Blue In the Face

In the aftermath of Tuesday’s events, I have been trying, like the plurality of voters in this country, to come to grips with what happened. Obviously, it has not been easy.

We can talk until we’re blue in the face about the reasons it happened, and I can understand the frustration in some corners that led to it. But there are some things that I’m still struggling with that I need to get out there.

I think the first thing that kills me about all this is that it seems like a giant step backwards. We are living in a rapidly changing world, one that should be taking us into new frontiers in science and technology. Maybe space exploration. Maybe the flying cars we all thought we’d have by now. Maybe the next breakthrough that will lead to a cure for cancer or AIDS. But none of those things seem possible now, because we’d rather make things “great again.” How are we going to make things great when we’re taking things away from the people who need them? How is the next generation of leaders going to be ready when public school funding is slashed or, worse, books are changed to express viewpoints that go against scientific fact?

By the way, the next thing people will need to realize is that while his name is on the building (so to speak), this will be the Mike Pence presidency. Trump has ZERO policy experience on what it takes to write and understand the laws and what is able to be done within them. And the general consensus is that he was elected because people wanted to shake up Washington. Sure, but you really didn’t since the same big name Republicans will still be there. Mitch McConnell will still be in charge of the Senate. Paul Ryan will still have influence. And dozens of other well entrenched members of Congress will still be throwing their weight around in direct pissing matches with the Zaphod Beeblebrox of Presidents.

Third, I fear for my professions. There is the one I am most known for – journalism – and the one I am studying to become – teacher. The level of vitriol spit out at the people who do the yeoman’s work of telling us the news everyday, for way less money than they deserve, is maddening. A journalist’s job is to report what they see. Hold up a mirror to the world and put that mirror out for the rest of us who couldn’t be there in person to see. And if you don’t like what you’re seeing reflected in that mirror, then that’s not the media’s fault. Most of us deal in FACTS, not opinion. The blame hurled at the media is because of the great number of commentators that are on TV to fuel ratings on the news channels.

And the other profession? Well, that’s a multi-pronged issue. First, you have the issue I talked about above: What’s going to happen to the education system? I can imagine that there will be more pushes to break up teacher unions, cut pay/benefits and the like. And what will be teaching them? That’s a pretty scary thought. But then there’s what to do about the children now? I already had to talk down a youngster during the primaries who was crying about her family and what Trump was promising he would do to people like them. (And we've seen the reaction in the real world, including a substitute teacher's belittling of a student.) And then there’s the real idea that we have given free license to bullying in this country. We saw instances in schools posted on social media already. We already have enough problems at the schools keeping children from bullying, fighting and making threats. And now we have the Cyberbully in Chief.

Lastly, and along those lines, is the near glee that Trump supporters are posting memes to put down a large class of people out there … which I happen to be a part of. I haven’t had a full-time job for more than five years. We haven’t had our own insurance for more than two. We’re receiving aid for food and bills. And the amount of posts that degrade people who have the severe need for these services because they are “too lazy” to get a job is offensive. You hiring? I work three jobs (all seasonal part-time/contract/freelance that come with no benefits and no guarantee of full-time stability) and go to school very nearly full time – but I’m a lazy bastard for needing food, cash and medical aid? “Oh, we didn’t mean you …” Well, yeah you did. Because by posting that you swept every person using these services into the same pile. And the very real possibility that some or all of those things will go away is scary. My weight loss is a direct result of getting depression under control with the help of medicine. What about the medication my wife needs to keep her asthma at bay? At the very least my son will still be covered (I hope), but …

And that’s not the only thing I have to worry about. My wife is Latino. Her parents came here from Central America, and took Reagan’s AMNESTY to become citizens (both came legally, by the way). And that makes my son Latino. We make it very clear to him that he has this background, and while his education in Spanish isn’t going as well as we’d like, it is an important part of who he is. And you know how many other Latinos, blacks, LGBT, Muslim, et al people I know that may be in serious trouble of losing rights because of this?

So, I’ve said my piece. Will I reach a point of acceptance? Um … What does the Magic 8 Ball say? Oh, yeah, “Ask Again Later.” Much later.