back to the kindergarten lesson of sharing. With all its resources and opportunities on the table, the United States of America has more than enough for everybody.
Is that something all of us can ever agree on? 
I agree whole heartedly! Thank you for putting thoughts into words.
Yes, Barbara. They are adversaries, not enemies. In the end, we’re all on the same team.
I’ve been having this inner battle. First, I now know that half my fellow citizens are misogynistic, racist, bigots. Yay! Second, I know that all that half wants is more. More money, more power over the other half. Third, I know they have no rules and they have the guns. Fourth, and this is the part that always sinks the Democrats, our half wants to “do the right thing.” We’re the good guys, right?
So we’re left with a stark and horrible choice: Become them and maybe build something better, or keep on doing the right thing and lose everything back to them. Again.
The past four years have been filled with terror and sleepless nights, wondering what laws will bite the dust tomorrow, joining all the others. For just a few short days there was peace and hope. Rest and sleeping without fear. Now it all starts again.
I’m just too tired to do this.
But they don’t think there’s “enough for everybody.” People like DT see life as a zero-sum game. There’s only so much money in the world (for instance), so whatever money you have is money that I can’t have.
There’s no point in trying to reason with such people.
Thank you Barb. It’s exhausting to listen. I’m with you. I guess, sometimes the violent and exclusive narrative wins and the non-violent, healing voice is silenced. But I’m believing resurrection is real. I don’t know if we’ve failed enough yet, but it sure feels like it. I’m ready for a new, more equitable story.
Right now, my relief and elation are being replaced by anger and fear because of the Donald’s actions–mainly convincing his followers that he won the election. Creating chaos when we thought the chaos might end. He is trying to destroy what he can’t have any more. And no one seems to have the power or motivation to put an end to his “new campaign.”