reader. writer.

Since 2016, I have sought the words to describe what I was witnessing. Con artist? But that would be an insult to con artists. Clown? Cultist? Felon? Monster? Same—all insulting groups of people (or cartoon characters) and missing the mark. Now I finally know the answer. The word is Republican. Whatever that word meant in the past is gone. This is what it is now—a party that empowers people… 

-who are comfortable telling endless and often contradictory lies, 

-who break the law if it will benefit them, 

-who engage in deceptive business practices, 

-who want to make money selling products that aren’t safe for consumers, 

-who stir up hatred against vulnerable people as a means to gain power, 

-who make life harder for the poor while cutting taxes for the wealthy, 

-who spend recklessly through such tax plans, never planning for a rainy day (and as someone who experienced Helene, let me tell you: rain is in the forecast),

-who pretend to be Christian while doing the opposite of what is taught by Christianity,

-who pretend to support freedom of religion while working to take it away, 

-who deny the humanity of anyone except themselves,  

-who do not believe politicians should be elected by the people or held accountable by the people or the law, 

-who do not consider merit when they hire people,

-who prefer to complain about problems rather than seek humane and longterm solutions,

-who often preserve problems because addressing the problem might take away their ability to complain,

-who incite political violence,

-who can’t be trusted with your money or your life.

You don’t have to say the name of the President-Elect—I don’t because I worry that he makes money every time anyone says his name, and that irritates me. Just call him the Republican President-Elect. That will say enough. Don’t give his party a pass or treat him as an exception. This is who they are, this is what they wrought.

I weary of snappy nicknames, insults, or comparisons based on color or shape or wordplay. They all miss the mark. There is nothing funny about the consequences of what they intend to do. Just name them—Republicans. 

You might join me in pointing out the Republicans are responsible for the results of this election, in large part due to an ecosystem of disinformation. Name them: Call it the Republican podcast or the Republican TV channel. If they happen to own, say, some well-known business, make a point of describing that business and its products as Republican, as in that Republican car, the Republican spaceship, the Republican satellite, the Republican international relief organization, that Republican online store, that Republican social media hellsite…

Finally, as I told my children, be friends with whoever you want. But if you know that person voted for this, protect yourself—don’t get financially or emotionally entangled. They have shown us who they are.

Postscript: I’ve been mulling this post over, and there is one thing I want to clarify. When I speak of trust, I am not expressing emotion but something dispassionate. I distrust people who could vote this way the same way I distrust using a horoscope to make decisions. To them I would say, the system you are using doesn’t work. Your answers may be right sometimes the way a stopped clock is right twice a day, but those aren’t answers I can rely on. You aren’t someone I can rely on.

My actual feelings towards people who voted for him vary as widely as the reasons each one did so–from anger to perplexity. But it doesn’t mean I hate anyone, though I hate the harm that will be done because of you.