Bless you, dear Deda, for all your articulate and uplifting posts, and especially for your unbelievably energetic optimism and dedication to the hope and justice we all seek. You, Sam, Ian, Kathy, Al, Karen, Jasmine, Lauren, Marty, Paul, judicial candidates, and SO many local volunteers... have given your total energy to the pursuit of true democracy we all hold in our hearts --- for a different world, if not for us, then our progeny. We applaud all of you and thank you.
The election results around the country are uplifting, even if we cannot see them from our mountain view. Hope springs eternal, and we must keep that hope alive. That said, I am down in the dumps right along with many others.
To one of our excellent volunteers -- it does seem exhausting, rounding the uphill curve only to find there are more miles to go. I think the trick is to continue to be the public opposition without getting bogged down in the outrages of our new "leaders". We can remind each other of this! Thank you for your words.
I agree, Linda, we had a strong, public-minded slate of candidates that would have strengthened our county for everyone. And now, I think it's a good goal for our party here to be (reasonably) upbeat and keep speaking out when things go the wrong way. We can take turns!
The dinosaurs will die off and the GenZ TikTok generation is showing us the way!! I moved here in a sea of blue and I intend to leave here in a sea of blue. The governor’s race starts now and getting to know people starts now with some good ole’ shoe leather selling! Patty
Yes, Patty, we must keep our eyes on that sea of blue, and to sell our vision. And our great tasks now have an air of the ideal about them, which should appeal to the younger people you mention!
Even if we don't have a prayer of electing Dems in RED Transylvania County (at least until the dinosaurs die off) we have to keep the conversations about the issues going, keep pressure on our elected dumb-dumbs to deliver... something! And we need to use every trick to keep them doing long term damage to our kids, to the economy, and to the local environment.
Jeb, this is a thoughtful response, which I think speaks to everything essential that we must keep going here where we live -- conversation, pressure,, and especially protection. Thank you.
Thank you for your beautiful writing. I just don't understand why NC had such a different outcome. Hard work was not enough. I am thankful we have each other.
Margaret, I understand your puzzlement, which always stops me cold, too. But I keep trying to counter it with fresh energy, heartened by new young Democrats in less rural parts of the country. May they move here! Meanwhile, I love your conclusion, that we have each other 💌
Thank you for this post. While I am glad for the good news about what is happening in other states, for the most part here in western North Carolina, there is only a small island of blue--Buncombe county--in a sea of red, and it is excruciating. I have some idea of how much effort and money went into trying to inform voters as to which party was truly on their side, and not just soliciting their votes to feather their own nests, but to no avail. And then there are nearly half the registered voters in North Carolina who couldn't be bothered to vote at all! Maybe the younger generation which has lived through the raindrops filling the buckets in the hallways of our schools will see things differently when they become voters. We can only hope...
Helen, it will take more work in our rural county to change the narrative on the other side, whose foundations seem to be a religious kind of belief, traditional patriarchy and a tight, judgmental community. I'm tempted to look away at what's coming, but I hope I can go to public meetings and especially to speak out. But, somehow, not at the expense of peace of mind and my last bits of energy! Thank you so much for your thoughts on this.
Yes, these are in confusing times. I am still concerned about our governor's and other races here in AZ.
We can celebrate that the actual voting process went off without violence. That is a tribute to our democracy. I decided on Tuesday night that I would reaffirm that the only control I have is over myself and that I have to let go of my anxiety over the rest.
Judy, I'm grateful for your wisdom on managing anxiety.
I must correct my earlier reply, where I confused the AZ governor's race with Mark Kelly's Senate Race. I apologize for not having my information together. Of course the far-right /Republican Kari Lake is in the news all the time, and I know why you're worried! I see today, though, that they expect Democrat Katie Hobbs to keep her slight lead. I hope so!!
