There was something wildly discomforting about watching last night play out.

I started the day believing that there could’ve been a Kamala Harris victory - but it would have been far closer than desired. Polls showed a neck-and-neck race. It’s not the kind of thing you want to see when one side literally wants you dead. My mother filled herself with optimism - told herself that women likely were lying to their husbands and pollsters, and they were showing up in record numbers. My friends told themselves that perhaps the polls themselves were rigged - stuffed with republican votes so that, in the event of a complete blowout, they can claim the election was stolen like they did in 2020.

I did not afford myself such optimism. Unfortunately, that was the right play.

We now face an America that will be in control by angry, hateful, spiteful people. While we voted to try to save democracy, much of the folks who gave Trump the win tonight voted with “the economy” in mind. (On that note, if you voted for him… congrats, I guess? I have nothing else to say that isn’t inflammatory. Please stop reading my blog.)

There is not much I can say that can soften the blow of what has happened. Good people will die because of this outcome. Things will suck, horribly. If our tormentors are as efficient as they’d like to be, this could indeed spell the end of things. But… I do not think giving into despair is the right move.

To say this is not an ideal is putting it lightly - but nothing will be gained by letting ourselves go quietly into that good night. If, nothing else, we have each other. We have our friends, our allies, and all those who knew what was at stake and tried their best to stop this from happening. You are not alone - we are not alone. If we’re going to survive these next four plus years, we’re going to have to look out for each other, and collectively fight for our right to exist.

To live is to suffer. There is a lot of bad in this world. There is a lot of struggling, a lot of fighting, a lot of dying and unfairness. But there’s also a lot of good, and in times like these, one must remember that. Do what you can to survive. Stand with your friends. Be there for your friends, like they’ll be there for you. If we make it through these next four years, we’ll be stronger for it.

Don’t give up. That’s what your tormentors want. Keep your heart filled with love to combat their hate. Survive to spite those who’d wish you dead. Survive for the sake of your friends, to see their smiles, to hear their laughter another day.

Our objective is now to survive.