Others will say it better - but,
here goes my small part in this - I stayed up last night, as the horror
dawned on me, literally and otherwise, that VP Harris was losing. I was
wrong, thinking she'd win in a landslide possibly, see the other post.
Separate from the deep concern for the world, especially with regards to
Ukraine, and global warming, and American democracy (which is robust but about to be dismantled) is the deeper wounding realisation that a majority
of humans would choose such a person, rather than actually
vote for a woman.
It feels like misogyny and racism was on display. Concern for the economy
should not mean exemption from moral or ethical concerns.
The digital online world has clearly contributed to a new unreality in
America and beyond, where so many millions could not see the truth of the man
they elevated, and bestowed such triumph and power onto.
And, what makes it worse, we are all now in this with him, because we
have to live in his terrible worldview.
It raises a question: is there no longer any good reason to be good?
What inspiring example is now set for our daughters, and sons, nephews and nieces, when this sort
of personality - this character assemblage of flaws - is rewarded.
Regarding the post-election pointing of fingers, of blaming Biden, or Harris...
well, that seems needlessly cruel. But there is some blame to be apportioned perhaps. Her main error was expecting people to be basically good, reasonable, and wanting the best for
their fellow human beings.
Harris's campaign was based on the idea that most Americans wanted to
elect a stable, decent, intelligent, hard-working person who was not a
traitorous convicted felon with many serious allegations against them.
Terribly, we have seen a majority of Americans vote for the lowest form of life - of a selection of lowest common denominator traits and values, that celebrate brash bravura and billionaire bling over decency, tolerance, kindness and being law-abiding.
Biden should have stepped down and let Harris become president, this
summer. He would have made history and set her up as a stronger candidate.
Trump's story - Return of the Wronged King - generated an emotional wave that
let everyone who supported him become part of the story - a self-fulfilling
prophecy where the more the mass gathered and embraced their hero, the more
powerful, impressive and yet beloved he became.
Harris, who may be normally flawed, could never imagine that her
opponent could really win, once the facts were known - but she could not
recognise the horrific reality that reality itself has been warped sufficiently
in America so now, powerful thought brokers on podcasts and the alt-media,
could claim her as the Villain.
I feel great empathy and sorrow for Harris. Less for Biden, as he has
utterly failed to stop his opponent, mostly because like some sad Shakespearean King, he
could not step down, could not see himself in the mirror.
But America has today and yesterday shown its true majority's face - has shown us
its painting hidden in the attic - leering brutal, cruel, mocking, selfish, and full of hate.
America has gone back to the hateful roots we thought had been torn out and destroyed -
that were actually growing widely and wildly all along.
It is all a waste land, and it is not too extreme to say, how does one
carry on with hope and dignity in such knowledge of one's fellow men and women? I suppose the answer is, carry on, with hope and dignity. It is a Beckettian dilemma - one cannot go on, one must go on.
What is next? How bad will it truly be? For the idea of responsible government and society governed by a science-informed humane consensus - it will be game over. For rule of law, and reason, it will be game over. For tolerance of difference, it will be game over, insofar as the levers of US government, mostly in Trump's hands, will flick to his whims.
It will, at the least, be wildly erratic, because that is this person's superpower, apparently - that he is so erratic, world leaders fear him. So, the future, by definition unknowable, is doubly so now we have a world leader bent on disrupting the very basis of world order. Disorder is the rule now, and so we are right to be uncertain, anxious, and even afraid.
Kamala Harris's long to arrive concession speech was lofty inspiring rhetoric, but it was aimed over the heads of the voters who have created this debacle, and oddly confusing with its images of fighting; what was her plan or longer aim? Not to give up, to hope the time of darkness was not as bad as it appeared, and to hold the constitution as the highest ideal. All worthy - but perhaps a more practical and less noble sentiment could also have been uttered: something wicked won the day, and we need to be on guard for every damn thing coming down the pike in the next few months and years.
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