I've tried to keep politics off my blog this election cycle because it's been such a contentious election. I've posted a few #imwithher items to Instagram but mainly kept this my safe, sane, sewing space. I've tried not to bash anyone for who they wanted to be their next President because that's one of the tenants that America is founded upon.
Also, it hasn't been hard to figure out where people stood, either in their posts to Instagram or Facebook or their likes or dislikes of certain Instagram posts. I respected their right to their opinion and their vote.
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So why am I writing now? One because I'm still trying to understand the significance of the new President-elect and how people voted for him. Did they vote from fear, ignorance, their own set of beliefs? Did they look past the racism, the misogyny, the lack of morals and did they see some something that half of the country missed? Or was change so great to them that they were willing to accept his faults and inexperience? I don't know...I'm still cycling through the stages of grief to get to acceptance on this one.
However, last night I posted this to Instagram...and I lost quite a few followers.
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I was fine with that ~ you should follow who you want on any social media platform cause I've unfollowed a few folks myself. I was just shocked when I noticed one particular sewist who left me ~ cause there is an app for that. Now I'd figured that there were some ideological differences between us...they'd never liked my #imwithher IG posts or any of my other sewing friends IG posts along those lines. No problem. I'm good with that but then they unfollowed me.
...and I was truly taken aback for a minute...then since I'm still in stage 2 of the grief process...angry. All I could think of was that I talked to you. I gave you advice. I loved and appreciated your sewing, your projects and your family. I admired you and instead of talking to me, you just unfollowed me? You weren't some anonymous sewist that I didn't know...I thought we had a relationship?
Then I was sad...and that's the purpose of this post. How are we as a country going to come together if we don't respect the other's opinions, fears, challenges, hurts? It is so clear that this was an election of emotions and there are some of us who have real fears about our future in America and some of us who are just worried that our privileges are gone...but we should be talking and listening...and we're not...especially this craft nation.
We all have "this something" that we cherish and love to do...shouldn't that bind us together more than our differences? Shouldn't that shared love make us want to listen to our sewing sisters and brothers, the quilt nation and our knitty sisters and brothers? Shouldn't we want to try and understand their fears, to pledge to work for a more inclusive country where every man, woman and child - no matter their race, religion, immigration status or sexual proclivity can feel and actually be free?!
And peeps I'm a born again Christian who believes that the Bible is God's Word. I believe that Jesus gave us free will and that each of us must make our own decisions about these things. I also believe in the love of Jesus Christ ~ love the person and NOT the sin. Love them that don't believe as I do...love the downtrodden and the hopeless, love those that despite fully use us...LOVE!
I'm still not ready to call him my president and I may never be - but that is my right. However, I do believe in our system of government. I do believe in the peaceful transferal of power. I do believe that the statements that President Obama, Secretary Hilary Clinton and the President-elect have made are good to calm the nation and help keep the financial markets stable.
I'm also going to put my money where my mouth is and any organization that I think can be affected by the incoming administration ~ i.e. Planned Parenthood ~ I'm going to make a yearly donation to them.
Mostly though I want to implore us to look past our differences and realize that we all love our country and want what's best for it. Now I know that we are a global society and that I've just written a post based on an American experience. However, since we are living in a global society what happens in one country now affects the world. There are no givebacks or go backs. Technology has united the world we live in...it's hard to be a nation with closed borders now...so there is no going back to when America was great people - i.e. the 50s. We must press forward to becoming the best citizens of America and the world that we can be...or we won't have to worry about aliens, a plague, or climate change killing us...we will do ourselves in.
This will be my only post on this subject. I'm going back to making this a safe space BUT I am leaving the comments section open. Have at it, say what you want...I only ask one thing...be kind and don't bash one another. Now I know you can type/write/chat under the moniker of "Unknown" because anonymous commenters can't comment on my blog. But if you are man or woman enough to say it, own it and sign your name. Oh and no matter how rude you are, I'm leaving ALL of the comments up...even if you talk about my mama! *smile*
Finally I love you ALL in the spirit of Jesus Christ...
