Tag Archives: election

November 9, 2022 – the day after Midterm Elections.

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I don’t know how I’m the one who woke up with the pep talk energy this morning, but I guess it’s just my turn. Making the world a better place is difficult and slow! WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER. We can take turns.

When you feel sad/sick today, remember: Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert is trailing with more than 85% of votes counted in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District! [Update: she ended up winning in the morning, but I hope she made the most of that long, tough night of not knowing.] This morning at 9:30, Dr. Oz called John Fetterman to concede!

I know a lot of hateful people got elected – again. I know that many of us are feeling hopeless and powerless. Please don’t let hate take you over!!! We have so much more work to do. Hate saps energy! Some days, I have to focus on the successes so I don’t sink into despair!

Did you know that people with disabilities can vote FROM THEIR CARS in North Carolina????

Did you know that the third African American governor was just elected????

Democrats flipped Republican-held House seats in Ohio and Michigan and held on to vulnerable seats in Virginia, New Hampshire and elsewhere.

Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat, won re-election in an Ohio district redrawn to favor Republicans. She is set to become the longest-serving woman in congressional history.

Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, was ahead of Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in Alaska’s sole House election!

Remember this: “Dems have a Florida problem, but Republicans have a Trump problem. That seems harder to solve.” — Jen Psaki, former Biden press secretary

Hear This: “My name is Nabeela Syed. I’m a 23-year old Muslim, Indian-American woman. We just flipped a Republican-held suburban district. And in January, I’ll be the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly.”

We – all of us –  have to do the work! And, if we have privilege, WE HAVE TO USE IT TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER!

I heard Eitan Hersh in an NPR interview about his book Politics is for Power a while back, and he has really inspired me. He said that focusing on national and world politics makes people feel helpless. Americans can use our power/agency in local politics. If I hadn’t focused on the mayoral race this time, I can’t imagine how sad and hopeless I would feel today.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Politics-Is-for-Power/Eitan-Hersh/9781982116798

I’m here for Celia Israel because Hersh’s words encouraged me to act locally!

Related: I’m going to say something controversial. Maybe – just maybe – it’s time to stop spending so much of our energy on JK Rowling and to start focusing more of our energy on stopping the hateful people who keep getting elected in our home states. Let’s focus on what we CAN DO to protect our most vulnerable humans.

Also, this poem brings me a little hope too: To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall by KIM ADDONIZIO.

https://poetrysociety.org/poems/to-the-woman-crying-uncontrollably-in-the-next-stall

More Gun Sense Requests

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I dream of a world where gun violence is not a constant presence.

  1. There are mentally ill people in every country but there are not mass shootings on a comparable scale in most other countries.
  2. There are mentally ill women in our country and yet most of the mass shootings are committed by male shooters.
  3. I agree that these murderers are sick but please let’s not conflate these two issues.
  4. Calling murderers “crazy” or “nuts” isn’t helping anyone. All it really does is: a. pretend that shootings are unusual and b. stigmatize mental illness more.
  5. Every time we add to the stigma of mental illness, we are contributing to the obstacles that prevent people from admitting they need help and actually seek help
  6. NATIONAL UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS NATIONAL UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS NATIONAL UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.
  7. We need to spend some money on scientific studies. We need to apply this groundswell of concern to actually FUND some studies on guns, gun violence, and gun laws. PLEASE.
  8. Mental Illness is a real human problem that cannot be “solved” with laws.
  9. Gun violence is a real human problem that cannot be “solved” by blaming it on the mentally ill.
  10. The money the NRA uses to buy politicians and to lobby against legislation is a huge problem that we, the voters, can address directly. Let’s do that now.

 

UPDATES: (A) I posted this on Facebook a while back. Since it’s still getting “likes,” I thought I should post it here. Thanks for reading. (B) If you want to support mental health awareness, go to: www.nami.org