Time has passed quickly since November, but the world hasn’t slowed down. Fires ravaged California, leaving unimaginable devastation. And now, as if things couldn’t get worse, we’re on the eve of something that feels like a dystopian novel’s premise: the inauguration of a felon.
In the days following the election, I was almost impressed at how well I was handling things when I knew others that were distraught. I thought, there has to be a way to move forward without falling apart. I have had moments of anger and outrage but for the most part thought I had a grip.
Yesterday, a friend sent me a video they thought was funny. But I didn’t laugh at the grotesque spectacle: Roseanne Barr and hack rapper, Tom Macdonald, performing a 'song' called 'Daddy’s Home'. The extras in the video, decked out in obnoxious American flag attire, served more cultists than patriots. And 'Daddy'—of course—is Trump. I snapped. I ranted, I sobbed. How did we get here? How can anyone celebrate a rapist and felon holding office?
Why 'Daddy'? It’s a dog whistle—just like mispronouncing 'Kamala' as 'Kah-mah-lah' instead of 'Comma-la.' Whether wittingly or unwittingly, these two signals show a person is spending time on right-wing TikTok, Truth Social or Fox News and have become aligned with right-wing propaganda. Language matters.
Let’s talk about the TikTok ban. It’s not about data—if it were, the government would’ve cracked down on Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon long ago. This is about silencing and distracting us while Trump’s Billionaire Boyz strip away rights and consolidate power. Do I trust Musk, CZuckerberg, or Bezos with my data? No. But, I let them have it anyway. TikTok isn’t the problem—it’s just the sideshow.
So, what do we do? I’ve been ranting. I know. Maybe you feel less alone knowing someone else is struggling with all of this too. Instead of watching the Inauguration of a man who can’t blend his bronzer, try one of these:
Learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr. It is his day tomorrow too and he is much more worthy of the attention.
Learn more about the civil rights movement. Voter suppression is still happening today so it isn’t over.
Watch the West Wing if you need a binge or The American President if you want romance or All the President’s Men if you want to remember when The Washington Post owners knew journalism mattered.
Donate to the ACLU. They are going to need it.
Call a friend or family member and check in. This is a very triggering time for a lot of people. We all need to make sure each other is ok.
After the 20th, we’ll have to keep working to get through the new administration.
Support your local government and look into what’s coming up for them. Keep voting people who will represent you into office. Change starts locally.
Be aware. If something sounds outrageous (you should see the shit that is being spewed in California right now about the fires) then maybe it is. Fact check it. Go to more resources. Remember that Facebook doesn’t care about facts anymore and TikTok certainly won’t if Trump lets them stay. Plus, it isn’t really their responsibility. It is all of ours.
Try not to hate the people who voted for Trump. They are Americans too. I am the first to admit that it’s hard not to see a Trump vote as an act of hate—towards me and towards others. But I have family and friends who voted for him (or I suspect did), and I try to remind myself that they aren’t all Roseanne Barr-level outrageous. Grace is hard, but it’s necessary.
In 4 years, when this is all over, I hope to be hopeful again for what is to come. We did it before and we can do it again.
This quote from the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel sums it up for me:
“Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not yet the end.”