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Like literally millions of people, I am in shock. You’ve watched the debates, the interviews, the news—Donald Trump is the worst of the worst and somehow, he is now going to be the leader of the free world.
I have been apolitical my whole life. I am not proud of it but I won’t deny it. I (we) live in a county that is fairly stable politically and I have always felt that my one vote would not have much (if any) effect. I am ashamed. I have been the person who does not vote but who does not complain, and somehow I justified to myself that that was OK. But now, I am woken up to the haunting reality that that is not OK. After last week’s events, I am forever changed. To be honest, I don’t think Canadians would EVER let it get to a point where someone like Donald Trump would be in the running for a major political office, but I also realize that if I don’t exercise my right to vote, I am not only allowing for that possibility, but I am also putting too many people (including you) at risk of letting that kind of nightmare become a reality. So I pledge to you, to my country and to myself, that I will forever vote in every election, with insight, education and a belief that my vote can make a difference.
I don’t consider myself a feminist. I am a woman, a mother, a daughter, a wife and a friend, but I haven’t traditionally defined myself by my gender. And like my stance on politics, I am not proud. Maybe this thinking (not thinking) has been because I have led a life where my gender has not (overtly) affected any significant life outcomes.
No more. As a mother and as a woman, it is my duty to tell you, to teach you, to show you, that women, that ALL living creatures, deserve compassion and respect. Millions of people voted for a man who devalues one gender, who devalues people of colour, who devalues certain classes of citizens (the list goes on). That is not and will never be OK.
My life’s goal is to lead by example and show you that EVERYONE deserves your utmost respect. You have the ability and unbelievably huge privilege to change peoples’ lives—don’t EVER take that for granted and please, always act with kindness and respect in your heart. There is a saying that goes something like this: “don’t be proud of your children for the marks they get but for them sitting beside the kid who is eating alone in the lunchroom.” So while I will continue to cheer on your every accomplishment, I will (proverbially) applaud louder when you treat people with compassion. That is how I will measure my worth as a parent and how you should measure yours as a human.
I hope that we can all learn from these recent events, not take our rights and situations for granted and help be leaders in our community. Be that kid who sits with the lonely kid, and be that kid who everyone says, before they talk about your brains or athletic abilities, how kind and generous you are.
Some joke that I am a “proud Jewish mother.” Today, I am not only that, I am also a “proud Canadian woman.”
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This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2016.
This also could be been written at the time of the Brexit. Trump and his minions are a necessary evil. And FFS, it’s not the end of the world. Canada voted in Stephen Harper and a majority government.
I wonder why you didn’t explain the necessity of Trump and the millions who voted for him. There has to be movement on the left and the right to have movement down the center.
This seems like an excuse for a creative writing exercise.
More Left wing media misinformation. All election they have been twisting things, trying to torpedo him, fearmongering all the while ignoring the sins of Hillary. He has proven the Left wrong. While Hillary was hiding and preparing for debates Trump was meeting with the people.
How can an educated person not vote, never vote ?
Selfish, self absorbed, couldn’t care less, happy in her own bubble ?
You don’t vote but you probably bitched about Harper the whole time. Fuck off.
This is a lament of missed opportunities that has distilled into a new and positive resolve. I applaud the honesty and integrity and moral salience of her perspective. Bravo
Question: Is this the actual letter or is this a piece about the letter?
It’s ok not to like Trump, but you have made up lies about him. If you are that stupid that you believe how the media has portrayed him then I feel sorry for your sons. it is really easy to make up things and twist words so an individual can fit a certain profile that you want them too so you have a ‘bad guy’ to boo. Thankfully, now after the election, I know I am not alone in my thinking.
I just wish our leader had the balls to stand up to the global warming fuckheads that are determined to take our money and give it to, oh I don’t know, private companies such as glorified car rentals ($10k to car-share through the active transportation initiative? wtf?)
Elana no doubt makes fun of Trumps appearance openly and loudly. Heaven forbid anyone make fun of HER appearance eh?
Elana believes the propaganda and “hates” Donald Trump based on twisted media bought and payed for by the nasty political woman Hillary and her corrupt political buddies.
Elana cannot think for herself and jumps on political correctness band wagon and post her picture in an article as if to say “Look at me everyone, I am a nice white person.” More like fake suck arse full of white guilt for no reason.
Good for Elana and her LGBTQ sons. Lord have mercy lol
Hey Cranky, Harper fucking blows! So does anyone who thinks,acts and speaks like that empty tool bag.
Trudeau has some Pot-needles for your school grounds lol
The score is always 0-0 at her son’s sporting events and everyone gets a trophy. It is too bad for her that the USA has President that will actually keep score and not hand you a trophy for committing criminal acts. yes jumping borders and not reporting to immigration is in fact ILLEGAL. Nothing at all racist about that FACT.
Bro Tim got it except the only problem with Bro Tim is he says words like “lefty” hahaha Does Bro Tim not realize how goddamn stupid so-called “rightys” are?
I mean seriously Bro Tim, how in the fuck can you defend a guy like Stephen Harper and his “righty” crew?
His Health Minister at the time said “pot-needles” as if plant matter can be shoved down a syringe and injected into humans. HA! HA! HA! Now that is fucking stupid shit that even Donald Trump would disagree with so please Bro Tim feel free to prove the Political Corrects are massive hypocrites but steer clear of the names like “lefties” and “selfie” because that is where you lost it big time lol
I voted to get rid of Creepy Steve but I would have voted for Trump so I don’t believe it is a “righty vs lefty” issue Canadian Con lovers seem to believe. Was the same with Harper. People will elect someone who is making more sense at the time. Stephen Harper and his gang of certified idiots just make NO Sense.
Hope that helps and feel free to attack my grammar when you have no legs to stand on people LOL lefty or righty,don’t give a fuck what you stand for if you look and sound stupid i will call it out. Simple as that.
Dicks!
You’re lying to yourself if you think Canadians couldn’t elect someone like Trump.
Also, as some have pointed out in one way or another, there were many legitimate reasons to vote for Trump over Clinton that weren’t sexist, racist or bigoted.
Hillary is just plain NASTY WOMAN! lmao
PC interpretation- “So you hate all woman and think all woman are nasty?”
…..anyone see the stupidity that I have been seeing the whole time? The absolute hypocrisy,hyperbole and twisting?
Mind boggling!
And Trump isn’t a nasty man? Seriously. You talk about hypocrisy, but what has Clinton done to be labelled as “nasty”? Corrupt, perhaps.
And people didn’t call Trump sexist solely based on that comment. There’s a long list of sexist comments he has made. So you’re “logic” is fucked.
Based on your comments made on this site so far its pretty clear you are a bad person, legohair.