This Has Got to Stop

So four years ago I was interviewed by a wonderful former student, Raikhan Serikova, who was then a grad student in International Journalism at Newcastle University in the UK. She was doing a piece on the US election and wanted to know if I had any thoughts.

I had thoughts.

I wasn’t right about everything! I thought HRC would win, though it would be close. I thought that Trump, if elected, would not seek reelection because he’d be too fucking old.

But I was right about a few things. I said:

• His normalization of lying, racism, and misogyny has strengthened anti-democratic forces in our country.
• People will die that should not die [if Trump is elected]. Lives will be derailed. The institutions of government will be damaged, perhaps permanently.
• A big percentage of the American population—25% to 30%–is deeply ignorant, racist, and angry. Trump has energized these people and has given them a political focus. They will be a threat to our democracy (and maybe to the world) for a long time. Traditionally, for the past 150 years (in other words, since the end of our civil war) American electoral politics have been volatile, while the government itself has been quite stable. This is changing. If Republicans control the House and the Senate after this election, don’t be surprised to see the US government…just stop functioning.

So. This shit has got to stop. If you haven’t yet voted—get out there and vote right now. Stand in line if you have to. Risk covid if you have to.