A Light in the Dark

For a long while now, I’ve been trying desperately to find a bright point, something good in the elevation of 45 Orange to POTUS. And the claims of “Think of all the great art/music/whatever it will produce” don’t cut it. People were making great art and music before 45, because the government is the government and will always be engaged in something that sparks anger that then fuels art.

Some of us have known (and tried to explain to others) for a long time that a significant percentage of the U.S. population and especially the right-wing branch of politics are fundamentally anti-American. And by “anti-American”, I mean actively against the ideals that this nation supposedly represents (though let’s be honest; even the oft-faux-revered Founding Fathers frequently ignored the document they created, the COTUS, as have the majority of people in power for more of our history than not) and puts forth as an example to the rest of the world.

Hell, one could make a pretty solid argument that we didn’t even bother to start trying to live by those alleged ideals until well into the 20^th century. Even in the 20s and 30s, there were SCOTUS cases involving 1A, that sided against the exercise of free speech. If brought before SCOTUS today, a significant, loud contingent of people (including politicians and orange embodiments of fail masculine egos) would be calling for blood, siding with the state, all the while continuing to whine about Twitter and Facebook censoring them and impinging on their freedom of speech (again, let’s be honest; if Facebook stakes a position on that, it’s usually on the side of hate speech and incitement to violence, so long as no one is showing any titty). Even in the 19 mother fucking 60s, SCOTUS was upholding clearly unconstitutional laws against free speech.

Where was I?

Right, the bright spot (which, in this case, is more akin to the wet spot).

The closest thing to a bright spot from this election and the results of the Electoral College is that it has emboldened these anti-American elements to step out from the shadows, to come out from behind their closed doors, to step into the light and proclaim their anti-American beliefs (though they do so not boldly, but under a bulwark of false patriotism). “How is this a bright spot?” you ask. Bright is relative. This is bright the same way one of those incredibly dim night lights are bright when viewed from across the house:

It’s bright only because it’s shrouded in darkness.

But it’s still a light that can help you get to where you need to be. You’ll bang your shin on the coffee table, trip over the dog’s chew toy, and step on the practically invisible LEGO bricks that someone left in the floor.

You’ll get where you’re going, but you won’t enjoy the trip or come out of it unscathed.

That’s much how I view the current state of the United States. Someone turned out the lights, and we’re only just now banging our shins on the coffee table. We’ve got a long way to go. But as we continue our arduous quest to the barely illuminated bathroom and our waste-collecting god, we can now see who the enemies truly are. And by “we”, I mean those of you who didn’t believe us when we tried to tell you about the right-wing, about POTUS 45 (not a fine malt liquor), about the impact of Fox news and the right-wing mouthpieces like Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck.

I mean those of you who insisted on believing that all of this was “politics as normal” and that “all politicians are the same”. They are not. Do not misunderstand me; I certainly do not think that the Clintons, the Democrats, or Sanders are saint. No, I think each has their own form and ways of corruption. I think that’s something inherent to those who seek office (even if they don’t realize it when starting out).

But there’s a fundamental difference between the mild corruption that serves to line the pockets of one and one’s friends and allies, and the corruption that seeks to undermine the essential fabric of freedom for everyone who isn’t a member of a select group (in this case, that group consisting primarily of affluent white Christians).

There’s a difference between receiving oral sex and lying about it, and attempting to slowly, methodically turn the nation into a Christian theocracy that –will- enact a version of the Sharia Law that they seem so afraid of (because they fear they will be done to before they have the power to fully do to others).

Yes, this election (in which I must remind, as I feel it is my duty to do so, Clinton won more votes in) has made the forces arrayed against us and Lady Liberty far bolder, but it will open some eyes to the truth of our nation. One of the most potent weapons the Right has used over the last 20 years has been subtlety. They’ve been slowly increasing the water temperature on all us frogs.

But all of a sudden, they’ve turned the stove knob dramatically, and we can feel that heat. We can see what they are trying to do to us know.

And that means we have a better chance of fighting back.

But we can’t fight defensive engagements. The anti-American elements are begging for an open fight these days, instead of slinking in the shadows. And we need to give it to them on every damn front possible. We need to fight them in the media, the press, the voting booths, the Twitters, the Facebooks; everywhere.

Though they decry the Left as soft, weak, delicate snowflakes in need of “safe spaces”, they crave such spaces more than anyone else, and we (and I don’t just mean the Left, I mean every person who loves, if not the execution, the ideals of a free nation that stands example above the rest) must show them that there are no safe spaces.

For too many years, we let these people hide in the darkness while “we” claimed “victory” over bigotry, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, transphobia, and so many other social ills. That was a mistake, and now we’re paying for it tenfold. This time, when we drive them back into the darkened corners where they feel most safe and secure, we must step forth, and light that darkness up. And like the cornered rats they are, they will lash out with a particular viciousness.

And we’ll take those hits. Because we deserve too, for lettings things regress. Because we have too, in order to sculpt a better future for ourselves and those who come after us. Because America is about doing the right thing, not for reward, or a good feeling in your belly, but because it’s the right thing to do.

So when you’re sitting alone, in the dark, afraid of what’s going on around you, seek out that dim, yet bright spot this has created, and remember that we only started trying to be the nation we yearn to be a mere half century ago. We’re so, so very young. And we’ve long to go, in the dark, over the slippers, pet toys, and LEGO bricks.

But we’ll get where we’re supposed to be, though we be battered, bruised, and bloody.

We’ll get there. But only if we fight the whole way.