Charles Blow's “America Elects a Bigot” column for The New York Times is a winner, even if Trump wound up being one, too.
The part I relate to most is when he brings up the litany of unpresidential and outright uncivilized things Trump has done, ending with this observation on whether it makes sense that this barbarian is our president-elect:
I can’t make it make sense because it doesn’t. I must sit with the absurdity of it.
As for the people calling for all of us to give Trump a chance, to support him, to get over this huge election loss, this speaks to me:
We need a Trump presidency to succeed to some degree — at least to have it do as little harm to the republic as possible — in order for America to remain safe, steady and strong during his tenure.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t believe Trump to be an abomination, but rather that I honor one of the hallmarks of our democracy and that I am an American interested in protecting America.
That said, it is impossible for me to fall in line behind an unrepentant bigot. It will be impossible for me to view this man participating in the pageantry and protocols of the presidency and not be reminded of how he is a demonstrated demagogue who is also a sexist, a racist, a xenophobe and a bully.
That is not a person worthy of applause. That is a person who must be placed under unrelenting pressure. Power must be challenged, constantly. That begins today.
This is why I feel so betrayed by anyone who has animus for the protests that are going on. My heart is not in them (at the moment), but we have every right to engage in loud, angry, attention-getting, peaceful protests. That is democracy, and that is what the Teabaggers have done for years. Plus, we sometimes need protests to remind each other that like-minded people do exist and feel the same way.
It's obvious we can't get that backup from the polls, since just over half of the eligible voters bother showing up and when they do, we can win the fucking thing and lose thanks to the electoral college.
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