Soft, soft or cruel - can't we change our minds?

[dolorosa_12]

thelxiepia, to Todd Akin (re: his reelection): The female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down.

Obama: It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from. It doesn't matter if you're black or white, Hispanic or Asian or Native American ... it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, able-bodied or disabled, gay or straight ...
Young daughter of my friend L (shouting at footage on laptop): HURRY UP WILL YOU? I ALREADY KNOW ALL THIS STUFF FROM MY TEACHER.

These two are, I think, the most representative quotes from last night's election viewing.

I hold dual citizenship, and as a result, while I don't feel very American or have any intentions of moving there, I am able to vote in elections. Some of my non-USian friends have been very critical of the way that people outside the US tend to obsessively follow the election campaigns and results, but the sheer volume of vitriolic hatred this time around has had the odd effect of making the political personal for me.

When I think of the rhetoric that's been flying around - about women (particularly, about sexually active women and women who are raped*), about the poor and unemployed, about people with disabilities, people who are ethnic minorities, LGBT people - what strikes me is a profound lack of empathy. These vocal social conservatives look at the most dispossessed and vulnerable people in their society, and are unable to see their humanity. They hate, they hurt, they bluster and blame because they are unable to imagine any circumstances where they would be in such people's shoes.

I stayed up until 5am watching the election coverage in a state of profound hysteria. It's not that I think Obama's the messiah, or that I even agree with all the things he's done in his first term, but that, in words at least, in relation to Americans at least, he strives to reach out, to compromise, to entertain multiple points of view, to affirm the worth and humanity of all. And that may not matter very much in the scheme of things, but it matters to me. It is enough, for now, for me.

And now I'm going to go to sleep. Following a nearly sleepless night with a library shift where I shelved eight trolleys of books is starting to take its toll.

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* Which is not the same thing, and it's terrifying how these things seem to be conflated in the eyes of some social conservatives.

Comments

[wehappyfew]

I agree completely. Obama isn't perfect - no president or human being ever will be - but he seems to genuinely care about all of America and the well being of everyone that lives here. As I've told friends of mine irl, he seems far, far more human than Romney ever has or ever will and even if I don't agree with everything Obama has done/said or will do/say, his beliefs and the way he seems to look at the entirety of America (not to mention how he wants to treat everyone equally, like this country is supposed to) means that I will support him nearly completely.

[dolorosa_12]

It's weird, but I don't even care if his 'everyone should be treated equally and I care about everyone' stuff is all an act. It matters more to me that he - or his strategists - think that talking about and recognising the common humanity of everyone is the way to win votes. Because the social conservatives sure as hell don't think that. Their election strategy seems to have been basically relying on the vote of rich, straight white men. Guess what? Not everyone is a rich, straight white man - and not every rich, straight white man votes Republican in any case.

[wehappyfew]

Exactly! I find it a little hard to believe that Obama doesn't mean it, though, considering what all he's done so far. I have no idea what his life has been like, but I honestly think that's part of the benefit of having a non-white man in office. I'd really like to see a woman in office someday, but if we can't have that, I'd rather have someone who is diverse so that they understand what it's like to not be a privileged white person.

Not that that makes them better than any other white person or guarantees we make more progress than take steps backwards, but at least they'd understand to a point, you know?

[dolorosa_12]

Yes, I think that the more privilege you have, the harder it is to put yourself in the shoes of those who have traditionally been disempowered and disadvantaged.

[wehappyfew]

Totally. There are some who try and do pretty good, but overall...