ACROSS THE POND: Why a Black Isler in California is ‘numb’ after Trump US election victory
Right now, I’m sitting alone on a bench in the hills above San Jose. It’s hard to be truly alone in California but this secret spot always offers solitude. There’s no sound except for the cold wind whipping around my ears. It’s a few days after the election and the initial shock has worn off, leaving me numb.
The majestic rolling hills with their scorched yellow grass hold no beauty for me today. I don’t feel any fear now, only a profound sadness. Sadness for what may happen, and for what will happen. And a sadness that in this day and age, most of the country would rather vote for a convicted criminal, than a highly accomplished woman of colour.
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Kamala Harris never had any chance of winning the election. This country is too backwards for that.
He’s shown us what he is. That’s not going to change. And the tragic thing is, he won’t fix it and then it’ll be too late. As my friend Liz so perfectly put it, ‘It’s like sitting in a tent and waiting for a massive storm to hit. All you can do is check the hitches, and hope.’
There’s more questions than answers about what the future holds. What’s going to happen to Ukraine? What’s going to happen to this country when the backbone of immigrants who provide our food are deported? What will happen to women and our reproductive health? And what will happen now that Trump has no responsible people around him reigning him in? It’s going to be pure heartbreak and misery.
The political system is broken here. There’s no denying it. Rural communities have been neglected for far too long, and people are resentful and tired of the same old same old. I understand that. It’s not that different from the situation back home. For example, how can the politicians in Westminster know what the folk in the Highlands and Islands really need? That’s reasonable. But voting for someone like Trump to fix it?
He’s shown us what he is. That’s not going to change. And the tragic thing is, he won’t fix it and then it’ll be too late. As my friend Liz so perfectly put it, ‘It’s like sitting in a tent and waiting for a massive storm to hit. All you can do is check the hitches, and hope.’
There’s so many unknowns at the moment. But I do know I don’t want another four years of constant daily drama and name-calling and threats. I can’t cope with it again.
Like many around me, I haven’t watched the news or opened any news apps since the election. Ordinarily, I feel it’s my duty to be somewhat informed, but this time I’m finished with traditional media. Instead, Jeff Tiedrich’s Substack newsletters provide me with much needed political humour. And that’s it, except for slow living and cute kitten YouTube videos, Ted Lasso and Cobra Kai. That’s how I’ll be getting through the next four years.
I’m not sure people quite know what they are letting themselves in for when they voted for Trump. This time around it will be much, much worse. On the outside, he appears like this shiny golden unicorn who’s going to save the world with his crass bombastic words and promises. But he doesn’t care one jot about his supporters or the country.
As those promises fade and the country collapses, it’s wise to remember that all that glitters is not gold. And in the meantime, all we can do while waiting for the storm to hit is check our metaphorical hitches, and hope.
Kerry originally hails from the Black Isle and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and needy rescue cat Daisy. She writes about being a Scot in the USA, plays Scottish waltzes on the accordion, and loves photographing the Bay Area. Find her on twitter @kerrymacwriter
