I don't know what to title this blog. It's been swirling in around in my head for SO long and now that I'm attempting to actually sit down to put my thoughts into words - I feel a little paralyzed. But, for the sake of finally getting it out, I will probably proceed with word vomit, hit the publish button, and then cringe with embarrassment tomorrow at my nonsensical statements and/or typos.
In my companion post to this one, I shared some confessions. Most were light hearted, or funny, except for the last one. The one where I admitted that in 2016, I voted for Donald Trump. I explained my reasoning there and I won't go into it again (if you didn't read it, it's not a defense of my choice - I would not try to do that). In this post I want to apologize to those that my decision hurt.
I'm sorry.
To every woman who has ever been sexually harassed, abused, threatened or attacked, please forgive me. My vote for Trump must feel like a slap in the face. The very nature of this violation is to show a woman that she is just a means to an end, that she is worth less than the desires of her attacker- and we should all be able to agree that the price for justice against an attacker that a woman must pay is a price that is too great. She will be scrutinized to the smallest detail. "What was she wearing? Did she give mixed signals? Was she being a tease? Did she want it?". I can only imagine how terrible that might be. But to go through all of that, and then have a country show you that they'll vote for a known sexual predator anyway? Heartbreak. I'm sorry.
To my Jewish friends, please forgive me. The resurgence of anti-semitism in this country since Trump's election in 2016 is disheartening, to say the least.
To my LGBTQ+ friends, please forgive me. One of my dear childhood friends, who is now happily married to her wife, was bereft when Trump was elected. I remember feeling badly that she was so upset, but not fully appreciating why, Now I get it. I'm sorry.
To my daughters, please forgive me. I didn't appreciate the attack on women's rights and privacy that would ensue when the Supreme Court's balance of power shifted. I'm trying to transition my girls over to a European app to track their cycles so that the government isn't watching their personal health data. I've spent most of my life being staunchly pro-life. And while I still dislike the idea of abortion, I realize that I have the freedom to make that choice for myself. And I think all women should have the same right. But even more importantly, the lies that have been fed about Plan B (I remember the horror when it came out at the idea of "killing babies with a pill"), which is designed to end a pregnancy before it has a chance to start. I do want my daughters, my nieces, my friends, my daughters' friends, to have that choice. I want to impoverished woman who is barely making ends meet to have that choice, I want the woman who was raped to have that choice. I want to woman who will die without an abortion to have that choice. So, to my daughters, and all women, I'm sorry.
To this country's minorities and immigrants, please forgive me. When I think of the second greatest commandment that Jesus gave in the Bible, which was, "to love your neighbor as thyself", I know that the attitudes and policies from the Trump agenda show a great deal of hate, and very little love. I'm sorry.
If you've read this far, you're probably shaking your head that I have turned into a Democrat. I, in fact, have not. I'll write more about that in another post. But, for now, to all of those who are still here - I'm sorry.
3 comments:
That’s the beauty of a democracy and I appreciate the fact that we have one. We can vote for who we feel is the best fit at the time and then in four years do it all over again. We don’t all have to agree with each others choice and nine times out of ten the politicians elected do not do what they say they are going to do anyways. At some point in our lives, I believe everyone has regrets about the way they’ve voted in the past.
I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I agree wholeheartedly. Don’t presume to
judge others when you can’t understand their position and don’t have to live within their circumstances.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing. I’m right there with you. The past 8 years have been instructive and eye-opening, to see down the path, to the natural ends, of certain ideologies I once espoused. The fanatical worship of the anti-abortion agenda is leading us to very dark, regressive places. The Christian nationalism that I passively, obliviously consumed for 30+ years is leading the country to xenophobia, antisemitism, violence, and hate of all kinds. We are so far from “blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
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