...more sewing later.
Also, it hasn't been hard to figure out where people stood, either in their posts to Instagram or Facebook or their likes or dislikes of certain Instagram posts. I respected their right to their opinion and their vote.
So why am I writing now? One because I'm still trying to understand the significance of the new President-elect and how people voted for him. Did they vote from fear, ignorance, their own set of beliefs? Did they look past the racism, the misogyny, the lack of morals and did they see some something that half of the country missed? Or was change so great to them that they were willing to accept his faults and inexperience? I don't know...I'm still cycling through the stages of grief to get to acceptance on this one.
However, last night I posted this to Instagram...and I lost quite a few followers.
I was fine with that ~ you should follow who you want on any social media platform cause I've unfollowed a few folks myself. I was just shocked when I noticed one particular sewist who left me ~ cause there is an app for that. Now I'd figured that there were some ideological differences between us...they'd never liked my #imwithher IG posts or any of my other sewing friends IG posts along those lines. No problem. I'm good with that but then they unfollowed me.
...and I was truly taken aback for a minute...then since I'm still in stage 2 of the grief process...angry. All I could think of was that I talked to you. I gave you advice. I loved and appreciated your sewing, your projects and your family. I admired you and instead of talking to me, you just unfollowed me? You weren't some anonymous sewist that I didn't know...I thought we had a relationship?
Then I was sad...and that's the purpose of this post. How are we as a country going to come together if we don't respect the other's opinions, fears, challenges, hurts? It is so clear that this was an election of emotions and there are some of us who have real fears about our future in America and some of us who are just worried that our privileges are gone...but we should be talking and listening...and we're not...especially this craft nation.
We all have "this something" that we cherish and love to do...shouldn't that bind us together more than our differences? Shouldn't that shared love make us want to listen to our sewing sisters and brothers, the quilt nation and our knitty sisters and brothers? Shouldn't we want to try and understand their fears, to pledge to work for a more inclusive country where every man, woman and child - no matter their race, religion, immigration status or sexual proclivity can feel and actually be free?!
And peeps I'm a born again Christian who believes that the Bible is God's Word. I believe that Jesus gave us free will and that each of us must make our own decisions about these things. I also believe in the love of Jesus Christ ~ love the person and NOT the sin. Love them that don't believe as I do...love the downtrodden and the hopeless, love those that despite fully use us...LOVE!
I'm still not ready to call him my president and I may never be - but that is my right. However, I do believe in our system of government. I do believe in the peaceful transferal of power. I do believe that the statements that President Obama, Secretary Hilary Clinton and the President-elect have made are good to calm the nation and help keep the financial markets stable.
I'm also going to put my money where my mouth is and any organization that I think can be affected by the incoming administration ~ i.e. Planned Parenthood ~ I'm going to make a yearly donation to them.
Mostly though I want to implore us to look past our differences and realize that we all love our country and want what's best for it. Now I know that we are a global society and that I've just written a post based on an American experience. However, since we are living in a global society what happens in one country now affects the world. There are no givebacks or go backs. Technology has united the world we live in...it's hard to be a nation with closed borders now...so there is no going back to when America was great people - i.e. the 50s. We must press forward to becoming the best citizens of America and the world that we can be...or we won't have to worry about aliens, a plague, or climate change killing us...we will do ourselves in.
This will be my only post on this subject. I'm going back to making this a safe space BUT I am leaving the comments section open. Have at it, say what you want...I only ask one thing...be kind and don't bash one another. Now I know you can type/write/chat under the moniker of "Unknown" because anonymous commenters can't comment on my blog. But if you are man or woman enough to say it, own it and sign your name. Oh and no matter how rude you are, I'm leaving ALL of the comments up...even if you talk about my mama! *smile*
Finally I love you ALL in the spirit of Jesus Christ...
...more sewing later.