Election Aftermath 2016: I wrote this piece on November 10th, 2016, 48 hours after the election. My good friend Steve Cohen said, “I want to film this,” and together that’s what we did with Aaron Barrocas. Since then it’s been picked up by dailykos.com and Occupy Democrats.
If you like it and you want to find out more about any of us, you can follow Steve and I on twitter at @TessRafferty and @Flamdiddle or go to AaronBarrocas.com. And here is the link to the original written post. https://www.facebook.com/TessRafferty/posts/10154825335642268
108 thoughts on “Aftermath 2016”
THANK YOU!!! You express my feelings so succinctly and eloquently. I am sorry to admit that I did not know of you before seeing this video. I have since gone to your page and love all of it! I will be getting your book and plan to follow your site. Thanks so much for what you do!
Where can I find the written transcript of this piece?
I want it to leave on my desk at work for nosey co-workers to read.
Thanks,
Beth in OKC
Livin’ in a Red State Gives Me the Blues.
Here is the original piece, Beth! https://www.facebook.com/TessRafferty/posts/10154825335642268
Thanks so much for your feedback and thanks for fighting the good fight in a Red state.
It looks like the original piece is no longer available at https://www.facebook.com/TessRafferty/posts/10154825335642268.
My condolences Beth in OKC. Born and bred there I fled that racist, hateful state.
Thank you for this.
I am trying to find an anti-virus protection program that has a lower price. If you know of a protection program can you please tell me, i would really appreciate it, thanks.
This is everything. Thank you so much for writing this, saying this, and living this. Amazing.
Thank you so much for sharing this. This says so much of what I feel, and I am tired of being polite about the racism and misogyny that surrounds Trump and his supporters. I guess that I should be happy that it still shocks me because that means my bubble still exists.
Thank you So well said.
Thank you so much. This helped focus my incoherent screams of rage into something more laser-like. Much appreciated. I hope you make more videos like this. You’re good at it.
What a great video. Thank you, thank you. You said everything I was feeling deeply.
Cres Coutinho
I notice that most commenters are women, so as a male, here’s my 2-cents’ worth: brilliantly done. The perfect balance of angst and outrage, intelligently constructed and perfectly formulated. I hope this launches your political career….
Way to spread the hate. Good job. Be proud. Way to lump all Christians into one monolith and stand in judgement. Must be swell to be so pure that you feel entitled to judge half the country. BTW- I didn’t like Trump either- just so you have perspective of where I’m coming from. I just don’t think I’m better than anyone else…unless they spread hate of any kind. Yeah, I don’t like that and it’s not productive.
Oh, I’m so sorry that you were hurt by one person’s measured criticism. Imagine how the progressive half of the country felt being trashed by the conservative candidate for president in his hate-filled, narrow-minded, one-sided rants. The point of this statement was that Tess is tired of trying to be nice and forgiving those spewing hate at liberals. Didn’t hear hate in her thoughtful discourse — maybe I should watch it again to hear what you heard. It’s always a good idea to open one’s Christian heart to others… I mean, WWJD? I’ll be really impressed when conservatives ask their own to treat others with Christian respect.
Respectfully yours,
Rae
Really Dude,
What Tess said was tame compared to what typical Trump supporters say online. She is venting and made some excellent points. I know some good and decent people voted for Trump out of desperation. Same thing happened in Nazi Germany. People felt hopeless and Hitler gave them hope. Welcome to the New World. A Christian who voted for Trump needs to beg forgiveness. Satan is having a party right now.
She actually put a slash between white supremacy meeting halls and churches. So, yeah, dude has a point. Laughable that Trump, who spent his whole life as a NY liberal, is a conservative, suddenly. Who was that, mingling with (and financially supporting ) the Clintons, 20 years ago. He represents conservatism as much as Tess represents Irish Catholics, in name only.
Thanks..I agree…she’s a bigot, and isn’t aware of what she’s doing
I just hope she got it off her chest,and sells that book
Agree wholeheartedly!
Perfect.Clear.Powerful.
Truth
Wow and thanks. Listening to you didn’t help my election-depression but it helps to hear that I am not wrong not alone in my feeling of outrage.
Thank you for elequently speaking what we are all thinking and for putting it out there!!!
Thank you for elequently speaking what we are all thinking and for putting it out there!!!
