Freedom of speech...

[derien]

...means even complete idiots get to have their say. Normally this does not prevent those of us who are not idiots from making fun of them.

Normally.

Normally I get along very well with most of my co-workers. Love them like family.

Normally.



I had a delightfully pleasant passenger today who was a selectee. She had three cute little bottles of champagne which she was going to share with her sister and aunt, 'to celebrate,' but added, "Well, my sister and I have nothing to celebrate, but my Aunt is happy with the election results."

I responded by telling her about exquiscadavre's idea that the Friday after National Presidential Elections should be Buy Someone Who Backed A Losing Presidential Candidate a Drink Day. And then I said to her, which maybe I shouldn't have, that the thing I really hate about this particular election is that the results are causing such divisivness among my co-workers, who are usually such a close-knit team. I thought she would understand that, though, because she's having the same problem in her own family, and trying to overcome it.

Later on in the day I got to talk privately with Ghostman (Casper), and he got me feeling a bit better. This election result doesn't make sense to either of us, and not being able to even express our opinions or frustration without getting razzed upon - hard, and with legitimate fear of worse than just razzing - because we're The Losers is incredibly stressful.

Please, just don't even say that I'm being a whiney loser. It's not about losing or winning. It's about feeling incredibly let down by people I expected better of. It's about fear, and the frustration of not even being allowed to talk about why I'm afraid. Not even here.

I'm having bouts of sudden depression and completely unpredicable outbursts of anger.

I'm wondering if this is maybe somewhat similar to what an abused spouse feels.

My head hurts. I want a drink. I'm apparently not getting any NaNo written tonight, either.


edited to add: oh yeah, this is encouraging...

4,763 / 50,000 (9.5%)

Comments

[mizzmarvel.livejournal.com]

No, I'm there with you about that. *hugs*

[derien.livejournal.com]

*hugs* thanks.

[canaa.livejournal.com]

[hugs] I'm lucky - I'm an early-twenties college student, in a state that added its 11 electoral votes to Kerry's side, so I'm expected to grumble, and no one's razzed me about it at all. On the 3rd, all day I wore a badge pinned to my shirt that had a drawing of a gravestone which read "R.I.P. American Civil Liberties 1863-2004," and all I got were high-fives, a couple smirks, and my English teacher asking me if I was sure they'd made it all the way to 2004. :) (I love him. Best. Teacher. Ever.)

But yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I'm pretty positive my aunt and her family voted for Dubya, and I'm not going to talk to her about politics next time I see her because I'll just end up getting angry. >_>

[derien.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank you.

[derien.livejournal.com]

Funny thing is, we're in a blue state (as well as a state of being blue), and where eor works most of the people were amazed and disgusted that the Shrub won. The balance of liberal to conservative where I work is quite different than most of this part of the state, I think.

[canaa.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it's because it's the TSA, and mostly Shrub-supporters (no, fingers, not Shrub-Niggaurath) applied or were hired or something? [hugs]

[derien.livejournal.com]

I think it's because it's because we wear uniforms. No shit, I think that creates a strangely militaristic / para-military sort of mindset. We have a lot of ex-military people, ex-law-enforcment, wanna-be-law-enforcement-types, and then this weird smattering of ex-teachers and people like myself who've just sort of kicked around.

[bravecows.livejournal.com]

*smoosh*

You can rage to us! We'll always listen! And no razzing will occur, I promise.

[derien.livejournal.com]

You're wonderful, and I appreciate that VERY much, I can't tell you. *smooshes you back*