What a Hell of a way to mark the second anniversary of this column, with the re-election of Donald Trump by 51 percent of American citizens who voted. That is not reflective of the number of registered voters, and certainly not reflective of the current US population, many of whom, once again, chose to sit this one out.

As to those who voted for Orange Julius, the cliche quoted above is the second-best explanation I’ve found as to why anyone with a functioning brain would vote for a convicted felon, avowed fascist, rapist, con man, pathological liar and malignant narcissist. The best statement that applies comes from the Bard of Baltimore, the unrepentant cynic who was known as Henry Louis Mencken: “No one in this world…has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”

I’m not being too hard on the vox populi; in fact, I’ve been too soft on them. With the backs of me and my fellow unhoused against the proverbial wall, this is not the time to make nice on the people who voted to keep us there because they wanted cheap gas and groceries instead of justice, compassion and unity. Now is the time to call them what they are: Ignorant. Gaslit. Self-absorbed. Racist.

Why do I write with such an intemperate tone? Because, dear reader, as a homeless, unemployed, mentally disordered individual, I have nothing to lose. I have lost everything except the freedom to use the mind that Yahweh allegedly gifted me to express my disgust with those who literally sold out their countrymen and women for cheap goods (which, if Rump implements those threatened tariffs, won’t be).

“But what about Kamala’s fluffs on the campaign trail, like her vague explanations for her changes in position regarding fracking? What about Biden’s refusal to step down until 107 days before the election? What about the Democrats’ decision not to hold a primary?” I refuse to engage in whataboutism. The choice was clear-cut: Unity or division. The majority of American voters who voted in this election voted for the latter. And if they were thinking to salve themselves by voting for a ballot measure that gave their state’s female citizens the right to their bodies, that was a delusion of the first water.

For those of you as horrified by the election results as I was, I stand with you. I search with you to find explanations for the seemingly inexplicable. This much is clear:
First of all, it ain’t our fault. You can’t fix stupid, you can only take advantage of it. We voted, and we did our best to inform others how to make an informed choice. We’re not responsible for other people’s poorly made choices.

Second, don’t blame anyone. Don’t blame Kamala Harris, or Tim Walz, or Joe Biden, or whoever the media pundits are telling you is at fault. Mistakes were made. We’re human beings; it’s in our nature to screw up, even when we know better. Playing the blame game wastes time and energy while strengthening the Republicans’ hand.

Third, when you’re ready, get involved. Life is in the present, not the past or the future. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are, as Theodore Roosevelt said. But also remember what John Brunner said: Do what needs doing, but only what you feel like doing. Anything else is going to feel like duty, and obligation, which creates resentment and half-hearted effort. And if you’re prone to depression and hopelessness, find someone worse off than you and do what you can to help them.

Fourth, please take care of yourselves. Eat food that is good for you and makes you feel good. Talk to your friends, a therapist, or a priest if and when you need to. Learn to meditate, to achieve a calm mind even in the midst of roiling chaos. Make sure to go out and look at the sky during the day, and the stars at night. Think of all that light shining upon you–upon all of us. If you decide to go ‘no contact’ with friends and relatives who voted for Trump, feel free to do so. Public and private shaming is perfectly legal and will remind those individuals that, as happy as they might be that their boy got back into the White House, there are people who will suffer because of it. And if they have any shred of conscience, that will gnaw at them.

Fifth, find out what businesses and organizations supported Trump and boycott them if you haven’t already. They won’t feel it in the short term, but if enough of us do that, they will feel it in the long term–even after Trump is gone.

I wish things had turned out differently. We would have had less uphill work to do, and more time to concentrate on fixing our own lives. But that’s not the hand we drew. You fight with the resources you have, not the resources you wish you had. And may the odds ever be in our favor.