Friends, this is it, my last piece before the election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. As I write this, we are two days away from the election and to say tensions are high is an absolute understatement. Many of you have already voted or have your plans in place to vote on Tuesday—or you are firmly resolved to pass on voting. I suspect there are few truly undecided voters and if you are among my readers, I can’t imagine that many of you are struggling with the decision.
At this point, I don’t know that I believe any of the polls. While some believe a landslide win is in the cards for Kamala Harris, others believe it will be a tight race. We do know that Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden seems to have mobilized the Puerto Rican community after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s vile comments about Puerto Rico. We also learned that prior to that rally, there were a number of Puerto Rican voters who were leaning towards Trump. A concept I struggle with since I would think that how Trump treated the island’s residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria might be an indicator that he doesn’t care much for Puerto Ricans.
Yesterday, I found myself at the local mall in Southern Maine, as I needed to do birthday shopping for my grandkids. While at the mall, I saw a white man walking hand in hand with what appeared to be his biracial daughter, while wearing a Make America Great Again hat. I also passed a T-shirt shop where two young men of color were manning the counter, and the store had a display mannequin outside that was wearing a Trump T-shirt and the walls were lined with T-shirts clearly in support of Donald Trump—not a single Kamala Harris shirt to be seen. As former president George W. Bush once said, “Weird shit.” And it was indeed a weird and jarring mall visit in one of the bluest parts of Maine.
In the past few days, I have come across campaign commercials for the Harris campaign reminding women that their votes are private. Increasingly, I am learning that in white families, far too many white women are forced to vote the way their white husbands want them to vote, which most certainly goes a long way in explaining why historically so many white women do vote Republican.
For all the joy that I see embodied in many of my peers, and the assumption that a Harris win will magically make things better, I have a more nuanced take. No matter who wins, are there really any winners?
A Harris win will not immediately make the people of Gaza whole, though I am cautiously optimistic that she will have more tenacity than her boss in forcing Netanyahu to change course. All the people suffering in this country will still suffer and well, and a significant chunk of the American population will continue living in an alternate universe where they almost certainly will question the validity of the election results.
While I am personally rooting for a Harris win, I suspect that win will come with some serious nastiness. If there is anything that should have been learned from Trump’s first term and his loss last time, it is that he does not go sweetly or quietly into that good night. Bolstered by the likes of people like Elon Musk, I fully expect violent outbreaks across the country and for Trump to use every legal mechanism available to challenge the results.
Meaning that if anyone is expecting to wake up Wednesday or Thursday to a clear win and concession on the part of Trump, you haven’t been reading the room or paid enough attention to Trump. He’s nasty work, his people are nasty work, and after January 6, we need to be ready for him and his band of followers.
I am seeing many people saying they are anxious about the election and as someone who has struggled with anxiety, I will say that in this case, our anxiety is not helpful. I mentioned to a friend last night that I am not feeling any anxiety over the results. My personal anxiety won’t change the results and will only serve to make me feel like shit. Instead, I am leaning into staying present and being mindful that no matter what the results, there is plenty work ahead.
If you are struggling and feeling anxious, it is a great time to mind your online time. Connect with your community and loved ones. I highly recommend this as a great time to take up meditation if it is not part of your self-care toolkit. Don’t know how to start? Use an app. I started by using the Headspace app for 3 minutes a day. Hydrate with water—yes, water. The wine might feel good, but ultimately, it helps your anxiety, not you. Eat nourishing foods; I love my Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream chips, but too much junk food also isn’t going to help—besides, you don’t want constipation, so add your fruits and veggies. Sleep—seriously, be well rested, even if it means adding in some naps this week. I am perimenopausal woman in my 50s, and to get my necessary sleep, I have taken up napping. If possible, move your body. Moving in whatever way feels best for your body and if you can, get outside—fresh air is a balm.
Moving ahead, we have a lot of work to do. If you were activated during the campaign, stay activated. Look for groups and organizations that you can work with now that you won’t be phone-banking or doing other things.
Voting is only one way to achieve change, and no president is going to get us to justice—that’s where we must localize our work and get involved. This election season has revealed so many areas of our society and country that are broken, ranging from our literacy problems to the state of white women and how they are really living. If you are hiding your political views from your life partner or being told how to vote, that’s a form of abuse—how can you be your best self if you are living in an abusive situation?
In the end, we are the only ones who will save us and we need to prepare ourselves to continue building and growing, so we can have a world where maybe—just maybe—we are a little less divided.
If all else fails, find a reason to laugh during this election season. Last night, I watched Kamala Harris on SNL and was reminded that while she and I are not in alignment on many things, that woman carries a spirit of joy and despite what the critics say, her laugh is infectious. Find that spark of joy and hold it, knowing that we can do hard things.
Catch ya on the other side of this election.
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“Find that spark of joy and hold it, knowing that we can do hard things.”
Thank you, Shay, for the truly exceptional writing you’ve cranked out during this tense season. I’ve said it before, but you’ve never been so precise and insightful – the clarity of your thoughts has been a true source of peace and direction.
For me, this post is my spark of joy. This is how I feel; so much dread and anxiety as it is clear tomorrow is only the beginning, no matter what the outcome. There are folks in this world bringing information and action to us. Thank you for your voice and for taking the time for care for others. Your wisdom and kindness knows no bounds.