I think I need to post both realistic and yet encouraging words today. The re-election of Donald Trump was a shocking surprise to many of us, for I thought maybe Russia interfered with such an elevated win. Then this morning, I watched a video from Morning Joe on MSNBC. The data from 2016, 2020, and 2024 revealed an arching reality that none of us could have prevented. Across every racial demographic, there was an increase of men in White, Hispanic, and Black groups and also an increase in supportive white women electing Donald Trump, not mostly for his policies or what he promised to do but for stoking fear and hatred of “the other” into his base to embolden these traits within themselves. And for much of the male base is the hatred of women and the desire to be in control of them which is the unchecked power of the patriarchy. If I didn’t have experience with the most powerful patriarchy in the world (the hierarchy of the Catholic Church) and living in Texas all of my life, I wouldn’t understand this. Some good people voted for Trump strictly for policy reasons, but I think even more voted for him out of fear and hatred of “the other,” for Trump to be their avatar of revenge.
Anyone who has known me for some time understands that I come from a conservative religious, political, and cultural background. For me to agree with these claims means I must have overt and even threatening experiences with hateful and threatening misogyny, and thankfully none of it comes from my husband of 30 years or my children.
Since I mentioned the bad news, I will now mention the good. We may think we have a Project 2025 playbook of what will happen, but many things are a “what if” right now. We simply don’t know exactly what will happen. Almost half the USA fought against a fascist ticket and takeover tooth-and-nail or just voted Republican over historic “conservative policy.” That means that half the nation we know are people of goodwill. I started publications and podcasts against right-winged fascism in 2018 and haven’t stopped since. There are many like me, both religious and non-religious, who haven’t been afraid to speak out.
So although there appears to be nothing but doom right now, half the country cares for humanity and wants everyone to have equal opportunities and freedoms. Let’s band together and not give up. Let’s be alert and make necessary plans but not give up hope. Much of the far right thinks God is on their side, but some of them will wake up and discover that God will actually stand with who Jesus called, “the least of these,” the ones who are most vulnerable regardless of their beliefs, not the religious elite, the Pharisees, and the gatekeepers.
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