For what it’s worth from a resident of the Netherlands, I thought this was excellent. So eloquent and articulate.
A lot of people here in Britain have been pretty peeved with Brexit, but at least we haven’t got Trump. Many of us here fear what he might do to the world though. It really is so depressing. Thank you for lightening our gloom. I will be sharing this with many friends here in England – er does Trump know where that is ?
I’m from England, so huge sympathies for Trump, kinda makes Brexit look better. Loved what you said and agree with it all. From the other side of the pond, I feel the same, support you and will fight with you. Xx
So, your clip is awesome.
I think there needs to be a solidarity… A way we ( those who want to ) can show connitment to everything you spoke about.
I would certainly support it with a passion.
Thank you
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Love love love this piece! But please don’t hate on us Bernie people! The vast majority of us voted for Hillary (I phonebanked and canvassed for her as well, here in Ohio). And yes I do think he would have beaten Trump. He was the cleanest politician in our generation – nothing would have stuck to him. So painting Bernie supporters with the broad brush of all having our “heads up our asses” is unfair. My head is not up my ass. Nevertheless this is brilliant and I have shared. Thank you Tess!
As a fellow Bernie supporter who voted for HIllary (and I know several in my own friend circle who did the same), I couldn’t agree more. Although Bernie wasn’t exactly clean- there’s some video of him meeting with the Sandinistas in the 80’s that would be a bit damaging.
Tracy, I don’t think Tess was calling out all Bernie supporters, just the ones that didn’t vote on principal or who voted third party to make a point. They may as well have voted for Trump. Third parties only work if there is run-off voting which isn’t done for presidential elections.
I’m upset the evil Republicans will never see this…..they are too evil to care. Yet again we must fight every step of the way to not lose (or horrifyingly, gain back….meaning we’ve lost) our rights. And we need to get rid of the electoral vote. That won’t change evil Repubs’ minds, but it’ll keep them from governing (hopefully). We’ve come a long way from slavery (2 term black president WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!), & a long way from concentration camps (not too many people spoke about Bernie being Jewish & he was running for President!!!!). I swear this feels like the final fight between good vs evil. We MUST take them down!!!!!
It’s time for the Revolution. We can “thank” Trump for kickstarting it! And we don’t need to be polite. Now, let’s get out there and beat those white assholes once and for all!!! May they NOT rest in peace…
LOVE YOU! THANK YOU!
SPREAD THE WORD HERE PEOPLE !!!!!
I completely agree with everything said. And I did everything I could to fight for the most qualified candidate and against the least qualified candidate. It’s validating to hear, read, see this – to those of us who agree with you.
However, please help me to understand how making this movie will change/help our postition. My experience says that attacking the people with whom I disagree just makes them madder and cling more ferociously to their stands. They believe EVERYTHING he says and nothing we say.
I’m guessing you will be more vulnerable to death threats or to having your dog poisoned.
But a young, strong woman, as eloquent and clear-visioned as you are, might put your fine mind and energies toward solutions. We need your help. Please help us experience the release of all this poison and come out enlightened and changed. How can anything this sickening and short-sited have happened? I suspect you are a woman who can through that.
*see through
I’d normally agree with you but I sure wish people had made some sort of stand with Hitler back in the 30’s. I think this video is a real rallying cry for at least me to dig in my heels and be done trying to placate these people who have 0 interest in showing human decency. So there’s that. I don’t think this is for those other people. I think it’s for people like me who might tend to think we need to see things their way and understand.
I couldn’t agree more, especially about Hitler. I have Family that escaped by living in the forest in Poland until they could get out. We thought they had died until the late 80’s when some of them showed up in the states. That’s why it’s validating to have seen the film. And I hope their next step will be to set their minds on solutions. We have to get through our anger and fatigue with trying to understand the Trumpists. Our current feelings don’t change the fact that we have to sit together and figure out how compassion, not fear and it’s child anger, can change the neuroses in our country. Thanks for your response. It’s nice to feel heard.
Thank you so much for putting this into strong, clear, fearless words. My progressive/liberal/Democrat friends would stand and cheer, and my conservative/narrow-minded (no offense, really)/Republican friends would scream foul. At this point — 57 years old — my patience with brainwashed, undereducated middle America has worn thin, and I too am tired of being the nice one while people who disagree with my opinions rip me apart and expect me to respect theirs.
