The people have removed a tyrant. I feel the joy and wonder of a newborn thing.
My relief is so intense, it’s physical—my body has begun a slow unkinking, cell by cell, muscle by clenched muscle.
But I’m resisting my urge to be publicly clever about Trump’s defeat.
Because, darn it, Joe Biden calls on us to be better.
Yes, many on the other side, if they had won, would exult in rubbing our faces in it. Yes, it should be our turn to hurt them.
But isn’t that how we got here? Tribalism and ridicule of the other?
Isn’t resentment at being looked down upon by better educated, more privileged people part of what led to Trump’s victory in 2016?
There’s lots I could say about the racism and cruelty of many Trump supporters that would justify rubbing their noses in Trump’s defeat.
And after our country’s narrow escape from Fascist authoritarianism, the desire is strong to punish those who, knowingly or not, carried us to the precipice.
But an eye for an eye—well, you know.
Today, how I contribute to my nation’s healing is by taking this really fine tweet I just wrote, and deleting it, unposted.
Photo by H Shaw on Unsplash. Hat tip to Button Monkey for his friendship.