AFTER THE ELECTION

 

I began writing this piece a few days after the election. As you can imagine, it’s been a difficult piece to write. I considered abandoning it, but I need to get these feelings and thoughts out into the world while I can. If any of this material seems dated, it’s because it took me so long to write it. Thank you for your support and understanding.

We have to fight back. We’re screwed, but we have to fight back against the virtual Nazis who will be running our government for at least the next two years. Yes, I’m hoping that two more years of a Trump presidency will result in the Republicans losing both the House and the Senate.

The definition of a decent person in my land is someone who did not vote for Trump and any other Republican. If you bought into Project 2025 through fear, hatred. ignorance or some darkness in your soul that allowed you to commit such an evil act, you are not a decent or good person. You are a monster.

Like all decent people, I was surprised and appalled and crushed that the United States of America will become a fascist country. We have never been a perfect people, though the history books of the near future will try to make that claim, but I never dreamed we were this imperfect. I thought we were better.

I won’t rehash all the reasons it was evil and/or insane to vote for Trump and his vile supporters. Anyone who paid attention to their growing evil knows those reasons. I’m not going to point a blaming finger at any person or policy some benighted pundits feel allowed Trump to win. I know what I stand for and I stand on the correct and compassionate side of history. We will fight back against the fascists because, as decent people, that is our nature. We are hurting, but we will find strength.

When I woke Wednesday morning after the election it was to a USA that wants to end immigrants, legal or undocumented. I woke to a country that wants to end trans people, the smallest minority of them all. I woke to a nation where human fiends are ecstatic at the thought that women will be subject to their whims. I woke to the horror of racism encouraged. I woke to the Trumpian desire to embrace and emulate the worst dictators in our world, past and present.

Those were my immediate reactions. Then I started considering how Project 2025 can devastatingly impact my Social Security and my health care. I realized a Trump presidency with Republican control of our courts and legislature lowers my life expectancy by years if not decades. Will I even be alive in two years if my dream of a 2026 return to sanity happens?

I didn’t watch The Daily Show the night of the election. I was unable to watch any news or even comedy news shows for the rest of the week. I was in too much pain.

I jumped back on the comedy horse for Saturday Night Live. I almost stopped watching when I saw the host was the despicable, not remotely funny Bill Burr with his usual blend of racism and sexism. Naturally, his vile presence was in almost every sketch. I give credit to the regulars for doing their best to make their viewers smile and laugh. But Burr was like a big stinky dump on decency. It was painful.

Is this the future of entertainment? Will television shows start featuring the worst people available. Will a bottom-feeder punch down asshole like Dave Chappell be hosting SNL before the season is out? Will we ever see the brilliant LGBTQ+ comics, especially trans people, get their chance to shine?

The brilliant John Oliver restored my faith in the healing power of comedy with his Last Week Tonight. My faith was weakened anew by what will be my last Jon Stewart-hosted episode of The Daily Show. I have had it with that smug “both sides” asshole with his spastic mugging for the camera and his snarky attacks on the Democrats. For me, The Daily Show airs only on Tuesday through Thursday. The corespondents are killing it.

Stephen Colbert continues to be a shining beacon. He’s smart and relatable. A force for good.

I’ve even been able to crack the occasional political joke on my social media. The late Don Thompson used to tell me that I wrote my funniest stuff when I was in pain. That would at least be one wee benefit than the fascist shitshow that will be another Trump administration.

But there’s no getting around the horror that is to come. We’ve seen Trump pick the worst people to fill his Cabinet. Including several committed to destroying the very agencies they will be running. And we can’t count on Congress or the courts to prevent Trump from running the nation as his personal profit and revenge engine. We’re screwed.

Going forward, because decent people must champion goodness and keep going forward, I’m going continue to do what I’ve done my entire adult life. I’m going to entertain and inform you in the hope you will join me on the right side of history. I’m going to continue to create and write my books and stories and find a way to bring them to you. Most important, to the best of my ability, I’m going to be a safe spot for those of you in jeopardy because of the soulless creeps who support Trump and the Republicans. I see you and I care about you. This is a time when we must stick together. Let us help one another.

I’ll be back soon with more stuff.

© 2024 Tony Isabella