I wonder if you would consider doing a similar video on what our nation has achieved through progressive thought and action and where we would be if conservatives had had their way? Seriously — some people need to be educated about what progressive means. And by the way, wasn’t Jesus a liberal? I keep telling my friends who are heartbroken and want to move to Canada — at least we’re not living in the Middle Ages… (I think)
Thank you again!
Rae, here is the short answer – if we listened to conservatives, we would be singing “God save the Queen” as they didn’t want to break free from England.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You give voice so well to my own thoughts on this… to my own anger and my own exasperation at coddling my father, step mother and others. Ugh. So done. Thanks again.
Thank you for concisely and eloquently putting words
to everything that is horrifying about this travesty!
My Grandmothers were suffragettes and would be equally incensed. So what the hell am I going to
do? I am coming out of retirement at age 73 &
volunteering my considerable skills as an attorney
to any organization that wants to challenge “them”
in our Courtrooms. Hey ACLU, contact me!
Excellent. I spent the day after the election in shock. I was literally afraid of what was going to happen to our country. I still am. And, the worst part, for me, is that the so-called “born again Christians” voted for this bigot. What a crock! It makes me question my faith when I see Pence touting his “Christian beliefs” and then running to a man who has shown hatred to all groups of society other than WASPS and perhaps the worst…his hatred of women. I’m expecting him to come out against small animals in due time.
How have we come this far down? How could a majority of our country vote for this goon? I have no idea, but the worst part is that those of us who are smart enough to vote for Hillary have to endure his bullshit for at least 4 years. The best we can pray for is that he gets impeached soon.
Seriously if you want a wife who can cook and do laundry and makes homemade caramels I am available. That was brave and brilliant. Thank you so much for posting. <3
Tess,
I have read and listened to your Aftermath 2016 remarks several times. I am a Christian, socially liberal, financially conservative black male who lives, works and attends church in a 95% white affluent suburb of Cleveland. Before you tune me out, let me just say I feel you. Not in the empathy kind of way, but more like I felt your words coming from my heart as I read and heard them.
I have tried for years to bridge the gap between my white conservative friends and neighbors and felt like I was making progress until they let me down by voting for Trump. I am also disappointed the low minority turnout. “Those of us who didn’t vote, Don’t Complain!” I lead the diversity initiative at my 95% white church, so I have asked several of the Trump supporters including my pastor, “What in the world would posses you to vote for Trump.” They all said they were voting for conservative values such as pro-life, lower taxes, smaller government and religious freedoms. Of course, I challenged them on their ridiculous notions, to no avail. (Although, we Christian’s believe in: 1) Marriage between a man and a woman, 2) All human life is sacred and 3) Fiscal responsibility, We don’t all agree we should force our values on others. Please don’t believe anyone who says that we do.)
Several of my friend conservative friends keep saying both choices were bad because all they heard on Fox News was about Emails and Bengasi constantly. In fact, some of them said they never heard about the Mexican Judge comment, Trump University law suit, Discrimination Law suit or the 13 year old girl accusation. I know you probably don’t believe them, but let me say that I have built trustworthy relationships with these men and women over the past 7 years and I believe them.
Furthermore, I can’t speak for all Christians, but I don’t think my friends are racist. Naïve, maybe? More likely, I think they have been unwittingly brain washed by Fox News and other conservative media. During my study of diversity, I have listened to traditional and conservative media over the past 7 years. It became clear to me after about 6 mouths in that traditional media was biased toward progressive/Democratic ideas, but the conservative media was not only biased toward conservative/Republican views but took it a step further to specifically state that all other news sources lie about everything that wasn’t covered or covered news differently them they saw them. Therefore anything conservatives could not verify on conservative media was automatically dismissed as false. This is how the Republicans took Congress in 2010, the Senate in 2014 and Presidency in 2016.
So here is my point and a follow-up question. You stated that you were trying to be nice and discussed your differences with Christian’s. You even stated that you found some common ground. I applaud you for your efforts and encourage you not to give up this noble endeavor. Read the book United by Trillia Newbell to get some perspective.
I can tell you that when I told my 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son that Trump had won, I cried like a baby. I pictured a world like the one my father and grandfather grew up in and the memories of my father’s stories haunted me for my children’s future. The hurt I feel is deep and for the first time I am openly speaking out about not just my desire for racial, cultural and religious reconciliation, but also political and difference in thought reconciliation. I am still angry that I will have to call this man I detest and represents everything I try not to be as a Christian, my President. But I will respect the title even if I don’t respect the man. I would encourage you to do the same.
