This is not a political blog, but anyone writing on a public site cannot ignore saying something about the incredible Clinton/Trump election.
Sometime around June, 10, 1940, I remember my parents sitting at the kitchen table in our Paris apartment, talking intensely. They were not paying attention to me. I was 8-years-old. We were having a very light supper, strawberries and cream. I liked strawberries and cream and wanted more but hesitated to interrupt them. When I finally did, my mother smiled apologetically and said of course, I could have more, and then went back to talking.
The Germans had defeated France. The French government was fleeing. Thousands of Parisians followed suit and started riding or walking out of the city. My parents were trying to decide what to do. I never forgot the tension in that kitchen. Finally, members of the greater Messing family decided to try to hire a driver with a truck, no one in the family knew how to drive, and this is what we did, taking almost nothing with us.
I have remembered the feeling of the tension in that kitchen all these years and this is how I felt this election day. Of course I did not have to go into exile. But how could I not be tense as Americans were choosing a man with no governing experience and no knowledge of international affairs to lead our powerful country. In previous elections we all had preferences and of course who we chose made a difference. But never were the stakes so high. We have good reasons to be very afraid of the consequences of this election.
Our personal lives will continue. We will go to work, take children to school, get groceries and exercise if we can: sunrise, sunset. We will be subjected to countless commentaries trying to explain why the people rejected a brilliant, experienced woman and chose a completely unprepared, unprincipled man to lead us. I don’t expect to be enlightened. Long after I am gone, historians will begin to study this election. In the meantime I hope the nation survives with its great ideals intact.
November 10, 2016 at 11:32 am
Beautiful Sue. And I share your feelings of terror, America chose a racist woman-hater, proving yet again how much work remains to be done to achieve equality, peace and social justice…
November 10, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Yes Sue – I may be far away in Tel Aviv – but the US is a part of our lives for many good reasons. I’ve been in Israel for more than 50 years – and I had always felt that Changes were taking place for the better – more people having better education so that the gap between classes was not so extreme – and the gap between the coasts and the mid-lands (except for Chicago) were not as great as they were back then. I saw many intelligent people voting for Trump – there was a trump lobby in Israel as well… but it was the mass of underpriviliged who needed Trump – and that makes me very sad. Will he do something to help them – I don’t think so…. But this is the reality – a reality show – and we will be watching carefully.
November 10, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Half of our nation is in mourning, but all of us will pay the price.
November 10, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Thanks Sue. We certainly hope that the rule of law and Constitutional processes will keep our governing ideals intact. There are many ways of understanding this electoral outcome, and none of them are easy to digest. But as my mom said, we will survive. It is good to acknowledge that this brilliant woman did indeed win the most votes. In any other election, that would have been, and so should be viewed as a great victory in of itself. In any other election. Blessings.
November 10, 2016 at 3:23 pm
I was hoping you would post. I really appreciate your thoughts on this.
November 11, 2016 at 1:00 am
Thank you for your personal perspective – it is good to hear first person accounts and wise analysis of history / herstory. xoxo, Joelle
November 11, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Hello Sue your blog was one of the more meaningful comments I have received since the election. Let us hope that as you well put it that our countries ideas will survive. As time goes on, if we have an opportunity to stand for these ideas, I believe we must.