Bless you, dear Deda, for all your articulate and uplifting posts, and especially for your unbelievably energetic optimism and dedication to the hope and justice we all seek. You, Sam, Ian, Kathy, Al, Karen, Jasmine, Lauren, Marty, Paul, judicial candidates, and SO many local volunteers... have given your total energy to the pursuit of true democracy we all hold in our hearts --- for a different world, if not for us, then our progeny. We applaud all of you and thank you.
The election results around the country are uplifting, even if we cannot see them from our mountain view. Hope springs eternal, and we must keep that hope alive. That said, I am down in the dumps right along with many others.
To one of our excellent volunteers -- it does seem exhausting, rounding the uphill curve only to find there are more miles to go. I think the trick is to continue to be the public opposition without getting bogged down in the outrages of our new "leaders". We can remind each other of this! Thank you for your words.
Thank you, Deda, for a somewhat upbeat post...as much as possible! Hated that Al Platt, for example, lost -- he could have done so much for the state.
I agree, Linda, we had a strong, public-minded slate of candidates that would have strengthened our county for everyone. And now, I think it's a good goal for our party here to be (reasonably) upbeat and keep speaking out when things go the wrong way. We can take turns!
The dinosaurs will die off and the GenZ TikTok generation is showing us the way!! I moved here in a sea of blue and I intend to leave here in a sea of blue. The governor’s race starts now and getting to know people starts now with some good ole’ shoe leather selling! Patty
Yes, Patty, we must keep our eyes on that sea of blue, and to sell our vision. And our great tasks now have an air of the ideal about them, which should appeal to the younger people you mention!
Even if we don't have a prayer of electing Dems in RED Transylvania County (at least until the dinosaurs die off) we have to keep the conversations about the issues going, keep pressure on our elected dumb-dumbs to deliver... something! And we need to use every trick to keep them doing long term damage to our kids, to the economy, and to the local environment.
Jeb, this is a thoughtful response, which I think speaks to everything essential that we must keep going here where we live -- conversation, pressure,, and especially protection. Thank you.
Thank you for your beautiful writing. I just don't understand why NC had such a different outcome. Hard work was not enough. I am thankful we have each other.
Deda Edney
1 min ago
Author
Margaret, I understand your puzzlement, which always stops me cold, too. But I keep trying to counter it with fresh energy, heartened by new young Democrats in less rural parts of the country. May they move here! Meanwhile, I love your conclusion, that we have each other 💌
Thank you for this post. While I am glad for the good news about what is happening in other states, for the most part here in western North Carolina, there is only a small island of blue--Buncombe county--in a sea of red, and it is excruciating. I have some idea of how much effort and money went into trying to inform voters as to which party was truly on their side, and not just soliciting their votes to feather their own nests, but to no avail. And then there are nearly half the registered voters in North Carolina who couldn't be bothered to vote at all! Maybe the younger generation which has lived through the raindrops filling the buckets in the hallways of our schools will see things differently when they become voters. We can only hope...
Helen, it will take more work in our rural county to change the narrative on the other side, whose foundations seem to be a religious kind of belief, traditional patriarchy and a tight, judgmental community. I'm tempted to look away at what's coming, but I hope I can go to public meetings and especially to speak out. But, somehow, not at the expense of peace of mind and my last bits of energy! Thank you so much for your thoughts on this.
Yes, these are in confusing times. I am still concerned about our governor's and other races here in AZ.
We can celebrate that the actual voting process went off without violence. That is a tribute to our democracy. I decided on Tuesday night that I would reaffirm that the only control I have is over myself and that I have to let go of my anxiety over the rest.
Peace!
Judy, I'm grateful for your wisdom on managing anxiety.
I must correct my earlier reply, where I confused the AZ governor's race with Mark Kelly's Senate Race. I apologize for not having my information together. Of course the far-right /Republican Kari Lake is in the news all the time, and I know why you're worried! I see today, though, that they expect Democrat Katie Hobbs to keep her slight lead. I hope so!!
(Sorry, again. I'm chagrined😳)
We are all confused here in AZ. No need to apologize. 😊