Lastly, my question. What do you think I and or we can share with our conservative friends and neighbors to help heal our divided nation? Progressive/Liberals/Democrats are not and never will be the group nor party of hate. Although we are upset today and this pain may last for a season, our true nature of togetherness will rise back to the surface. So we have to be ready to re-engage those of us with whom we disagree and find in your words, “Common Ground.”
Feel free to take your time getting back to me, because you may still be hurting as am I.
Your new friend,
Dexter L. James
Hillary could still win on Dec. 19th but either way, I wish Mother Teresa were still alive to share her thoughts with us.
Below, I’ve included 2 quotes that may be helpful in these troubled times — I struggle with much bitterness and hatred everyday and I feel it’s hurting me more than anyone else.
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
― Nelson Mandela
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.
Martin Luther
This is absolutely spot-on. Thank-you.
All I can say is amen.
Thank you. You have articulated succinctly what every democracy loving individual is thinking and feeling at this moment after the electorate of your nation voted Donald Trump and his henchman into power. Canada has always been affected by what happens in “The States.” Sometimes such influence is more profound than at others. We also have our share of “Christians” who seem to hate anyone who does not agree with their exclusionary vision. Now we will face a surge of re-entitlement here because of the Trump victory. These were former prime minister Harper’s mean spirited mob. Trump is much worse. Internationally his close ties with Russia. his threat to pull out of Nato, and his declaration to dishonour climate commitments are edging towards the apocalyptic. The man is a liar, a misogynist, a racist, and a cheat. His election is not a little thing and it is distressing to see many media organizations adopting a business as usual attitude. Most have conveniently forgotten the claims he has made during his campaign or are treating such claims frivolously. Another fear is civil war. It’s not 1933 in Germany, but it’s not extremely different either. Marshall Law gets declared because of violence in the cities and suddenly Trump has totalitarian power. Whatever happens in the coming months and years seems likely to be scary and ugly. Hate won the election and it’s probable a great many will suffer for it Thanks again for being a loud voice for democracy.
Incredible!!!
Thank you for speaking the words I stumble over while ranting and being ignored.
I didn’t vote for either despicable candidate, and I jave never been a fan of Trump, but obnoxious, condescending tripe like this gives me some pleasure at the suffering of those on the far left. Sadly, its resume booster for some snarky nobody who writes for a program that lampoons talk shows.
I have acquaintances and family who voted for trump. I can’t really consider them friends anyore. I keep reposting your comments in the hopes they will have to decide to unfriend me. Until that time they will just have to keep seeing your message and others like it.
LOVE IT !!
Thank you! I love this! Keep up the great work we need more people like you!!
THANK YOU for this. You have more courage than I. I need to get from depression and sadness to anger. I don’t do anger very well but it beats depression. Anger can motivate while depression just keeps me stuck. It may sound weird, but this helps me move on. Get it out there about how mind bogglingly unimaginable this really is. Yep, it happened and this really is the country we live in. There is no justifying what occurred. You know the line, “Well, it’s just a difference of opinion”. Wrong. The poor will get poorer, the rich will get richer, the middle class will work more hours for less money and people will lose rights simply for who they are or what they believe. It’s time to get to work but also stop being so damn nice and accepting.
The truth is the results of this election will have little impact on me as a 70 year old white male. It will have great impact on me in my efforts to be a caring human being. It’s hard to stop thinking about what this will mean to millions of people. Roe vs. Wade is already in the crosshairs.
Anyway, your courage helps me get a bit more in touch with my own. Thanks so much.
I spent the post-election week holding the hand of a visiting American friend who cried and cried over an electoral result that is an affront to her gender, intelligence, and confidence in the goodness of three quarters of her fellow citizens. Even as a middle-aged white man living north of the US, I find it the victory of a slithering wheeler-dealer demagogue depressing.
Your response is straightforward, energizing, and much-needed breath of air.
A few friends down south are in the unenviable position of having otherwise “normal” coworkers who recklessly voted for a sociopath, one now hard at work turning his kakistocracy into a kleptocracy. My friends wonder if they should have spent more time demonstrating truths they mistakenly thought of as self-evident.
