Maine Writer: Election redux- change the lead but the story stays the same

#Truth Senator Mitt Romney Tweet

It's a 2016, election, deja vu, even though with a different outcome! Many still have Post Traumatic Stress from the 2016, election and are experiencing flashbacks. Otherwise, outcome notwithstanding in 2020, the overall result has not changed much.

Although the 2020 election gave us a blessedly different result than the political trauma we experienced four years ago, the Joe Biden election win doesn't change much of the political landscape, except for the name on the White House oval office's door.

Of course, the change in political leadership, putting Joe Biden in charge, is a very big deal! Yet, since this blog was written in 2016, written by Benedictine Sister Mary Lou Kownacki, the USA political polarization has, also, not changed during the past four divisive years.

Nevertheless, the election was a "Thank You God!" #PresidentElectJoeBiden

Maine Writer received a copy of this blog yesterday, sent to me in the mail by a lady who does not use computers. So, I knew it would be easy to find the on line link to this blog and, sure enough!

Fast forward, and change the lead on this blog and we have a mirror image of the 2020, election.

Old Monk's Journal: Journal Entry 123

When I awake each day I say a short prayer. This morning I had to force every ounce of integrity to pray it. I am heartsick over last night’s national election, in anguish for what this mean-spirited political view, now unchecked in all three branches of the government, will mean for the poor, for women, for refugees, for the sick, for all the vulnerable. I am frightened of what military force we will unleash around the world without an ounce of concern for the unarmed civilians in its wake. And I am fearful that what we really woke up to this morning is the unraveling of the American dream, a country sharply, irrevocably divided about what the Constitution, freedom of press, the Statue of Liberty, and democracy itself mean. I am also appalled at the misogyny at the base of this election and angry at my church for its deafening silence over a presidential candidate who is disgusting in his treatment of women. But, then, my church is misogynistic, too, and, yes, disgusting in its treatment of women. No women priests, ever! Really? Just the latest in an abiding history of church sexism. But how do you explain the silence of my church when a candidate condones torture, preemptive first strikes, banning of refugees, building of walls, repealing of health care—all contrary to church teachings. Ah, the candidate is "pro-life." What does that even mean? I am also bewildered by my own lack of perception. Who are these people who voted for Trump? Who are these neighbors, board members, co-workers, people that I celebrate weekly liturgy with at the monastery, that I thought I knew? And even liked and considered friends? How did I not know what they really believed and valued? My relationship with them is forever altered and it breaks my heart. So, it was in deep agony, almost disbelief, that Old Monk forced herself to pray: