Invincible

Just about a  year ago, I blipped a late-blooming rose in our garden to honor the lives lost in the Paris terrorist attack. A few weeks later, the rose had an encore, and then another, to promote Blipfoto's community/crowd-sorced future, and still another, about pledging support for Blipfuture. It reappeared in July with a bud and fresh bloom for those lost in the Nice terrorist attack. 

Tonight this resilient rose represents the grief shared by millions of United States citizens at the election of Donald Trump to follow Barack Obama as president of this nation.  

I value intelligence, tolerance, common sense, knowledge, experience, and compassion. Trump lacks them all. There can be no greater contrast than that between him and our current president.

Millions of us had hoped to elect an intelligent, experienced, tolerant woman to the highest office of this land for the first time. That will happen, but not for at least four long years -- years in which the environment will be eroded, healthcare will disappear for millions, ignorance will reign, women's reproductive choices will be curtailed, guns will become even more accessible, LGBTQ rights will be trampled on, the Supreme Court vacancy will be filled with a far right judge, and climate change will be ridiculed.

Over the next few days, we will grieve -- but we will not give way to despair. There is too much to do as we reach out to those adversely affected by this shift in national government.

I am very grateful to live in a "blue" state where more than 56% of the  vote went to Hillary Clinton, raising the state minimum wage passed, our Democratic governor and other officials were re-elected, and other progressive actions were supported.

Blip 1679