We Need to Talk About the Capitol Attack

CapitolWelcome back, friends!! How have you been? I intended to start the year on the blog just like I usually do — you know, ease into 2021 slowly. Maybe share some photos from our holiday at home or even a post about all my hopes and dreams for the year ahead. And then I spent last Wednesday watching the scene unfold in Washington as a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and it was crystal clear yet again…

America has so much more work to do.

It’s that frustrated feeling I’m sure so many of you are experiencing right now too. The last week has left me feeling so angry and sad. Again. But I’m also, sadly, not surprised. Again.

For four years, we’ve seen Trump openly and unapologetically embolden and encourage his supporters. And last week, he literally emboldened them to storm the Capitol; just hours before the attack, he held a rally that was clearly a call-to-action moment for him — he knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it.

We’re going to have to fight much harder

We’re going to walk down to the Capitol

We will never give up…we will stop the steal

We fight like hell

Those are just some of the actual words Trump said in his speech, leaving virtually zero doubt as to his motives. Yes, he did indeed want to incite violence that day and he wanted his supporters to do it for him.

So it’s really no surprise at all that we saw those same supporters “walk down to the Capitol” as per Trump’s instructions. We saw them clad in their MAGA shirts waving Trump flags — and even more disgusting, we also saw the Confederate flag. We saw them push past police — well, the little amount of police that were there. We saw them climb the outside of the Capitol and we saw them vandalize the inside, including the lobby and the offices of Congress members.

It wasn’t a protest and it wasn’t peaceful. In fact, I’m not even sure you could call it a riot because I think we’re so beyond that at this point and we just need to call this event for what it was. This was a violent attack on the very heart of our democracy.

And, of course, we can’t ignore the blatant white privilege that was on display in how police responded — or, really, how they DIDN’T respond. Peaceful protesters marching in support of Black Lives Matter were shot with tear gas and immediately arrested over the summer. In contrast, the violent Trump mob storming the Capitol were able to post bragging videos on social media and take selfies WITH police.

Still think white privilege doesn’t exist??

CapitolSo here we are, almost a week later, and we’re left wondering: Where do we go from here?? I’m not sure and I won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I’m certain of one thing: None of what’s happened should be a surprise.

None. Of. It.

At. All.

Reminder that a lot of marginalized people like me are TIRED right now. We’ve been talking for years about Trump’s escalating behavior and dangerous politics, but some of y’all are just now clutching your pearls in surprise.

I’ll never understand that one — the writing was always on the wall here. I mean, I literally wrote about how toxic Trump is at least once a year for the last FOUR YEARS — in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. How could so many people have missed all those red flags and siren warning signs?? I’ve seen so many people saying things like “this isn’t who we are” and I’m over here like…

No, this is exactly who we are and it’s exactly who we’ve been, which is why I get so frustrated every single time I see these calls for unity as if we’re all going to sit around the campfire and sing “Kumbaya.” It’s just so rich to see some Republicans calling for healing and coming together after they’ve encouraged and enabled Trump on his baseless, conspiracy-theory, full-of-lies quest to overturn the election results and undermine the very fabric of democracy — how utterly staggering is that dose of hypocrisy?

The bottom line, as we move toward impeachment this week, is that it shouldn’t have taken a siege for some people to realize all the damage that Trump has caused. And it most certainly shouldn’t have taken four years to realize how toxic he is.

CapitolWhat are your thoughts, friends? How have you been feeling about everything that’s going on? Scared? Angry? Confused? All of the above? Where do you think we go from here? Let’s chat… xoxo

[Photos by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images and Reuters]

It’s Election Day: Here’s Why Your Vote Matters

Election DayWell, friends, the important day is finally here. Election Day. Truthfully, I’ve been counting down the days for the last four years! Why? Because to say this is a crucial election is an understatement…

Did you vote early?? I voted a couple weeks ago and it was a powerful experience. When I voted in the primary back in March, the pandemic had just begun. Now, it’s seven months later. We’re still in the pandemic and 232K people have died from COVID. I voted for those 232K people who never got to see another election.

In 2020, there’s an overwhelming sense of urgency that we just can’t ignore. It’s incredibly palpable — we feel it and see it and guess what?? It should move us to action and to the voting booth even quicker; something has to change because our country, our democracy, can’t take four more years of what we’ve been living.

Remember that Biden Town Hall from a couple months ago? The former vice president was visibly angry at the state of this country and that was SO refreshing to see from a politician. With everything Trump has done, politicians on both sides of the aisle are still like “eh, what are you gonna do?”

We should be angry. All of us.

So you know what we’re going to do??? We’re going to VOTE because our lives and our futures depend on it.

I don’t know how to make this any more clear, but now is NOT the time for third-party or write-in votes. We can’t afford a repeat of 2016. The only statement your “protest vote” makes is one about your privilege.

Make no mistake: A third-party vote IS a vote for Trump.

Period. Full stop.

Reminder that you can’t vote for Trump and still say you care about disabled people like me. I’m not just voting for myself. I’m voting on behalf of all disabled people. I’m voting for the future that I want to see in my lifetime — a future where disabled people are accepted and inclusion isn’t an after-thought, where our full personhood is recognized.

