J'suis dans un état proche de l'Ohio, j'ai le moral à zero

[salinea]

Four years ago, I remember laughing. With a kind of unbelief and dark irony, and because it was such a farce of an election. I didn't really care then. It was far away, and not really my concern, and the dominant culture told me that anything that shamed America was worth laughing at.

Came our own presidential election, and I stopped laughing very quickly. I only register for voting that year, when I realized that, yes, it could be important to vote only because it's a least worst solution. And I swore to myself never to laugh at American elections after that.

Then the-day-I-turned-twenty, I was shocked to hear people laugh. They could have laughed in a defensive way, in the dark humour that sometimes is the only way to deal with horror and stay sane. They weren't. They were laughing at America grieving, and cheering for those who put it down. Then quickly in the following monthes, I could see waves of hateful feelings, demeaning comments and random racism rise against my countrie, from American forums. It was puzzling, at times, offputting and aggravating. And because I so hate analysing any situation by giving only two sides, I couldn't really properly answer it.

But those are not the only reasons for the change. Since the previous elections, I have met, talked, made friends with many lovely people, American people. Smart, funny, deep, kind, wise and interesting people who slowly made me realized that it was a big countrie. Who made me care.

In a way I was surprised this morning by how much disapointed and down I was to hear the results. I hadn't realised I was holding my breath so much. Not only because it touches us all, but for all the people I know and love who live in the US.

All my sympathy to them tonight.

But, hey ! don't lose hope. We make the world everyday. Little pieces by little pieces. We fight for it. We give, we talk, we act. Not only one one day every four years, but every single moments. Because you're the one who make America worth it.

Comments

[halcyon-libra.livejournal.com]

*just wants to snuggle you* a.a<3

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

*snuggles-huggles* <3

[link621.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Come here so I can snuggle you. ;_;

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

yeah ! more snuggle for me *cuddles*

weren't you supposed to be on a hiatus ? XD

[link621.livejournal.com]

Do you want snuggles or not? :P

It's really only a semi-hiatus, and it begins seriously tomorrow. I wanted to gage reactions today, first.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Yes M'am ! Sorry, I talk too much :-m

*snuggles*

[ripedecay.livejournal.com]

<3 Thank you.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[knullabulla.livejournal.com]

thank you, this was a beautiful post.


and please accept my apologies for not wishing you a happy birthday. really and truly, knowing when your birthday is, now, makes that day a whole lot brighter and more positive for me. A good person born into the world really helps to balance out all the bad. Um, thanks for being born! :)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

lol glad to be of use ^^ no big deal about not wishing birthday ! hey, who doesn't always forget someone's birthday ? I know I do all the time

Ete rocks

[jydan.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I woke up to a horrible, horrible thing today, Bush's victory speach. Is it possible to stay inside my house for 4 years? But thanks Ete! You cheered me up!

Re: Ete rocks

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you could do that ! But it'd be sad, not seeing other people for so long. The better revenge is being happy despite it all and going on *hug*

[meggu.livejournal.com]

I love you. ;;<3333 Marry me.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

<3 samewise *hug* XD

and I don't marry unless for money, it's a policy :3

[iichan.livejournal.com]

I'm not American, but I have to applaud you. Wonderful. I know how you feel since before this year, I never really gave a damn about what's happening across the puddle. These elections... they were watched with more interest then anything that's happening in my own country. And they hurt.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yes it's funny how I've been following them with more worries than I ever did for any elections in France...

At least Americans don't have too long mandates *sighs* 2008... wow, i'll be 27 then

[heavensgardener.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank you for the words of hope, I needed to hear them.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

*huggles* Take care Lynne-chan

[habibti.livejournal.com]

The election mattered a lot to me too. Thanks for so eloquently expressing something of what many of us feel. I'm disheartened by the election, uncertain about the future of the Supreme Court and civil rights in the US and desperately sad that we will all have to listen to Bush and Cheney for another 4 years. I met some of these Americans last year on my road trip out west and I'm still puzzled how such hospitable and friendly people could be so rigid and intolerant of the rights and views of others. At least I have the comfort of knowing that 90 percent of the vote in Washington DC went to the Democrats.

Sigh.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm worried too. Especially for all the gays and lesbians there... and the young men in age and situations to be drafted... and of course I'm scared for the state of the world, for internation relations, for all the countrie strongly influenced by the US's policies, and for those likely to see violence and unstability increase because of them.
So many things hang in the balance.
But letting fear rule our reactions could be even more dangerous.

I think most people in general in the world, no matter how nice and sweet they are, are deeply intolerant of other ways of living and thinking. Oh, they can be tolerant for a while... but really accept it's as good and as well as what /they/ are. It takes some really rare spirit to be unprejudiced and accepting of difference. I think internet might be increasing that. It's a real luck to be able to know people who live differently, as people and not as abstract ideas. I'm glad for it.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Oh this made me... this meant a whole lot to me. Thank you for being like this.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Lol yeah, it was 4 years ago, but I still believe it. *hugs*