I’ve had enough…
Being political is not something I want to center on this website, but sometimes politics decides to center on me, and I have to respond.
I am, and always will be, a progressive liberal. I’m a queer cis-woman, and I believe every human being deserves respect and the right to autonomy. I believe anyone capable of conceiving a child has the right to reproductive care. I believe borders are imaginary lines and that immigration is a control tactic used by those in power to manipulate the average person. I believe capitalism is the biggest scam in the world that we’ve all been forced into—until a societal or environmental collapse finally intervenes.
These are, admittedly, strong opinions. I don’t live in a fantasy world where I think these ideals will come to pass. No, my utopia is just a dream. But in a practical sense, I approach things with common sense. I gather all the information available to me and, from my perspective (which is incredibly privileged), try to find the best path that serves both my interests and the greater good.
It seems, however, that the idea of “the greater good” has gotten lost along the way. That principle isn’t what motivates the majority of people who decided to vote for an autocrat. The folks who voted for this person (whose name I’ll never utter) felt that divisiveness, aggression, hatred, and selfishness were the keys to their happiness. It’s not surprising, but it’s still hurtful. I now have a stark awareness that, to these people, my life is worth nothing.
I understand when people say we should be able to have differing opinions, and I absolutely support that! I’m always open to hearing different perspectives. But in this case, it’s about more than just differing opinions. If you voted for the new president, you fundamentally believe that my life, along with the lives of other women/people with uteruses, trans folks, Black people, Palestinians, undocumented people, queer people, and more, are expendable. You’ve thrown marginalized groups to the wolves for lies and crumbs from billionaires. It’s shocking, to say the least.
I’m incredibly grateful I made the choice to move to the UK in 2016, just before the first term of this circus act. Each day, I feel more certain that it was the best decision for me as a queer person seeking a safer life. But I still have many loved ones who remain in places where their lives could now be at risk.
I refuse to buy into the notion that “we survived the first time, so we’ll survive the next.” So many people didn’t survive the last time. Healthcare will be dismantled. Rights will be stripped away. The environment will be devastated. Wars will be waged. And for what? For an old man in cognitive decline, trying to evade prison or avoid his seventh bankruptcy? It’s a farce. Once again, I’m embarrassed to be from the USA.
Rant over. Hopefully, I’ll be back next time with happier words.
