ON SECOND THOUGHT – Love TRUMPS Hate: On The 2020 Election
A huge sigh of relief.
My blog post today was going to be very different; my idea had been drafted out on paper and all that was left was for me to sit and write it down. Well, I’m not doing that.
There’s been something taking up space in my mind this week, a few things actually, but this felt much more pressing than anything else. When I started the On Second Thought series on here every Sunday, I wasn’t quite sure what it would turn out to be, but one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted it to reflect my week or the many thoughts floating around my head as they were – thoughts I wasn’t done processing, but wanted to share instantly nonetheless. On that note, this will be a political one; you’ve been warned.
Over the week, our friends in America went to the polls to decide who the next president of the united states would be, and of course, like with everything they do, the whole world was watching.
Honestly, the whole week, I felt like I was sat at the edge waiting to see how the tide will turn or rather if it would turn. Every morning as the counts continued the first thing I’d do was check for news updates to know if it was doom and gloom all over again, or if it was time we all took a huge sigh of relief.
Why was I so anxious over an election that was taking place in a whole ‘other country? Why did it feel like make or break if the votes went one way or the other? Why did this election feel like it mattered more than anything else has in these past few years?
All the bad and ugly hiding in the shadows met with light and now we can’t just pretend we didn’t see it.
Perhaps, it is because many would agree it was less about electing a person, but rather an election on what kind of people we, as a collective, want to be in the future, what type of world we want to live in, what type of things we are willing to accept… Also, while the last four years surely did happen, a lot of it didn’t feel real. Like how could they really?
If Trump did something, it was definitely help unveil the raging hatred masked with false progress and frankly, maybe it was only someone like him that could bring that to the surface the way that he did.
In the last few years, lies became alternative facts, and the truth became wisdom to some and propaganda to others. The most outrageous things that were said in rallies or in midnight tweets became that norm – shock value reducing each and every time to the point where things were despicable yet ‘typical’ in the worst way.
Yesterday we got the good news that Joe Biden is set to become the new president of the U.S and needless to say, I was elated. Not only can he string complete meaningful sentences together, but his ability to empathise on a basic human level was definitely missing in the almost-previous administration.
Also, the first black and south Asian female vice president! Isn’t that something?
I’m sure there are a ton of people like me, who although we don’t live in America, could feel the agonising pain of the last few years pierce through. The discomfort at the sound of his name was very real and knowing the most powerful man alive is a complete nutjob didn’t help.
I’m someone who will gladly disagree to agree on a ton of issues, but on this one, it was always hard for me to do that in a calm manner.
On the other hand, if you supported the man, there is nothing I can say to you that will change your mind at this point so I’ll just move on eh?
Now, I believe the ‘Trumpism’ era is far from being over. The last four years opened up a can of worms that I feel spread wide and far in uncontrollable ways. All the bad and ugly hiding in the shadows met with light and now we can’t just pretend we didn’t see it. The fact alone that the election was in any way close is pretty disturbing to me.
There is a whole lot of work that needs to be done and I feel like we are finally at a good place to start. For now, we can celebrate with America, but I hope after this weekend we can all find a way to do our part in making this world a little better, whether it be by making people feel welcome, being better allies or standing up for what’s right.
We can also agree that politicians are not perfect, don’t think they could ever be, but like a lot of people said, Trump wasn’t presidential at all… well, maybe he shouldn’t have been president huh?
Spread love not hate and stay safe! xx
Your restless romantic roamer
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