The old adage, “Be careful what you wish for,” is about to demonstrate its wisdom.
Millions of people have rewarded a racist demagogue for his provocations by electing him over Kamala Harris, an accomplished and decent woman of African and South Asian descent. To quote their God Bless The USA Bible, they will reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7).
It is time to stop letting people who dominate our politics get away with waving the Bible around while ignoring its wisdom. Cherry picking Old Testament passages to beat others over the head is not Christianity. They love to proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but violate his teachings at every turn.
Thus they will ignore Jeebus on welcoming strangers (Matthew 25:35) and cheer on the 47th president (God help us) as he attempts to deport millions of immigrant laborers, which will tank the economy and is unimaginably cruel.
His proposed tariffs will do further damage, for which he will doubtless blame others because he is never wrong.
This con artist who would be king took a break from golfing a few weeks ago to phone into a town hall with his running mate, whom he put on the spot by demanding to be assured of his brilliance. JD Vance promptly put down his Maybelline applicator and complied.
Permit me to list all the truly smart people who go around begging to be told how brilliant they are.
There, that’s the complete list.
With all due respect, this is not a moment for solemnity and soothing words. When the abyss threatens to swallow us up, sometimes dark humor pulls us out. I recall a spate of tasteless jokes after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, including someone suggesting that the last words of teacher Christa McAuliffe, who died aboard, were, “What’s this red button for?”
Donald Trump will spend his entire second term looking for the red button on Spaceship America.
The president-elect has neither the inclination nor the capacity to govern. His only interests are in getting revenge and lining the pockets of his wealthy friends.
Masha Gessen wrote in 2017, “Donald Trump ran on a platform of denigrating expertise…. Militant incompetence and autocracy are not in opposition: They are two sides of a coin.”
If Trump puts vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist RFK Jr. in charge of public health, there will be nothing funny about the resulting deaths. Refusing vaccinations might be valid if you lived on a desert island. But those who live in a populated area have a responsibility not to expose others needlessly to deadly diseases that are well-controlled by vaccines just because they’ve decided to reject science.
It is hard to fathom the myopia required to vote for a racist and sexist admirer of tyrants who calls immigrants vermin and talks of “the enemy from within.” To say we have more work to do is the understatement of the century.
A liberal neighbor texted me the morning after the election, saying Democrats need to listen better to the concerns of Trump supporters. Seriously? A man who boasts of overturning Roe v. Wade, vows to weaponize the Department of Justice, and plans to turn the federal workforce into his personal goon squad is returning to power, and the first reflex is to blame Democrats? Can’t we pause the circular firing squad to rebuke voters for electing a depraved saboteur because they’re upset over egg prices?
For the sake of our children and the future of democracy, let your outrage be stronger than your despair. We cannot acquiesce in this madness.
Do what you need to refuel for the struggle ahead. Freedom is not guaranteed to us. It exists by exercising it.
Vice President Harris, who ran an admirable and valiant 100-day campaign, quoted another adage in her concession speech: “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” She said, “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
Life is a roll of the dice; but we are not in this alone. We have one another. As I write, I just learned of the death of my friend Cornelius Baker, a longtime leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS and a powerful advocate for health equity for women and people of color. The shock of his loss is a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of giants.
Night has come; I am heading to my roof to light a candle for my friend and my country.