I wish I could do more than facebook-posting relevant pieces, such as the Charles M. Blow opinions in the NY Times. I shared your video instantly after viewing it–sadly without looking for the source and linking to your written version–based on the fire in your voice as you eloquently expressed what my friend cried about.
With all my thanks.
Jean Asselin, you are a very good friend to have! Your comments also left me feeling energized. I must find you on facebook!
Excellent. Thank you.
I am emotionally, mentally exhausted from trying to be “understanding”. I’m not wearing myself out doing that anymore; it’s time for marshaling our strength for the fights ahead.
Thank you
I was with you until you started ragging on third parties and Bernie Sanders. You clearly are completely out of touch and did not do YOUR homework when it comes to Hillary Clinton. The DNC was in collusion with her campaign, just as they were with CNN. It is NOT a true democracy when Hillary Clinton is cheating and the DNC is helping her cheat against Bernie Sanders. It is NOT a democracy when Hillary Clinton refuses to say ANYTHING about the Dakota Pipeline and the assault on peaceful protesters and Native American land. IT is NOT democracy when Hillary gets paid half a million dollars to do a couple of speeches for Goldman Sachs (a major reason our economy crashed and never recovered in many parts of middle America.) When asked about what she would do about big banks and Wall Street, all she could offer was she’d ‘warn them.’ She couldn’t even lie and say she’d hold them accountable. They probably wouldn’t like that kind of talk, even knowing she was being insincere.
The truth is, under Obama, progressives and liberals were able to relax and look the other way because we have an inherent trust in this man that is so charming and educated. But the reality is, Obama is just another corporate Democrat, not too much better than corporate-backed Republican. He went ahead and let the pipeline happen too. Have you seen footage of what is going on down there? Rubber bullets, fire-extinguisher sized pepper spray canisters, hypothermia from being sprayed with hoses, military grade vehicles and riot gear used against weaponless, peaceful protesters?? Have you seen it? Because the main news channels barely cover it. The main newspapers barely cover it. We have to trust independent journalists to cover it and you have to find it online. This is the America we are living in. The truth is, Obama is doing NOTHING about it because his money, just like Hillary’s, is probably tied to one of the many corporate investors in the pipeline.
What you said about being strong and fighting against the bigotry, racism, xenophobia is right- we can’t afford to stand by and NOT say something. But at the same time, the DNC is not innocent in all this. The reason Bernie became such a strong movement in a under a year’s time is because he spoke to the failing middle class. It is the part of America you don’t see- the part that did not recover from the economy crashing and did not see any benefits from Obama’s administration.
So yes, a percentage of those Trump voters are racist and sexist. I dont know what that percentage is. But a percentage of them just wanted to throw a brick through the establishment window. It is extremely clear that Hillary stands for the establishment. In the last eight years, she raised over a billion dollars for this campaign through these corporate donors and she STILL lost. After winning the nomination in the primary, she was asked whether she would adopt some of Bernie’s policies to gain the support of his voters. Her answer was that she got 25% more votes than Bernie, so it’s clear to her what the people wanted. She left behind the liberal base because she was too busy working for her donors. Sure, socially she is much better than Trump- she’s never spoken about taking away Roe vs. Wade. She’s never talked about gay marriage. But how many people have died in our wars overseas? Why does she keep supporting war? The Clinton Foundation is tied to Saudi money, as it is tied to arms dealers. That’s why.
I get the anger, but to be justified in it, you have to see the reality. Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate. People were not excited to vote for her, so some people didn’t show up to the polls. Some people voted for Jill Stein to help the Green Party gain traction for the next election. They felt safe doing so if their state is solidly blue or red to begin with. They did so because with Bernie out of the race, she is the ONLY candidate that spoke about raising minimum wage (something Hillary has wavered on) and taking down the Dakota Pipeline. They did so because they felt the DNC, like the RNC, was too corrupt and the change that needed to happen couldn’t happen from the inside.
Also, in the end Hillary will probably have 2 million more votes than Trump when all is tallied. So stop blaming anyone who didn’t vote for Hillary. Stop blaming third parties for wanting a better, less corrupt government in the future. They are playing the long game that you seem to be too short-sighted to see. Not to mention, you’d be on the same side with them if you let yourself see the truth about the decay in the party you are voting for. Not to mention, Stein voters did not make enough of a difference to swing the election. And Gary Johnson voters would’ve never voted for Hillary. The problem is NOT the voters. The problem is the system. The problem is the DNC. The problem is Hillary, who unfortunately got swallowed up by this system and forgot the people. Everyone saw right through it. It’s why everyone voted for Barack Hussein Obama over her in 2008. If you DIDN’T see through it, YOU are the one that is willfully ignorant. YOU are the one in denial.
