I’m done. Can’t take another day of this.
I have shown my empty absentee ballot to my American citizen witness, I have filled it out (as she looked elsewhere) and then stuffed it in an envelope and sealed it. I have got her to sign and date my witness statement which I then taped on the envelope. I then stuffed all this into a larger envelope and addressed it to the Election Commission in my district. (Full disclosure: it could be that I didn’t do those steps in exactly in that order . . . Voter Fraud! Voter Fraud!)
Tomorrow I will bring the letter to the post office and mail it.
And then I will unplug.
I won’t listen daily to Rachel or Chris or Joy (though I will miss Joy) or the NPR politics podcast.
For the next three weeks, I won’t hear any more of these phrases:
red meat
dog whistle
energizing the base
rigged system
hacked emails
Benghazi
believe me
crooked as a three dollar bill
locker room talk
p***y
lock her up
build a wall
lies! lies! lies!
disgusting
. . .
I simply can’t stand it anymore. (Good luck, Hill! And thank you!)
I have had experiences talking with abused women and men and children in the past. I suffered and empathized with them, but never really felt what they must have been feeling.
I feel it now. And it is frightening.
I feel like screaming at the Lock Her Up / Locker Room Talk party to stop scraping at the bottom of the barrel. That there are some bases who shouldn’t be “energized” at all. But who would hear me?
This election cycle has been debasing, humiliating, despicable, violating . . . As an American living abroad, I have only one friend with whom I can talk about it all. No one else really understands how it feels. And who else here would believe me? They’d think I should have known better. Their own history has taught them to be wary of the narcissistic buffoon.
Starting now and till November 9th, you can call me Tweety Bird.
I’ll be on my little swing in my exposed cage, my back turned to the predator, oblivious, nostalgically enjoying my fantasy of a more innocent time when America was great and loony tunes were confined to Sunday mornings.
I tawt I taw a puddy tat.
I did! I did tee a puddy tat!
Move over, I’m joining you. I have to vote on election day but I am unplugging from election news until then. At this point, the decision is done. I don’t have to subject myself to more abuse.
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Good decision. And I admit I am relieved to hear that other people also see this all as abusive. Thanks Kate.
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I wish I could unplug but I’m not there yet. Yes, it’s abusive. And obscene, and inexplicable. But I’m still obsessed. And I need to know enough to fully appreciate the openings of Saturday Night Live for the next three weeks.
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I understand. And there is a chance that I will relapse. That part of me that is still hoping for a landslide wants to witness it. The other part is sick of the abuse. Tough situation.
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I refuse to listen to news or debates or anything else about the presidential election at this point. I’ve had it. I already know who I am voting for. I’ll just stick my head in the sand or go hide under a rock until it’s over. 🙂
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Here are some phrases to replace the others: fall colors, mug cake, paperback novel, afternoon nap. Enjoy!
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Sounds nice – but what is “mug cake”?
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If you don’t know, I’m reluctant to tell you. It’s danger for all but those of the most steely resolve: http://www.sweetestkitchen.com/2013/06/microwave-chocolate-chip-cookie-in-a-mug/
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Looks yummy! Thanks! And lucky for me, the unavailability of vanilla extract here will substitute for the steely resolve I don’t have.
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You are fortunate you can tune it out so easily. I am trying but it is pervasive. I have declared on my fb that “I am done, please vote as you will, and you won’t hear from me about it until after the election” I even made it my cover page, but crazy friends on the #trumptrain keep tagging me and telling me to read some new evidence against “Killary” – mind you I have never supported Hillary on my page or stated who I intended to vote for, I have only condemned Trump for the narcissistic, egomaniacal, mysogynist unqualified buffoon that he is. I won’t block or unfriend them, because I strongly believe in the 1st amendment and the democratic process. I thought of deleting Facebook, but I am currently engaged in a project on a private fb forum. I just can’t wait until this is all over and let the chips fall where they will.
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Wow – that sounds rough. I don’t actually know anyone who is on that particular train. I’m on Facebook, but rarely go there. When I do it is an absolute choir of the like-minded.
Hang in there – it’s just three more weeks. You’ll make it through!
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I have been following the news and the debate. I am not even an American citizen but it was painful to watch – especially the last debate. I think you made a right decision.
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I’m Australian and I feel something similar. I am just trying to close my ears whenever it all comes up but it isn’t easy.
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