morning afterthoughts - CLICK THIS LINK FOR SOME INSPIRATION OR READ BELOW.
NONE OF THIS BELOW IS MINE, I AM JUST REPOSTING IT BECAUSE THE POSTEE OF THE POST IS BADASS AND I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IT! LOL
morning afterthoughts
Last night my mom posted the following image on facebook, which she reposted via George Takei's page.
At the moment, it has been liked over 83,000 times, shared 105,000 times which says something, I think. And regardless of whether you agree (and I know some of you don't, and that's okay), I wanted to pass it along.
Because so much has been said on both sides, not only last night and this morning but for the past several months, years, forever since the beginning of time - vitriolic, terrible things. By voters and the media and even the candidates themselves.
Because so much has been said on both sides, not only last night and this morning but for the past several months, years, forever since the beginning of time - vitriolic, terrible things. By voters and the media and even the candidates themselves.
I learned, yesterday, that one of the women I love and respect most in my life voted for Romney. She is as pro-choice, pro-woman, pro-peace as anyone I've ever known.
She didn't vote for Romney because she was against me, or against herself or against any of you - she voted because, after weighing her options, she felt Romney was the better choice economically for this country. And that was important to her in this election. So, after going back and forth, she voted Mitt.
And that was her choice.
It was her choice.
Just like Barack Obama was mine.
Just like yes on 37 (we lost) and yes on 34 (we lost) and yes on 30 (we won) were mine.
She didn't vote for Romney because she was against me, or against herself or against any of you - she voted because, after weighing her options, she felt Romney was the better choice economically for this country. And that was important to her in this election. So, after going back and forth, she voted Mitt.
And that was her choice.
It was her choice.
Just like Barack Obama was mine.
Just like yes on 37 (we lost) and yes on 34 (we lost) and yes on 30 (we won) were mine.
We are fortunate enough to live in a country that is pro the right to CHOOSE who to vote for. There are people, as I write this, dying for that choice. Wishing and praying and being tortured for that choice.
And whether your choice was Barack Obama or Yes on Prop 34. Whether you "won" or "lost" you likely also "won" and "lost" and that is amazing. It's amazing that we have days like yesterday where we can show that we care and explain to our children why we do - why they will too - and how fortunate they are to have that option. How fortunate ALL OF US ARE.
I voted Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004 and remember how disappointing it felt to wake up the morning after in a country that didn't get me.
"I'm moving to Canada!" I said in 2000.
And then again, in 2004. "I'm SERIOUSLY moving to Canada, you guys!"
It sucked and I meant it. And my roommates meant it and we all meant it.
I realize that there are many people this morning who feel that way.
And I woke up this morning with them in mind as well as those who like me feel empowered and relieved and grateful -- grateful to have elected a leader that best represents them, grateful to have a voice and a platform to share it, to have a readership full of respectful readers from both sides and a family made up of incredible women who can vote for different candidates and at the end of the day, still love and respect each other as much as they did the day before.
THAT is America. THAT is feminism. THAT is why I voted. THAT is why my ancestors immigrated here from Germany and Poland and Hungary and and and... THAT is why my family was able to survive and thrive. That is why I'm here. That is why many, if not most of us are here.
my great grandmother, Belle (third from left) with her parents and nine siblings, 1916
my girls; this morning
AMERICA, you guys. We are HERE. We are citizens of this place where we win and we lose and we come together to help each other and we rebuild and we stand in lines because we MATTER.
my great grandmother, Belle (third from left) with her parents and nine siblings, 1916
my girls; this morning
And to quote Thomas Jefferson (thanks, George Takei and thank you, Wendy Woolf) I believe that not only is it possible to stay friends with those who share a difference of politics, opinion, religion and philosophy, it is ourduty as citizens of the world and mentors to tomorrow's leaders.
Because if we can't get along as adults how can we expect our children to?
They're watching us.
GGC