What Sarah Silverman said at the convention to Bernie supporters- ‘grow up’….and what Bill Maher said about millennials ‘not getting their way’? You think that made people want to SHOW UP to vote for her? Hollywood, and you, are incredibly lost in your bubble. That’s one of the many reasons why Hillary lost. Stop blaming everyone else and take a look at yourself. Why are YOU so ignorant on the facts? Do YOU blindly vote Democrat just like the average conservative blindly votes Republican? Given the facts of the DNC that have come to light through Wikileaks and the Podesta emails, does that make YOU are true liberal, fighting for justice and what is right????? REALLY. LOOK AT YOURSELF.
Look, as Noam Chomsky explained recently:
Noam Chomsky, the renowned scholar and MIT professor emeritus, said people who didn’t vote for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to block a Donald Trump presidency made a “bad mistake.”
Chomsky told Al Jazeera’s Mehdi Hasan there’s a “moral issue” in voting “against the greater evil” ― Trump, in this case ― even if you don’t like the other candidate. But he also said there was a factual question regarding this year’s candidates, pointing out Trump and Clinton’s “very different” records.
“I didn’t like Clinton at all, but her positions are much better than Trump’s on every issue I can think of,” Chomsky said.
Chomsky said in January he’d vote for Clinton if he lived in a swing state, despite his support for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who ran against Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary.
“Every Republican candidate is either a climate change denier or a skeptic who says we can’t do it,” Chomsky said. “What they are saying is, ‘Let’s destroy the world.’ Is that worth voting against? Yeah.”
So you see, many of us knew Hillary had a ton of baggage. Some like myself even voted for Bernie in the primaries. But as Chomsky said, voting for Hillary was a moral and necessary choice.
Thanks for bringing up Noam’s position, we are running out of opinions that I trust.
This is brilliant. You have expressed my thoughts and feelings perfectly. I want to follow all of your posts…
Your my hero, your piece is the thing that I keep coming back to, to keep me sane.
BRAVA…and Thank You.
Thank you so much for so eloquently saying what I have been feeling since the travesty of November 8.
I have had nightmares and night terrors ever night since. I have unfriended more “friends” than I would have thought possible!
I am watching every sorry ass move he is making!
I have a gay grandson, a grandson with eye problems, a grandson with global dyslexia, a son with RA, a daughter who is a principal at a PUBLIC SCHOOL, a sister with mental problems and my husband and I are are over 65 on SS and Medicare! I foresee nothing good from our president elect and his greedy, self absorbed Republican Congress.
I only wish that the only ones to suffer from their vote would be the ones who backed and voted for this monster!
Why can they not see the danger in their hateful vengeful vote. I do not know. Thank you for speaking what I feel.
They have voted and without winning the popular majority vote have turned our already GREAT USA into the biggest loser of a reality show for all eyes of the world to enjoy. Hope there is enough popcorn to go around!
Thank u soooo much! Thank u to Patheos for sharing this!!!!
Awesome!!! Thank u soooo much!
So glad Patheos posted this so I could hear you!!!!
Thank you, Tess. Well reasoned and well said.
I’ve been sitting here all day depressed. I’m not usually depressed. I’m Mr. Positive. But the out look is so dire, today it got me down.
You calm rant actually perked me up a bit. I’m still not sure how i can best resist this wave a fascist bullshit, but i’m certainly happier knowing you’re on the same side i’m on.
Thank you. Be well.
I watch this post election piece almost daily and have circulated it a lot. It keeps my anger going in a way to move forward rather than cowering in fear. I live in Blue State Oregon but the Trumpers are all over the place. The term Nazi seems barely broad enough to define these people. Reminding everyone who all these people are is so important, and letting these voters know exactly what we think of them, and why, has never been more important. I am not going backwards. Never again. Thank you, thank all of you for putting this out there.
Dana Weinstein
An unsparing but just indictment of our emerging Fourth Reich and its vicious enablers, as brilliant as it is essential.
