I’m writing this a day before what’s arguably the MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION FOR POTUS EVER. I know I’m not alone in wanting this stressful nightmare to just be over already. I’m not sleeping, constantly anxious, triggered—and I live in France, FFS. I can only imagine what it’s like for people Stateside. Or for HRC and her whole team.
I’ve made no secret that #imwithher and have been from the start. Since 2008, actually. I was sad she didn’t get the nomination then, but was thrilled to vote for Barack Obama. It all seemed like progress, didn’t it? Our first black President, to be followed by our first female President. What’s made this political year particularly horrible is this idea of progress being completely upended and basically turned into a joke.
The hate, the bigotry, the vile stupidity that’s been mined for Trump’s campaign is sickening. It’s okay to be racist, sexist, an anti-Semite, a Nazi. It’s perfectly acceptable to promote violence and subjugation. It’s fine to harass and demean people who don’t look or think like you.
In some ways, I’m glad to have the remove of the Atlantic Ocean because being bombarded with political ads and non-stop election chatter (my FB feed’s enough) would have sent me to my sickbed months ago. Thank god my children have no idea who the orange garbage fire is. They do know Hillary Clinton will become the first female President of the United States.
My very first POTUS vote was for Bill Clinton in 1992. It was by absentee ballot because I was studying in Paris. It’s funny to be here again, voting for his better half this time. Clinton was a sure thing back then. I’m praying Clinton is a sure thing tomorrow. I’m nervous, but I’m hopeful. Hopeful that progress and intelligence, humanity and unity will win.
It’s America the Beautiful, after all—even, maybe especially, for expats like me who can only look at their country from afar.
X,
Maggie
If you want to wait for election results with all the other Americans in Paris, here are some of the biggest Election Night events happening tomorrow night.
