Finding Hope

At a risk of my intro becoming repetitive, man, I did not want to write this thing this week. 

“Somehow I have to write a blog today,” I said to one of my friends.

“Well, do you have to?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied, “I’ve posted one every Friday for over two years.”

I realize that this is a very personal ‘rule.’ I could very easily just stay silent for a week and probably only a few people would miss the post. Especially in the midst of a weeklong election and a pandemic setting records for new cases daily. But this is one of the few habits of mine that haven’t been rocked by the events (both personal and otherwise) of the past two years. Part of setting this challenge for myself years ago was to prove that I was always capable of writing something. Even when I don’t believe it. And it has pushed me to write about some topics that I would have shied away from. I stretch myself.

I asked another friend what I should write about. I believe my exact words were “what the hell can I even write?”  He suggested something about things looking bad at first but then getting better. He said that he felt people needed to feel some hope right now. I asked my husband what he thought and he replied, “I wouldn’t say no to a little hope.” So I’ll do my best.

A lot of people have expressed disappointment (and for some that’s putting it mildly) that this election has been this close. They expected a blow out. I’ve also seen people from marginalized communities come back with ‘now you see what we see.’ They’re not surprised that so many Americans value ‘power’ over ‘people’ because they’ve experienced it.

So in some ways, I wonder if the U.S. needed these hard four years to show us, as we really are, to all of our citizens. (Not to mention the rest of the world.) What’s the phrase? The first step to getting better is admitting you have a problem? Now, while many of us were aware that things were far from perfect, I think many were surprised to learn that the problem was this deep seated and pervasive. 

Now, I’m not going to unpack the entire four years. I’m not even going to unpack the last eight months. Not that I’m not tempted. There’s a big part of me that’s saying ‘just go through some of the COVID denial as a mild example.’ But I don’t think it’s necessary, nor do I think it’s something anyone particularly wants to read about. We’ve all lived it, and I want to try and get to this hope thing as quickly as I can. 

So far, we have managed to protect our citizens' right to vote and the right to have those votes counted. Thus far all absentee ballots and military ballots are going to be processed. I know, I know, this should be something we take as a ‘given’. But I will say that I have seen enough spin and radical interpretation of texts and laws that I felt the need to put ‘so far’ in front of that sentence. I’m going to count this as a good thing. Some checks and balances are still working. They may be creaky and under used, but so far, they’re doing something.

While much of the country was watching two white men in their 70s battle it out, a few glass ceilings were shattered in Congress. 

Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones became the first openly gay Black men to be elected to Congress in New York. Cori Bush became the first Black woman chosen to represent Missouri. Marilyn Stricklin became the first Koren-American ever elected to Congress (she’ll represent Washington), and to add some spice, she’ll also be the first Black female to represent that state at a Federal level. 

Two Native American Women, Debra Haaland and Yvette Herrell will be representing New Mexico along with Teresa Leger Fernandez, making all of New Mexico’s representatives from both parties (Herrell also being the first Native American Republican in Congress) women of color. Haalland and Herrell also added to the record breaking six Native Americans elected to Congress on Tuesday. 

While Congress gave us a good helping of hope, the other branches have some irises to offer.

Voting itself is an expression of hope. And there was a record breaking turnout this election. At least 159.8 million people.

Cynthia Lummis became the first woman to represent Wyoming in the Senate and Sarah McBride of Delaware will become the first openly transgender state senator. 

Progress does not happen overnight. It rarely happens in a landslide. It takes thoughtful conversation, a gradual shift, lots of effort, years of work and a great deal of heart.

I’ve joked a couple of times about fleeing the country if only anyone would take Americans (ha ha) or I wouldn’t have to quarantine my cats (only one ha), but honestly, I’m not leaving. Whatever happens. Not everyone can flee oppression. And those who can’t need all the allies they have to stay and fight with them. So I’ll be staying and fighting and hoping.

Hope along with me if you can.