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VOTING TUESDAY

Today is a significant day. It's election day, November 5, 2024, and it's the anniversary of the "Flood of '85," a major event for my community wherein a large portion of many small towns were wiped out by a natural disaster of magnificent proportions on that long-ago election day.

Today is also the day I let it all go, I hope. I hope I write this out here and never think of it again. I hope I am wrong about so many things.

My mother never voted. She's been dead for 24 years, and of all the things I know about her, this one bothers me the most. It bothered me the day she told me she had never voted - and in thinking back, I realized I'd never once gone with her to the polls or seen her show much interest in politics - and it bothers me still, on this day when I have voted to save the life of my nieces (one by marriage), my great niece, and young women unknown to me, should any of them find themselves in need of gynecological care that some states are denying women. I voted to ensure that young women I love do not have fewer rights than I did at their age. I voted to ensure that they could get or keep credit cards, purchase and own property, and not become property.

I have always voted. I have never missed an election, except the one in 1985 when everything flooded, and I couldn't get to the polls. Fortunately, that wasn't a big election year. I know for some folks who suffered from flooding earlier in October, voting might be difficult today. I hope that those people are doing better and that those who want to vote have been able to do that. I hope they get to do the one thing that every citizen of this nation should do.

My mother never voted because she didn't want to serve on a jury, she said. At one time, the jury pools were pulled from the voter rolls, although they've long stopped doing this. But that was her reason. She didn't do her civic duty because she didn't want to do her other civic duty as a citizen of this nation.

I consider serving on a jury to be an honor, and an obligation as part of my role of living in the United States. I've been called a few times but always sent home - journalists aren't people lawyers want on juries. They generally look for people who don't know how to think. I know this because I worked for lawyers once upon a time, too.

My love of country and desire to pay it forward comes from . . . I'm not sure where. Books, maybe? My teachers? My education? It surely did not come from my mother, who never voted.

The other day, someone made fun of me because I am afraid. Because as a woman, I have always been afraid, and I have often been mocked for that by men who do not understand what it is to be a woman in a nation that makes women second class citizens even now, even when we still have some rights but do not have them in the U.S. Constitution. There is no equality for women written into the laws of this land. There are band-aids and coverlets, but there is no law that says men and women are equal in the eyes of the law.

I have been abused by men. Before I met my husband, I was abused by many men. I won't go into the details of that, but suffice it to say, I have no reason to trust anyone who is male, except for my husband, who has proven to me time and again that he is trustworthy. But even he has that male privilege thing going on.

Even he doesn't really understand my fears.

My recent fears have been because I have been personally threatened by people in my community. As a news writer for 40 years, I am fairly well known here, though hopefully not so much now since I'm not writing for newspapers anymore. For 35 years I wrote without fear of repercussions because I believed strongly in the law and in the power of the Fourth Estate. I believed in revealing truth to power, that democracy dies in darkness, that shedding the light on what government officials were doing was the right and honorable thing to do.

And then 2016 came and it all went to hell. Suddenly the media was the "the enemy of the people." Two years ago, I made my first call to the local sheriff's office to report a threat to my life. I've made several calls to the local sheriff's office since.

Some people may laugh about this. Who is going to hurt me, the person making fun of me said. Give me names. I gave no names because I could hear the ridicule in his voice. I ended the conversation.

But we have a candidate running for the presidency, the most honorable office of this land, who just days ago said this:

"The former president, speaking at a rally here about the efforts the Secret Service has taken to protect him after two apparent assassination attempts against him, began pointing out the panes of ballistic glass surrounding him at the outdoor venue.

“All we really have over here is the fake news, right? And to get me somebody would have to shoot through the fake news,” Trump said. “And I don’t mind that so much.”

He doesn't mind if the "fake news" media are shot. He basically invited someone to go out and do that. He is a former president, after all. People follow his directions. They fight like hell for him.

While I know there are some who say, "Oh, they're talking about the mainstream media as 'the enemy of the people,' not people like you who write for little publications," not everybody thinks that way.

There are people who think any media is now "the enemy of the people."

And that's why I have had death threats. And why other media people I know have had death threats. They've escalated mightily since 2016.

A hate group on social media found out I was concerned about threats to the local supervisors back in the summer. For that, I got put on a "list" to be given to God knows who. And then there's just the fact that I've been writing about the local government for years, though I think this blog has put me more in harm's way than news writing ever did. On this blog, I think people can see more of who I really am. And they see that I am a strong woman - I've had to be, to survive - and nobody likes a strong woman.

