Member-only story
I Voted Blue, No Matter Who
And then, I bought a Blue Hat! Coincidence?! I think not!
So, earlier today, I walked to my local polling place and voted a straight blue wave ballot. Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded and everyone was very nice and helpful. I spoke with a few people outside who were really kind and encouraging and shared their thoughts about some of the local candidates.
I asked them if there had been any problems so far with intimidation, etc., and they said that no, there had not been, and that the police had been out earlier just to check and make sure that they felt safe and okay with things.
That was reassuring to hear, but at the same time, I said to them that I felt a sense of unease, kind of like Halloween (but that’s a fun kind of unease and spookiness as opposed to this particular kind of nervousness about what exactly, will be happening later today/this evening/tomorrow). Does anyone else feel this way? Or is it just me? It feels like tonight will be nail biting.
These are scary times in America. As I will be moving abroad later this year, at first, I wasn’t sure if I was even going to vote, but then I thought about my many friends and loved ones who will still be here, in the states, and I know that I shall worry about them being in this country, when I am no longer physically present “here” — and so, I voted blue for them as much as for me and really, just everyone else. In other words, I voted my conscience. I voted my heart. I was true to myself and my beliefs.
Much has already been said by many others about the extreme importance of this mid term election — that democracy hangs in the balance, and I believe this to be true. At the same time though, I have to wonder: just how MUCH can voting accomplish? A part of me wants very much to believe that it can accomplish A LOT, but another part of me frets and wonders…
I hear sirens in the distance. Or, to quote from the song by Cracker (an oldie but goodie): “I see the light at the end of the tunnel now, someone please tell me it’s not a train” — yes, please, don’t let it be a train for us.
