If you're like me, then you're disappointed in the results of the 2024 Presidential Election here in the USA. I'm even disappointed in the results of the California state election results. (More on the stateside later.)
But now is not the time to point fingers. It's a time to unite. It's a time to build upon the communities we formed, the connections we made, the momentum we've created, and give this Republican-ran government some checks and balances over the next 4 years.
The image above is the exit poll provided by NBC from the election. This image was prematurely shared in the early A.M. the following Wednesday of election night (Tuesday). These numbers have changed quite a bit since they were first posted Wednesday. Why? Because all of the votes had not been counted, but it was clear by the end of Tuesday night that Donald Trump was going to win, and so this signaled to everyone who is on social media to state the numbers as fact.
Just for some insight, the % of Black Men who voted for Harris went down; the percentage of All Other Races who voted for Harris went up; and the percentage of Latino Women who voted for Harris went up.
There are several other exit polls that show age, wealth/income, gender, etc. All of those numbers have changed since the totals have been tallied a week ago, but because people jumped up immediately upon seeing Harris losing, a good lot them are stuck on old data. I continue to see old irrelevant numbers being referenced.
The whole reason for early stat sharing was to point fingers. People were upset at men in general; Latinos in general; and any group who voted majority for Trump or narrowly for Harris were called out. Next, groups started pointing fingers at each other until they narrowed it down to individuals within those groups who had voted for Harris, even though the numbers showed the majority of their group did not; because, after all, who wants to be blamed for a loss when they tried?
The thing is- there is no winner or loser in a political system that uses democracy. We will all be affected by the outcome, whether it is the one you voted for or not. In the case of "majority wins", the majority of society will benefit and that's the best result in a democratic system. There has been no evidence of tampering or any interference within this election. It has been declared a free election and the majority voted for Trump.
The results put our nation in a distinct direction and the people who will take office in 2025 will have a lot of influence and will definitely change things within the next 4 years. This election was so close though. So, while yes, the majority won, it's a narrow majority and it leaves almost half of the United States displeased.
The displeased feel loss and defeated and so we go back to: who is to blame?
The 16+ million registered Democrats who didn't vote? The rest of the nation who didn't vote? The people who voted for independents or write-ins?
What about the campaign itself! -They started too late! It's Biden's fault for trying to run again! They didn't explain policies well. They went after the wrong demographic. She had too many celebrity endorsements. And the list goes on!
While there are a few key mistakes or opportunities left on the table by Harris and Democrats, at the end of the day it comes down to the fact that this nation was built on white supremacy and misogyny and it has not been addressed or dealt with on a national level, and so it will continue to be a part of our nation until we do so. No amount of debate about "what Harris could have done" or "what the Democrats need to do" will fix that.
To add to that, the state I live in was also disappointing during this election. While we had some good measures adopted, such as amending our constitution to allow anyone the right to marriage regardless of sex or race, and approving funding for climate protection and improving schools; we also failed to raise the minimum wage, we continued to allow prison slave labor, and made petty theft a felony (amongst other things).
Right after the election results came in, I read an op-ed (that I lost and wish I had saved to reference) talking about the falsehood of images, such as living in California. In California, we like to boast we're progressive and open, but this election clearly showed that we're not quite as compassionate and advanced as we advertise. This state has a lot of work to do. The op-ed also pointed out that if one thinks they're "safe", because they live in a blue state, they're wrong. What the newly appointed red government will do will affect us all and the people you know here.
So, I leave you with this clip from SNL. When Harris appeared on SNL right before election night, it left the majority of the nation laughing. Even people I know who are "in the center" or leaned towards Trump enjoyed this skit.
And remember what I said before? Oh, let me jog your memory!
But now is not the time to point fingers. It's a time to unite. It's a time to build upon the communities we formed, the connections we made, the momentum we've created, and give this Republican-ran government some checks and balances over the next 4 years.
Follow your local government! From the governor to the city council and mayor! Ask questions! Go to city council meetings! Meet with them! Attend events they hold.
Follow your state senators and your House rep! It doesn't matter if they're Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green! They're there to serve their constituents. Question them and put pressure on them by writing to them and addressing your concerns, as well as the choices they're making on your behalf.
Most importantly, retain the connections and relations you made! During the campaign I saw gatherings in-person and online of hundreds-thousands of people in 1 space. You can still keep those communities and hold those spaces! Work together to make community, to share and expand resources, and figure out what needs to be done to keep our freedom and rights.
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