ManicDDaily

I am inspired by Michelle Obama to do more.

Yes, I’ve felt sick to my stomach, but that’s not a reason to stick to the sidelines

It’s not just the Billy Bush/Donald Trump bus tape –though, like Michelle, that has shaken me to my core. (If you have ever been prey to a person who’s tried to use money, power, body weight. and your learned compliance against you–and I think there are a whole lot of women who have had had this experience–it’s pretty hard not to feel sickened–)

Though I was fed up to Trump before the surfacing of his “sex” tape. His much-voiced wish for stretchers for protesters (especially if they areAfrican American or Latino)–was enough for me–

But what’s making me particularly sick and worried right now is that the sordidness of this election will just turn people off.  What I fear is that the ickiness of Trump and the stickiness of his smears are making some people feel like simply stepping away, as if voting will somehow sully their hands, as if pressing that little lever for either deciding choice will stain them.

There is nothing farther from the truth.  First, the two candidates are NOT the same.  Donald Trump is a bullying serial liar whose attention span appears to be limited to 150 characters.  Hillary is an intensely hard worker, who studies the issues, tries to understand various sides of a question, is knowledgeable about history and geography, social conditions, science and policy–

“Hang the b—-” Trump supporters yell.  “Lock her up.”

This is unheard of in a democracy; this is not a joke.

It feels especially sickening that Trump and his supporters trumpet their threats at a woman in this manner.  (Trump literally sics his supporters on!)  This is not about a side show of emails.  This is not about a speech at Goldman Sachs.  Rather this smacks to me of  “how dare SHE?”

As in, how dare SHE be smart and SHOW that SHE is smart?

How dare SHE stand up to insult and abuse?  How dare SHE transcend personal humiliation?

How dare SHE answer back with sense and factual support?  (Or, omg, complexity!)

How dare SHE be ambitious?  How dare SHE be successful? How dare SHE be inclusive?  How dare SHE even smile like that when we are talking to her?

(We’ll put her in her place!)

I am another SHE and I am frankly astounded by Hillary’s bravery.  (The effrontery of it!)   She has taken so much bullying and sullying, and still, she listens to what others have to say, and still she speaks out on their and our behalf, and still she stands straight and calm and ready to move ahead–

Come on, people, we can’t just sit this one out.  Your vote is one certain way to make a difference.  Not voting does not absolve you from an outcome, nor will it safeguard you from the election’s results.  Make it count.

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Here’s another piece pro-Hillary.  I am so upset by the election–not sure what I can do to help Hillary’s side, but I do mean to start at least posting some of things I’ve been thinking. Even if they have no effect or are in an echo-chamber, etc. etc. they make me feel better. 

PS – thank you, Michelle Obama, for wonderful speech in NH.  I spent a long time today trying to do a picture of Michelle!  Nothing could convey her life force and grace.  Oh well!  

This entry was posted on October 15, 2016 at 2:47 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.

Tags: I'm with her!, manicddaily, Sick of the bullying--but not too sick to vote, thank you Hillary, thank you Michelle Obama