A few years ago, some men went before the local government and asked the county leaders to recognize their "militia." This was a loosely organized group of people who wanted to be soldiers without being in the military, I guess. The leaders here said no, we don't need that, we have a sheriff's office and the state police. However, leaders in an adjoining county said, "yes."

I am 99% certain we have people here locally in a militia; I think it has since combined with the adjoining county but I'm not 100% sure of that. I haven't looked into it because I don't want to be associated with any such thing.

I have watched as a certain candidate recently used the colors of black and gold at one of his revivalist rallies in Michigan. Do you know who else uses black and gold? The Proud Boys. You know who they are? They're a white supremacist hate group. They led the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

If a certain candidate wins or loses, I have no doubt that he will call upon his "militias" to do damage. Either they will go after state government officials, or they will go after federal ones, but I am expecting these people to be ordered to do damage, one way or the other, by taking down the "swamp" or by taking out the "others."

It seems likely they will also go after people on "lists" created by hate groups on social media.

Maybe they will go after bloggers who have not been happy with the former guy. Maybe they will go after anyone who has ever said anything disloyal to the former guy.

Maybe it's all in my imagination, and nothing at all will happen.

Thirty-nine years ago, I did not vote because of a flood. My mother never voted. I think young woman stand to lose their rights if a certain candidate wins this election. I think I stand a chance to sustain grave injury, if not to my physical person, then to my psyche. 

I'm not sure how this all ties in together, to be honest. But here it is. I wanted to lay it all out there before this day is done.

My mother never voted. I missed one vote because of a flood. My life has been threatened. I voted to save the lives of young women.

Does any of that matter? Should it?

What is one life, anyway? What are a few lives?

There are billions of people, after all. Everyone is expendable (see Covid response).

I voted like my life depends on it.

Because I think it does.

Dona Nobis Pacem

 

I am joining in with other bloggers to write about peace today. I have done this before, although some years I forget. I started in 2007, but since 2020 I have blogged about peace annually.

This year, Blog4Peace is the day before election day in the USA. The theme is "hold the light" but I cannot write on that theme. Not right now.

Instead, I am going with "let the peace begin inside of me." Because I do not feel peaceful about much of anything.

I am fearful and afraid. I race in and out of the grocery store as if I were on fire, running from the visions of the scowling, angry faces of the members of my community. Oh, of course they are not all looking like they are going to eat me; most of them, in fact, smile if I smile and are polite and say, "excuse me," if they cut in front of me.

But the atmosphere feels tense and I feel exposed and seen. I feel like they are going to accost me, though for what, I have no idea.

Being hidden and unseen, or feeling afraid and fearful, are not the ways to bring about peace within oneself; nor are they ways to bring peace to a world that is sorely in need of it.

How can I, an older woman, overweight, out of shape, and afraid of my own shadow, be able to make a difference - in anything? What can someone like me do to bring about peace? I can hold no meetings with great worldly leaders. I cannot even manage peace in my own relationships, particularly not with the men in my life.

But I can slow down in the grocery store, and smile at the people who glance my way. It is not my concern what they think of me - those are their thoughts, not mine. My only concern is what I think of them. I must choose to see them as I see myself and acknowledge that they too are lonely and afraid, even if they don't show it.

Maybe I can bring peace one single, slow step at a time.

Let it begin with me.

Sunday Stealing

1. Name some local events, parades or festivals – either in your hometown or state.

A. We have several local festivals, one in Fincastle in September and one in Buchanan in the first weekend in October. We have Christmas parades in both towns, too. Buchanan has a carnival and a July 4 parade. We also have a farmers' market during the growing season, and there are music events in Daleville over the summer.

2. Life update – what’s happened recently, moving house, family wedding, vacation, new pet, visited with a friend, and so on.

A. I go to the grocery store, come home, and put the groceries away. No one has moved, we've had no weddings, no one has died, no new pets, I haven't seen any friends except at the aforementioned grocery store. I am trying to lay low and keep my mouth shut and am not being successful at that.

3. Do you have any family traditions this month?

A. No.

4. The holidays are about two months away. Do you begin shopping or creating now or wait until December?

A. I began Christmas shopping in August.

5. What is your favorite November memory?

A. My mother once made a pumpkin pie that did not set up properly. We called it "pumpkin pudding." It was good all the same, although I think she was unhappy about it.

6. Now that the weather is getting cooler do you prefer staying indoors or going outdoors? What do you do?

A. I am indoors most of the year because of my allergies to everything outside. In the spring, it's the pollen. In the fall, it's the mold. In the winter, it's the cold that makes my asthma act up. 