Absolutely amazing! I have watched this video over and over again. Thank you, than you for putting into words what I’ve been too frustrated to say. I have sent this video to my friends and relatives and have encouraged them to pass it on. Well done!
thank you–since the election I have been ranting and huffing and puffing and no doubt turning off some of my “friends”–as others cheer me on. I become more angry each day I have to listen to the news and how the Trump administration is taking shape. I am happy to hear your spot on words and will share this on facebook –and those few friends I think voted for that man–and the couple I know who did –I will see how they respond. . .right now I am at a loss as to what to do about these people. I am only grateful that we do not live in the same cities–in fact two are ex pats so do not even live in this country! (isn’t that a fine kettle of fish?)–so I do not have to meet them face to face any time soon.
Thank you so much. You summed up exactly how I have been feeling since November 8, 2016 — the day that Hate Trumped Love.
you go girl, absolutely loved it. i need a good rant like that one. it must have felt like a good cleanse.
just when I think i am getting better i see that envision that clown in the white house and have to start over again.
Thank you very much for this video, I hope every America will see this video.
I feel you, bro.
Brilliant, pure brilliance
Beautiful.
This is stunningly clear and profound.
Thanks for articulating what many are attempting with difficulty to wrestle.
Tess,
Thank you for putting this up for all to see. I appreciate it and I can tell some folks are still stuck trying to elect 3rd parties to the presidency.
I already went that route long ago and discovered it is for local representatives because the result in presidential election (which is for the entire country) is exactly what happened, or Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton did a lot of things I liked and a lot of things I didn’t like. Overall, he was an acceptable Res.
I voted Bernie in the primary and Hillary in the general, no problem doing so.
We have some people who are not concerned with what may now happen in this country with Trump. I am with you, those folks knew who they elected and the non voters and 3rd party may well have helped elect the worst President – ever.
I only saw your sobering commentary this morning. It blew me away! Thank you for your thoughtful, articulate essay. I will not back down and I will not be quiet. Right after I heard your reading of the essay, I watched Kellyanne Conway lie and slime her way through a Meet the Press interview. This is going to be a rough four years.
Brilliant, eloquent, and spot-on!
I am sharing your video on my FB page to show how many so called progressives are hateful and anti-Christian.
So friggin powerful and right on. I am involved with Tiffany Antone’s Little Black Dress production of a nation wide Inaugeration Day event featuring readings of social protest poems and plays by female authors. I sent Tiffany your video suggesting, pending your approval, that your piece be included. Is this something that would meet with your approval. It is a free event, donations only, and all proceeds will go to either the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, or National Resource Defense Fund. Local charities are another option. I’m waiting to hear back from Tiffany. Hopefully both of you will agree.
Peace Out…
Thank you! I could not express myself as powerfully as this but I feel your words and they burn. I’ve never been so sad or worried about an election in all my 76 years. I wonder about my so called ” right wing friends” for the first time in my life and can’t really say that I am a friend of someone who condones mysgonistic behavior, criminal behavior, erratic behavior ,prejudiced behavior all exhibited in the “hateful” campaign by DT.
You are an incisive and articulate communicator and, dare I say it, a true patriot. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful critical thinking and truth. You deserve a legion of support and respect.
thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!! this message must remain alive for the next four years!
Hello Tess, Beautifully written and presented. Thank you.
May I point out your hypocrisy, inaccuracies, irrational fears, delusions and out right lies.
You don’t like the results?
Look In the mirror, you made this happen. You supported a wholly untrustworthy candidate. You allowed her people in the DNC to steal the nomination. You echoed her claim that all Trump supporters were ‘a basket full of deplorable.’
You put Trump in the White House, just as surely as if you reached up and pulled the lever along with every Kluxer on the planet.
Suck it up Buttercup. You screwed the pooch.
I would love to see the graphs and charts you spoke of.
Furthermore, excellent use of trendy words and hot buttons, it helped remind us what we’re tired of. Equal rights are a necessity but it is not what makes the world go around and is really should not be what every conversation and decision is based on. Logic has to play a bigger role.
You are officially my new favorite person, I LOVE how you hit every single nail – BAM – right on the head. Every issue, every excuse, every comeback to rationalizations. Good job, and keep up the good work, we really need it right now. REALLY need it – I loved both Aftermath pieces, and THANK YOU for saying it. ALL. You are my hero.
