Quick! Before you completely forget what you felt when you first knew the election results, sit down and write down the first things that popped into your head. At the end, add a couple of thoughts you’ve had since. We’ll come back and read these in a few years and see what we think.
I was on the losing side in this election. I peeked at the New York Times election dial just before I went to bed around 11 pm PST, and it looked bad. In the morning, it was all over.
My first thoughts included concern that violence and bullying among adults will increase. If people are free to express sexist and racist feelings, and to lie about their actions and intentions, what is to prevent people from acting on unfriendly impulses? If you live in a rural area, or are a minority, what will keep your neighbors from knocking down your mailbox, torching your woodpile, or bumping you off the road should you disagree with them? Good will? Self-restraint? Laws?
My second thought is that if Donald Trump supports Netanyahu, and Netanyahu is dead set on bombing Iran, will nuclear war begin during the next four years? I hope not, but I don’t think it’s impossible.
Those were my first thoughts. Now it is a few days later and I will add a couple of things. First, Kamala Harris lost. Accusing her of wrong-doing, running a bad campaign, and a litany of other sins has no place in my world. She lost, leave her alone and get on with figuring out what comes next.
The Lorax lost once again. Let’s keep snatching the last tree out of the fire and replanting. What else is there to do?
Llywindatravels 2025 