7. Describe your favorite local restaurant.

A. I don't have a favorite local restaurant, although the Daleville Tap House serves a very good salad. They grow their own greens in a hydroponic garden, so they are always fresh.

8. Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving?

A. I do not know what this means.

9. If you could take any class, what would you select?

A. I would return to my English literature classes.

10. To celebrate November would you rather enjoy pumpkin pie or sweet potato?

A. I am not a fan of either one.

11. How do you handle setbacks and failures?

A. Not very well.

12. If everything in your house had to be one color, which color would you choose?

A. Most everything in my house is one color, some variation of earth tones. The walls are off white or almond. I'll go with that one.

13. Who or what would you haunt if you were a ghost?

A. If I were a ghost, I would like to haunt the White House. But I think the laws of being a ghost imply that ghosts haunt things they are familiar with, like homes or pieces of furniture, so I am not sure that is possible.

14. Have you ever worn clothing with the labels still attached?

A. Not intentionally.

15. What's something weird that you recommend everyone try at least once?

A. Apologizing and/or asking for forgiveness. Apparently, that's an old-fashioned notion, to say, "I'm sorry" and mean it. Manners are now weird.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Back to December

Saturday 9: Back to December (2010)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) Taylor Swift sings that when her mind wanders, it usually returns to a specific day in December. How about you? Do you often daydream? Or do you focus on what's happening in the moment?

A. I daydream all the time, I'm afraid. Of course, I also focus on what's happening when I should or need to, but I am alone a lot, and the stories in my head simply make the time go faster.

2) She's looking back on December. We're going with a different take: As we enter November, what are you looking forward to this month?

A. Well, there's Thanksgiving, but it has never been one of my favorite holidays. There is also Christmas shopping, which I've already started, and possibly the chance to see some people I've not seen in a while. We'll see. Oh, I have a doctor's appointment in the middle of the month. Yippee!

3) The lyrics recount a casual conversation between two former sweethearts. They talk about their families, their careers and the weather. Are you good at making small talk?

A. I do not consider myself good at making small talk. That doesn't mean I can't do it, it just means it's not something I particularly care to do. I would rather ask someone what they think about a cloud or when was the last time they looked at the night sky, instead of talking about the weather or some celebrity personality.

4) This song was rumored to be about her breakup with Taylor Lautner, the actor best known for playing a werewolf in the popular Twilight series. In acknowledgement of the Halloween season: Did you ever trick or treat as a werewolf, vampire, witch, ghost or other scary creature?

A. I have been a witch on Halloween. Some might say I am that every day.

5) Taylor is currently involved with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, and naturally this is his busy time of year. How's your football team (NFL or NCAA) doing this season?

A. I do not have a football team, but my husband roots for the University of Virginia and based on his commentary, they are not doing all that well.

6) Taylor loves chicken tenders and says she'd eat them every day, if calories weren't a consideration. If you were to enjoy tenders right now, what dipping sauce would you prefer --sweet/sour, barbecue or honey mustard?

A. I would go with either the sweet/sour or the honey mustard. BBQ is hard on my stomach.

7) Thinking of food ... Taylor Swift recently donated $5 million to Feeding America with the funds earmarked for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Does it make you feel good to do good? If yes, what is something you've done recently to help others? (It may give other Sat-9ers ideas for something they can do.)

A. I like to do good, of course. What have I done lately? I've donated to political causes by writing postcards to get out the vote, sent money to my alma mater, gave money to the victims of Hurricane Helene in southwestern Virginia, bought a food box for the poor at the grocery store, let someone who only had a few items go ahead of me in line at the store, paid for the meal of the person behind me at a fast food drive-thru, checked on a friend. I have another friend I text every night as a wellness check. Sometimes doing good is simply holding the door, smiling at someone who looks sad, saying "thank you," or offering to help even if the offer is rejected.

8) Back in 2010, when this week's song was a hit, the iPod Nano was also popular. Did you have an iPod?

A. I still have an iPod. I don't use it much but that might change soon. I am seriously considering disconnecting Alexa and going back to the iPod for my music. It's either that or buying a new radio.

9) Random question: Did you more recently run the dishwasher or the clothes washer?

A. I most recently ran the dishwasher, but they both get a workout throughout the week. And guess what, I repaired my own dishwasher earlier this week. The upper rack had a part break, so I ordered it online, it arrived, I watched a video, I took the thing apart, put it back together, and reinstalled the rack. All by myself, so my husband who has been busy with a septic tank installation wouldn't have to do it when he came in late in the evening. And also because I absolutely hate to handwash the dishes.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.