Ellipsis: Orange Crush

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Orange Crush

"When you are open to living and trust the process of life and ready to face all your fears, and not afraid to go astray with life, life definitely comes and talks to you, in its own language."

~Roshan Sharma

I spotted this sign while on vacation. I decided to photograph it because when I looked up and saw it, I realized to summed up exactly how I was feeling in that moment. Alan and I were on our way to Reno, when we decided to take a side trip up to Virginia City, Nevada. It's a cute little old west town, with lots of legends and even a purported haunted cemetery, so it sounded like fun to pay a visit. I had been there before, years ago, and we had a wonderful time just wandering the old wooden streets, and visiting the small shops.

This visit was much different. The last time we were up there we were greeted with kindness and nods from store keepers and other folks just milling around, but this time there was a vibe that made me feel completely unwelcome, and uncomfortable. It wasn't just the almost wallpapering of Trump/Pence signs everywhere you looked, but it was the homemade signs, here and there, that made it clear if you weren't in favor of blatant HATE toward certain groups, then its best you move on!

It was heartbreaking. I love visiting interesting little towns and going on new adventures, and since it had been at least a decade since I had been there, I thought it would be fun to see what might be new. Unfortunately what I found that was new was an attitude of anger and US verses THEM. All I wanted to do was purchase some fudge from that cute little shop, take a few photos, and then leave, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't spend money in a town that was so hateful. I know you can't always know what folks personal politics are, but when it is this apparent I have NO intention of supporting it in any way.

On our way out of town, we pulled over to discuss what we might want to do next. Whether it had put such a dark cloud on the day that perhaps we were better off just driving back to California, or if we wanted to continue on to Reno anyway, when I looked up and spotted that sign. It hit me just how metaphoric it was for the sad and heavy feeling we were experiencing. For the last 18 months it has felt like a big orange crush on each and every day, since Donald Trump threw his hat/hair into the ring of politics. Every day, in some way, he has insinuated himself into life.

He was no longer content to be an icon of pop culture reality star or subject of seedy New York gossip, instead he wanted to carve himself a place in political history. He took the chance of being laughed at, as long as he got at least as big a mention as Ross Perot. Instead as he jumped from one absurd statement to another he grew in popularity because to the casual observer he represented a new kind of politics Americans had never seen before "reality politics." Suddenly not only was democracy cool, it was understandable. He promised to shake up Washington. And that he did.

He won the American Idol vote.

And America will be crushed under the weight of the hate that is rising from this new democracy, unless America steps in line behind the hatred. Unless you are for "Us" and not "Them." I have NO plans to cave to hatred, but that doesn't mean that this will be easy. He hasn't even taken office, and I feel crushed by the cruelty, lies, and misogyny. I can't believe my fellow citizens handed the power of the world over to a man who can't stop flicking metaphorical rubber bands and his critics on Twitter! So, how will history remember this time? How will it remember Donald Trump?It can only be one of two outcomes I think. He will be known as the Great Orange Tyrant, so corrupt he was impeached under the weight of his misdeeds or the Great Orange Savior, applauded for his ability to bring us together in national unity.