Life of Wry

All over the country there are demonstrations against Trump. I’m glad about this because I, too, am furious and feel betrayed. I’ve ranted about this for two days. I’ll shut up.

But, kids on college campuses in particular. You have offended them, Donald. They are young, smart, and I hate to tell ya, diverse. You’ve challenged their ethnicities, their faiths, their rights to be here at all, you have challenged education, facts, science. You sound like a doofus and nobody can take you seriously.

So they’re out protesting because you have said horrible and stupid things. You have not earned their respect, you are not presidential material. You put their future at risk.  You are, apparently, not the boss of them.

Here’s a shot:

This was at UCSD on Tuesday night… Peter thought there were thousands, the San Diego Tribune said more like 500. Still, wee hours of the morning, kids poured out of the dorms and marched in anger, frustration and betrayal. People a few generations removed, stuck in some dated and dangerous paradigms, took the election away from them.

The protests occurred on campuses all over the country. I opened my window that evening and heard hundreds (thousands?) chanting “Not my president” and “F– Trump,” coming from the direction of UCD.

Here’s a letter the Janet Napolitano wrote to students at the ten University of California campuses:

President Janet Napolitano and the Chancellors of the University of California today (Nov. 9) issued the following statement:

In light of yesterday’s election results, we know there is understandable consternation and uncertainty among members of the University of California community.  The University of California is proud of being a diverse and welcoming place for students, faculty, and staff with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.  Diversity is central to our mission.  We remain absolutely committed to supporting all members of our community and adhering to UC’s Principles Against Intolerance.  As the Principles make clear, the University “strives to foster an environment in which all are included” and “all are given an equal opportunity to learn and explore.”  The University of California will continue to pursue and protect these principles now and in the future, and urges our students, faculty, staff, and all others associated with the University to do so as well.

We are proud of what the University of California stands for and hope to convey that positive message to others in our state and nation.

President Janet Napolitano                           Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks
University of California                                  University of California, Berkeley

Interim Chancellor Ralph Hexte                  Chancellor Howard Gillman
University of California, Davis                     University of California, Irvine

Chancellor Gene Block                                    Chancellor Dorothy Leland
University of California, Los Angeles         University of California, Merced

Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox                              Chancellor Pradeep Khosla
University of California, Riverside              University of California, San Diego

Chancellor Sam Hawgood                            Chancellor Henry T. Yang
University of California, San Francisco     University of California, Santa Barbara

Chancellor George R. Blumenthal
University of California, Santa Cruz

Crazy somebody had to write that letter.

So…

I’m chewing on this idea that he is not my president. 

On the one hand, I strongly support the peaceful transfer of power and believe any new president deserves the respect of the office and a chance to succeed. He hasn’t even assumed office, so I can’t say he’s not my president. He won, we lost, it’s over, let’s move on; that’s the way it works.

(Unless you’re Senate republicans and then you make it known that your one and only objective, announced proudly and publicly, is to make sure the new president does NOT succeed and you obstruct absolutely everything he tries to do for eight years to ensure his failure, then you bitterly complain and use his failures as your campaign platform.)

On the other hand, he is a very bitter pill to swallow. I might take the high road, give the dude a chance, but, damn, I hate how he got there, how he bullied and lied and threw everything I care about under the bus. And I hate everything he stands for. (No need to repeat earlier blogs.)

No, he does not represent me in any way. Further, he hurts my soul.

As New York Times columnist Charles Blow (one of my saviors during this nightmare of a campaign) said today:

It is hard to know specifically how to position yourself in a country that can elect a man with such staggering ineptitude and open animus. It makes you doubt whatever faith you had in the country itself.

Also, let me be clear: Businessman Donald Trump was a bigot. Candidate Donald Trump was a bigot. Republican nominee Donald Trump was a bigot. And I can only assume that President Donald Trump will be a bigot.

It is absolutely possible that America didn’t elect him in spite of that, but because of it. Consider that for a second. Think about what that means. This is America right now: throwing its lot in with a man who named an alt-right sympathizer as his campaign chief.

[…]

I can’t make it make sense because it doesn’t. I must sit with the absurdity of it.

I must settle this in myself in this way: I respect the presidency; I do not respect this president-elect. I cannot. Count me among the resistance.

And bigotry is just one of my many issues with this horrible human being. Is there a time when you just say no, stand up and resist? In the case of accepting or rejecting the office of the presidency itself.. I have to think about this one.

From a Facebook convo…

In solidarity with racial justice and in recognition of the fact we will never move forward as a society until we take responsibility for our history and acknowledge the existence and oppression of white privilege, we put up a new lawn sign yesterday. It was time to take down the school board and measure H signs, and put this up:

I’m inclined to leave our Clinton/Kaine sign up for a while as a wee sign that I’m having serious issues with our new president.