Okay, so Hillary makes “mistakes” whereas Trump is just plain evil. Sorry, I’m not stupid enough to miss your rhetoric on that one. I didn’t vote for Trump, neither did I vote for Clinton. So I guess your “fuck you” for those not supporting your choice for POTUS is directed at me. Well, with all respect, fuck you back! A vote for someone bad, be it Trump or Clinton, is a bad vote, whereas a vote for something good, even if you’re the only one voting for it, is a good vote IMO. Your “fuck you” puts you in the same category with the person you are so opposed to. I’ve never friended you, so I can’t now un-friend you, as you tell me I should do; but having supported the only “good” cause in this extremely screwed-up election just gone, I didn’t contribute to it, so don’t be telling me to “fuck off.” Don’t you see that the way you justify Clintons “mistakes” is the exact same way the DT’ers justify their guy?
David Duke left the KKK 40 years and renounced them
BRAVO.
This speech you made is one of the most willfully hateful an ignorant things I have heard. You are truly a despicable person who doesn’t know what the Hell you are talking about. Hillary Clinton was not the most qualified candidate in decades, she was the most corrupt and dishonest candidate we’ve ever seen. Trump isn’t much better, but to categorize all the people who voted for him as racist, sexists, xenophobic, etc, is just asinine. Simply put, you Tess are the poster child of what’s wrong with this country, and you and the other liberals have no one to blame for Trump but yourselves.
This expression of hate and ignorance is repulsive.
Thank you for verbalizing a lot of what I have been thinking.
Thank You, after finding your pointed speech I gave it to my wife to and she loved it.
I have not responded until now because I have been to depressed to do so. At age 73 I have studied history after being raised a Republican and found that what had been proffered as a good education made up by those that profit from our ignorance and lack of humanitarian understanding that we all need. I wish I were younger are wealthier in order to support causes that truly need it, I might also say that I am sick and tired of lapel Flag Pins and the belief that the constitution is a theology. Germany recovered from world war II with a new democratic government and the equal in education and better social success. Neo Liberalism is killing the world not that we have the most unlikely government than any dictatorship could hope for.
Dennis S Miller
January 9, 2017
Your commentary goes right to the heart of the issue, you are eloquent and susicent.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. So real.
I am a little late to the party with regard to my comment. I just wanted to say your video was something that helped me tremendously after the election and I play it regularly to summon the anger and courage I need to push forward to call my senators and representatives and other work I do to resist the current corrupt administration. More than any other article or piece I read or heard, your words hit my soul like a lightening bolt. Thank you always.
Samantha Long
Every time I hear the Republican clones say, “You just have to get over it,” I think, “nope, not happening.” I had to cut off ties to family members (mostly midwestern in-laws) who voted for Trump, had to. I will never see them the same way again. It was shocking to learn that someone you had known for more than 20 years could endorse Trump, and express such hatred and racism. It blew me away. I have co-workers and colleagues who voted for him or for one of the third party candidate, and that’s more difficult, but I do not hold my tongue. Your statement was visceral and timely, and not a word needs to be changed, not even three months in. God speed.
I realize this is an old post, but I am a Christian. I listened to as much of this as I could stand. Fact is, a LOT of Christians didn’t vote for Trump. I didn’t. A LOT of Christians don’t think creationism should be taught in school. I don’t. You lump Christians together in the same way you probably detest others lumping Blacks, Immigrants, etc., together by their bad actors. In being so poised and articulate you should be specific; the one’s you’re attacking are a specific bunch of “Christians” commonly referred to as the Christian Right or Religious Right who have put their “conservative” values ahead of their Christian ones. Putting anything before Christ is a sin. Their support for Trump is sin. He is the antithesis of Christian values.
Thank You for this. Even though it’s 2019, I come back and rewatch. You put into words what my mind could not get out.
You took the words out of my mouth. I hadn’t seen this until now. My bad.
You should do another one for 2019. Three years of hell and it’s going to get worse. Finally realized it’s good and evil, survival or destruction. I am not betting that the Good wins. We may just be a really bad mistake. I work with and for companion animals and I feel very sorry for them because they have chosen to partner with us. There’s going to be a lot of agony and physical pain for all animals on this planet.
But I keep fighting.I can’t seem to give up. I’m 67 and I’m still doing everything I can.
Anyway, thanks for all this and all that you do. I’m hoping it’s not turned dangerous for you.