It is therapeutic for me to write, and unload the thoughts that are spinning in my mind. It helps me to release the pent up feelings of frustration when I write my words.
On Tuesday morning, Election Day, I awoke excited, in a fantastic and optimistic mood. I felt confident and eager to be part of this historic election, when we would vote for the first female President of our great country. We have come a long way baby, since women were given the right to vote when the
19th amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920.
For the first time, I wished I owned a pant suit to wear in support of Hillary, but I didn't, so I made do with a
white t-shirt
upon which I took a black magic marker to the front, "I am a a nasty
woman." On the back, in bigger, bolder letters I penned only two words,
"Nasty Woman."
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| In my living room, about to head down the staircase to vote. I point to the "Glass Ceiling." |
There was a spring in my step as I walked around the corner and up the block to my polling place, a five minute walk from home. Perhaps 20 people were in line in front of me when I arrived at the polling place at 7:15 am.
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| The line when I arrived. |
It was especially poignant to see a few parents who had their kids in tow to "help" mommy or daddy vote. How wonderful that the kids could witness the democratic process at a young age before they headed off to school!
One young mother in a white pant suit held the hands of her two adorable daughters. The younger girl looked to be 6 years old, and her older sister maybe two years her senior. They were adorable, dressed in their white blouses and white leggings. I waited in line behind them while they deposited mom's completed ballot into the ballot box. They grinned from ear to ear as they each took one edge of the ballot and placed it into the slot. "I Vote" stickers were handed out to all three.
The line only grew in length while I did my civic duty. I glanced around and saw half-a-dozen neighbors I knew and several other familiar faces. Everyone seemed happy and in a good mood.
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| Proud Nasty Woman back just voted! |
Later in the morning I took a lovely 16 mile bike ride on the hilly streets of my neighborhood and on the paved interior roads of Griffith Park. "Isn't life grand!", I thought to myself as I pedaled along.
After lunch I was scheduled to work my final two hour shift as a
Move On Call Operator. I've done this for the past 20 days,
(missing only one day, October 22nd, when I was occupied with Friends of Griffith Park work and P-22 Day.) One does not need a college degree to be a Move On Operator, believe me. It is mindless work. I hook up my cell-phone with my computer screen and "hit a button" every few seconds when a name and phone number flashes across my screen to place the call. At 4:00 pm my 2-hour shift was officially over, but I had received an earlier message from the lead operator which invited me to stay on longer if I could. There was a final push to "get out the vote." So I stayed hooked up until 4:45 pm when I finally called it quits.
I hurried to join Gerry upstairs to watch the election results. One advantage of living in CA is that the results start pouring in relatively early for us. Unlike the east coast, I don't have to stay up past midnight to learn the winners and losers. I was giddy with anticipation, and dare I say greedy?, hoping for a landslide, and that the Democrats would take over the Senate and maybe (fingers double-crossed) the House...
Needless to say, my jolly mood evaporated rather quickly. I practiced my deep breathing exercises, and tried not to panic. I lost track of the time; it seemed the states were being called for Trump in rapid order. I could barely grasp that GA and NC were going red, when they announced FL. I had spent hours on the phone "in Pennsylvania" as an Operator and felt proud I had worked for it to go blue, but it didn't happen. OH and IN went for Trump, and when the talking heads announced he had taken WI, it was all over.
I had enough of TV viewing, and couldn't bear to watch it any longer. It was too heart-breaking. I turned off the boob tube, washed my tear-stained face and crawled into bed.
I slept poorly, which was no surprise, given my election surprise. I got out of bed at 6:00 am and the first thing I did was turn on my I-Pad to see the latest news. Maybe there had been some sort or technical glitch? Maybe some precincts hadn't been counted? Perhaps there was an accounting error with the Electoral College math? Alas, no such luck.
Woe is me, I thought most of the day. I felt disconnected with my country, disappointed with my fellow citizens. It is disturbing that 43% of eligible voters did not even exercise their right to vote. But how could roughly half of those that did vote, choose Trump?
He is a narcissist and a serial liar and has insulted virtually everyone. The list seems endless. It has been the most vile and vicious campaign, and how anyone can be proud to have Trump as our President is beyond me.
Repeatedly Trump has voiced that Clinton should "go to jail" and that she is "unstable." His followers chant "lock her up!"
And how about the fact that Trump was the highest-profile member of the "birther" movement against Obama 8 years ago?
Trump has demeaned every minority group. "Mexicans are rapists and drug dealers." According to Trump, Gonzalo Curiel, an American-born federal judge of Mexican descent could not rule fairly on the case against him re Trump University, because of his heritage.
Trump has proposed not only "Building a Wall", but also a
ban on all Muslims entering the U.S.
He has shamed former Miss Universe Alicia Machado for her weight gain. He has insulted his former primary rival, Carly Fiorina with his comment "Look at that face. Would Anyone vote for that." And his choice words after the interview with Megyn Kelly, "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever."
The icing on the cake is the
2005 Access Hollywood Tape, and the bragging of being able to grope women. Trump is not presidential material, and he most certainly is not a gentleman.
I think of my dad, who was the polar-opposite of Trump. My dad was the most honorable man I ever knew. (He passed away July 7, 2014.) I wonder what he would think of all this?
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| My dad in the early 1960s. |
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| Dad and I at the 2000 Olympic Marathon Trials in Columbia SC |
I can't talk with him, but somehow I hear his advice.
"Mary, Trump can not take away who you are. He cannot strip you of your dignity. You must always treat others with decency and respect. It is up to
YOU to make a difference, to make the best choice possible and then accept and live with the repercussions that follow. You can do your part to brighten someone's day, to put a smile on their face. You can set a good example to others, by your words and your actions. And, when you do something, give it your all, and be comforted that you did your best. Most importantly, never ever give up!"
Thanks, Dad. I'll try to keep it all in mind as we move forward.
