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By the way, are you, like me, an American living abroad? If so, you probably understand, in ways more visceral than Americans at home, all the ways--small and large--that it is not just America that has suffered a collapse of power and prestige, but us, *personally.*
You've lost things you never dreamt you would lose. Your dignity. Your confidence that the US had your back, because you were a US citizen. You've lost the respect others afforded you--even if often grudgingly--because they knew you were a citizen of a superpower,
and only an idiot would screw with a citizen of a superpower.
You've lost your exuberant pride in being American--which yes, in my case was overweening, and yes, I was due for a humbling--but which you'd nonetheless taken for granted, --until Trump
You've lost your exuberant pride in being American--which yes, in my case was overweening, and yes, I was due for a humbling--but which you'd nonetheless taken for granted, --until Trump
And that pride was grounded in something very real: American liberty, industry, accomplishments--from the cultural to the scientific--American decency, and the brilliance of its Constitutional order.
`You've gained, on the other hands, the understanding that America is harmless as an enemy but treacherous as a friend. (It should be vice-versa)
On the bright side, you've gained greater empathy of those toward whom you were once, perhaps, lacking in empathy or compassion:
On the bright side, you've gained greater empathy of those toward whom you were once, perhaps, lacking in empathy or compassion:
I used to say, too often, "Why do *they* put up with this?" wondering what character flaws others caused them to elect and then re-elect preposterous clowns who clearly had no higher aspiration than to steal from them.
I get it, now.
I get it, now.
Adults understand that things can get worse. They know the process of getting rid of them could well make things *very* much worse.
So, welcome to the world.
If you've been feeling this way, it's wrong. You still have the vote. You can make things better.
So, welcome to the world.
If you've been feeling this way, it's wrong. You still have the vote. You can make things better.
Here's how to vote from abroad. https://www.votefromabroad.org/
It's easy to do, but time is of the essence. Regulations vary by state, but you can do it even if you've never registered or voted before.
It's easy to do, but time is of the essence. Regulations vary by state, but you can do it even if you've never registered or voted before.
If you're tired, as I am, of having to explain that Trump represents us, yes, but does not represent the majority of Americans, *register to vote* and then *do it.*
Sometimes elections don't matter that much. This one does.
Sometimes elections don't matter that much. This one does.
Sometimes a single vote won't matter that much. But in this election, a handful could.
So vote. The alternative is another four years of outright insanity and a man with the mind of a toddler play-acting the role of commander-in-chief of the US military--
So vote. The alternative is another four years of outright insanity and a man with the mind of a toddler play-acting the role of commander-in-chief of the US military--
--during a moment of geopolitical instability unlike any of us alive have known.
It's really the least you can do, because your vote will affect the security and future not only of 330 million US citizens, but nearly 8 billion human beings.
It's really the least you can do, because your vote will affect the security and future not only of 330 million US citizens, but nearly 8 billion human beings.
Vote for them, if not for yourself.
But vote.
But vote.