Election DayVoting is an enormous responsibility and I’ve never taken that lightly. Our world feels so out of control right now, but voting is one thing we all can do to take back some of that control. We all have a say in our future!

SPEAK UP

BE COUNTED

VOTE

I talk about politics a lot because the personal is political.

As a disabled woman, I’m excited to be voting for Joe Biden. Disabled people deserve a president who doesn’t mock them, but instead will fight for their human rights and dignity.

That shouldn’t be too much to ask.

President Biden and Vice President Harris: Coming to an America near you in 2021. Are you READY??? xoxo

P.S. Earlier today, I chatted LIVE on Facebook with Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania!! We talked about why this Election Day is so critical for people with disabilities. You can watch the video here.

[Top photo from Joe Biden official site]

The West Wing Cast Are the Political Superheroes We Need

West WingIt’s no secret that I’m a fan of The West Wing!! OK, some might even say that I’m a bit, ummm, obsessed. Everyone knows it. Even some cast members know it.

My point: I have ZERO shame about my love of this most iconic of political dramas!! I mean, this show has it all: Political intrigue, political sparring, the duo known as Ed and Larry. The show presents us with a world in which politics is at its very best — a Washingtonian Utopia, if you will. A time when politics really was for the people and the president (that would be President Bartlet) actually had the interests of the American people at heart and wanted to make this country a better, more just, more inclusive place.

Obviously, our reality in 2020 doesn’t match that fictional paradise — if it did, I wouldn’t be raging and angry all the time!! No, our reality is the exact opposite of the world we see on the show, which is why the seven-season drama has experienced a resurgence in popularity during these dark Trump years!! The show may have ended some 14 years ago, but people are craving an escape from reality and the literal reality show president, so they’re returning to the familiar, calming tune of The West Wing’s opening theme song — don’t pretend like you haven’t caught yourself humming it at least once!!

And for some of us, we’re not so much returning to the show as we are discovering it for the first time!! Yes, the dangers of the Trump administration has driven me to seek comfort from this fictional senior staff because, well, I just need to see something that isn’t corrupt, self-serving and morally bankrupt, you know?

West WingWe started watching the show over the holidays last year and breezes through episode after episode pretty quickly!! Each walk-and-talk soothed my weary soul. Each Josh and Donna banter session melted my heart. And each rousing speech from President Bartlet filled me with a hope and optimism that I thought was long gone! Naturally, we were in mourning when we finished, but…

Lucky for us (and America), the Bartlet administration is back on the small screen with a new West Wing special that premieres on HBO Max today. The cast is reuniting to partner with Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote to get people to the polls this year!

I once tweeted that this cast was going to save 2020 and it looks like I’m right. Bigly right. To see the cast of such an iconic political drama reunite during such a pivotal election year is powerful and speaks to the show’s continued influence. Because the values emphasized on the show — like the importance of public service, voting and leaving this country just a bit better for future generations — are timeless values. They’re as real and vital today as they were in 1999. And they’ll be just as vital in another 20 years too.

The show represents so much that is lacking in Washington right now and it’s soothing to get lost in a world of politics that’s actually for the people. Honestly, I sometimes wonder if we’ll ever get to a Bartlet-like White House ever again (I miss you so much, President Obama!), but in the end, the show gives me hope. Hope that we can turn things around on November 3rd. Hope that we can change our reality for the better. Hope that, as my mom just said, we can save our democracy.

West WingIndeed, in the wise words of President Bartlet himself: “We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars.”

And we also reach for our BALLOTS to make our voices heard and vote out hate. Our democracy and President Bartlet is counting on us. Let’s not let either of them down, OK…???

P.S. No West Wing post would be complete without a shout-out to LemonLyman, my absolute favorite Twitter account to satisfy all my fangirl cravings!! Check it out, friends!!

What Trump’s Donna Reed Comments Reveal About Misogyny

Donna ReedFirst off, yes, I know that this story made the headlines almost two months ago and, indeed, it is pretty mild compared to the million other Trump atrocities we’ve seen in the last four years, but still…it got me steaming mad, so you know I must write about it! Do you remember reading about how Trump said that he wished female reporters were more like ‘50s housewives a la Donna Reed??

Oh, I’m disgusted too. So very, very, very disgusted. I’m not sure what’s worse — that he said it or that he actually meant it. Because you all know darn well that he was 100 percent serious. Or maybe both are equally bad for their own reasons.

At the time this story broke, in early May, the United States had just surpassed 70,000 deaths from coronavirus and the White House press briefings saw one mixed message after another. But one thing remained strikingly and shockingly and predictably consistent: Trump’s misogynistic treatment of female reporters.

In an interview, Trump was asked about his relationship with the media. He said that he found Weijia Jiang and Paula Reid, two female CBS News journalists, particularly irritating…

“It wasn’t Donna Reed, I can tell you that. … Paula Reid, she’s sitting there and I say, ‘How angry. I mean, What’s the purpose?’ They’re not even tough questions, but you see the attitude of these people, it’s like incredible.”

