I'm starting off with The Princess Bride to bring some levity to the situation. Because this is not a fun or happy post. And I'm finally writing it after having it etched in my brain every minute.
I, along with many others, seem to be living in a Pit of Despair. Call me dramatic, call me childish, call me a whiny liberal.
The world is terrifying to me. I feel I've fallen into this spiral of hate, division, and callous selfishness, and I can't control or get out of it.
Last week I was glued to the BBC website, refreshing every few minutes to get any new news from the Gambia. Though I knew deep down it was the safest place being confined behind a wall of Marines at the Embassy, I couldn't get rid of my terror for Diplomat Sister. She was quick to reassure me that she was fine and the situation should be handled relatively swiftly, but I read articles and looked at pictures of ground troops, military ships, and fighter planes from ECOWAS countries ready to take action and couldn't help wondering how bad it would get. Why? Because one man, one egomaniac, decided he was above everyone and didn't want to let go of his power. When he finally did leave, it seems he took millions of dollars with him. And that's just one very small country that, in a global sense, is somewhat insignificant.
What happens when it's a country that's a world power?
I watched the presidential election with growing disbelief. How could this guy even be considered? How could this guy be a viable option? How could this guy make it to one of the two main choices? How could he be elected?
But, despite the majority of the American public not voting for him, he was elected. (But that's a whole different rant).
In the time between the days of election and inauguration, Trump seemed to back off on some of the more extreme campaign promises, and I started to become cautiously optimistic. That was quickly dashed as the cabinet picks came out; a roll call of his business pals. It became more and more apparent that things were just as bad, if not worse, than we feared.
Back in the Gambia, things have gotten better. Their new president is officially in office and country, and the people can celebrate and begin to heal. We, unfortunately, are going the opposite direction. Our "leaders" want to take away women's control over their own bodies, keep out Mexicans, ban Muslims, muzzle science and truth with "alternative facts," take away people's healthcare, pollute the environment, demonize and silence anyone who disagrees with them, and constantly spew vitriol while insisting that they are just good Christians who want the very best for their country. And you have the supporters who claim that the unborn babies need someone to speak up for them, that we need to protect the borders and keep the terrorists out, that they don't want to pay for some lazy waste to have insurance, that we need to take care of our own...while insisting they are just good Christians who want the very best for their country. They don't bother thinking about the consequences of controlling someone else's body, or that what creates terrorists is oppression and desperation, they don't bother researching that the biggest cost to healthcare is the insurance and drug company's CEOs padding their bank accounts. Worst of all, they humbly go to church on Sunday and feel they're doing their duty, they're being good Christians, while ignoring Christ's words...love one another, give to the poor, help those in need, don't judge others.
I have no idea if Obama is Christian or not...he very well may not be, but in his presidency he acted more like a Christian than 90% of the people who sit in church every Sunday, pray at every meal, and smile at just how blessed they are.
It's maddening and sickening and I continually go back and forth between wanting to be informed and being absolutely appalled at the information. This is not a country to be proud of.
But there is a ray of hope in the opposition. The marches, the National Park's rogue social media accounts, the journalists who refuse to give in, the lawyers rushing to help detainees, the organizations working against the hate, the people who refuse to bury their heads in the sand. Soldier even played a podcast for me where some scientists were talking about the transition and they just found clever ways of sneaking around, like giving climate change a different name in their work.
I'm scared, no doubt, but I'm also cautiously hopeful. There are a lot of people fighting.
In his inaugural speech, Trump said he was listening. He said the people wouldn't be ignored and forgotten. Well, the people are screaming.
