Gratitude, Compassion, and Electoral Politics

So the US election has been called, and it's all over but the temper tantrum. What do we do now? Where do we go? Well, speaking as an outsider, my first impulse is to rejoice in the triumph of electoral politics over authoritarianism, and I will stand by that impulse (fight me). My second impulse, though, is to ask what those Americans who have lived under Trump and Trumpism for the last four years are entitled to, and the first two words that come to mind are gratitude and compassion. Had they not voted that fascist MF out of the White House, the whole world would have paid the price both politically and environmentally. And over the last four years, many of them have been traumatized, and many of them have died, as a direct result of their "president's" fascist politics. So be kind, folks. Be gentle. I am officially declaring this "International Hug an American Week." Seriously, they have it coming. It's been a hard fight.