The Donna Reed he’s referring to? That would be the ‘50s TV housewife the actress played on the classic TV show The Donna Reed Show — the archetype of the dutiful, demure wife who doesn’t ask questions and doesn’t make waves. Never mind the fact that Donna Reed herself was actually the opposite of her TV alter ego in real life. Oh, and for a contemporary example, see the 2004 movie The Stepford Wives.

Donna ReedIt’s no coincidence that Trump would expect women to be silent and submissive, but honestly, I really don’t know why more people aren’t talking about the fact that Trump wishes female reporters acted more like Donna Reed ‘50s housewives, especially when this is the same man who repeatedly responded with “nice and easy” when questioned by Jiang less than a month before.

We’ve been here before, haven’t we?? We know this song and dance; if you’re a woman, chances are that you’ve already memorized it years ago. The truth is, Trump and men like him simply can’t stand tough women. They’re easily intimidated because their misogyny and toxic masculinity run so deep.

I’m over it. I’m over it all.

Maybe I’m more shocked than others because I’ve experienced this same sexism — albeit on a much smaller scale. As a disabled woman writer, I know all too well what it feels like to not be taken seriously, to be demeaned and to be called horrible names. This is being a woman. This is how women are treated, in both public and private. And it’s not OK.

Donna ReedGranted, this isn’t the first time he’s said derogatory things about women and we all know it won’t be the last time either. But it’s alarming that the president is becoming increasingly transparent in his sexist comments; he’s not even trying to hide them anymore.

So in case you didn’t get the memo: Yes, he literally expects women to be demure and silent because he is intimidated by strong, intelligent women. If you’re surprised by his misogyny, then you haven’t been paying attention.

What Trump Having a Mantrum at the Lincoln Memorial Tells Us

TrumpI’ve been really bad about pitching lately, but I’m bringing my op-ed skills to the blog today because everything just seems so dire and urgently dangerous right now. And, right on cue, Trump once again shows us that he’d rather be part of the problem than part of the much-needed solution.

First, let’s review his weekend, shall we??

He tweeted that he is glad to see that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is “back and well”

He tweeted about his precious wall

Sat at the Lincoln Memorial and, in all seriousness, said he’s been treated worse than a president who was assassinated.

And yet, he said nothing about the earthquake in Puerto Rico or offered any sympathy to coronavirus victims. Yes, through this all, he’s remained completely silent on those two points and the silence is quite glaring to anyone who is paying attention.

TrumpBut, back to what this post is really about: His mantrum yesterday. Set against the backdrop of the towering Lincoln Memorial, Trump held a town hall with Fox News — an interview full of notable quotable gems as “We never had a more beautiful set than this, did we?“, “I mean, everybody wants the rallies” and “They just want to go back. You see it every day. You see demonstrations all over the country and those are meaningful demonstrations. It’s big stuff.”

Ah, yes, it was indeed a typical Trump interview of rambling nonsense and hyperbolic self-congratulations. I mean, it’s what we’ve all come to expect, right? But as he sat next to a larger-than-life statue of the 16th president of the United States, he proceeded to deliver a doozy of a quote which should raise every single eyebrow from Portland to the other Portland.

“They always said Lincoln — nobody got treated worse than Lincoln. I believe I am treated worse.”

To put this in context for you: Nearly 70,000 people have died from coronavirus and all Trump wants to talk about is how badly he thinks he’s been treated. The narcissism is off the charts here.

It’s really rich of Trump to sit at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial and say that he is treated worse than Lincoln — the president who was literally assassinated after working tirelessly to hold the United States together.

And by rich, I mean appalling and abhorrent.

Granted, this is just the latest in a “presidency” filled with one childish and immature outburst after another, but there’s no denying the sheer power and symbolism of the photos of Trump sitting at Lincoln’s feet. Here we have a small man trying desperately to grandstand in front of a giant who represented the American presidency of yesteryear. It’s a study in contrast, a striking dichotomy of what we once were and where we are now, a literal representation of just how far we’ve fallen, shrunken and veered so far off course.

In an op-ed for the Boston Globe, writer Joan Vennochi illustrates the contrast so perfectly with these words…

To Lincoln, a “House divided” by slavery “could not stand.” But to Trump, a “House divided” by wealth, skin color, and disagreement over how best to safely reopen the country is tolerable. While he desperately seeks a vaccine to kill the coronavirus and send the stock market soaring, he expresses zero interest in curing a country torn apart by structural inequity.

I’ve been saying “I can’t even” so much lately. And I really can’t. I. Can’t. Even. I can’t even believe this is where we are. I can’t believe that more people aren’t infuriated about all this. I can’t believe that Trump would rather talk about himself than, you know, talk about how to help the millions of people suffering — and give at least a mention of sympathy to those who have died.

TrumpBut, nope. Nothing. Whatever Trump set out to achieve in last night’s town hall is unclear, but one thing is incredibly certain: Our house is indeed divided. And unlike Lincoln, Trump appears to have zero desire to help put it back together. He would much rather continue to divide rather than unite while everyone suffers…

[Photos by The Associated Press]