23 Comments
Sep 30Liked by Clara

I'm Canadian, not American (although as America's hat, everything that happens south of the border reverberates up here; see also, Polievre, Pierre) and yet, somehow we do the EXACT SAME DANCE every time an election rolls around. Don't criticize the Liberals! We have to vote strategically! Trudeau might be bad and corrupt and have broken basically all his election promises but at least he's not a Conservative! And yet, somehow, after three separate elections in the last nine years in which the same lines got trotted out every single time, we have completely given up on imagining a better world - or even a half-decent government - and the Liberals continue to ride to power on a wave of "at least we're not the other guys!" We're at a point where we should stop calling them elections and start calling them hostage situations, which is what they are.

(Side note: man, we are really speedrunning the Britney Spears experience with Chappell, aren't we? Can't wait for the mournful "oh no, we were so mean to her" documentary ten years from now.)

(Side-side note: unfortunately, Trudeau's most vocal detractors make it that much harder to criticize him, because you have to amend your statements with "fuck Trudeau, but in a "stop supporting Israel" way, not a "how dare you make me wear a face mask" way.")

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Fellow Canadian in solidarity with you.

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Sep 30Liked by Clara

I was just saying to my husband yesterday that in her attempt to gain the moderate vote, Harris seems to be abandoning a lot of the ideals that have represented the Democratic party the last few elections. I'm not saying the party has ever been perfect, but I would really love a candidate who wants to DO something rather than one whose platform seems to be "well, I'm not Trump!"

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Sep 30Liked by Clara

once again, you perfectly articulate my feelings!!

I loved this in particular: "People are expecting perfection from Chappell Roan while accepting mere adequacy from the candidate running to become President of this country. Shouldn’t the asymmetry alarm us?"

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Sep 30Liked by Clara

yes - this is exactly what my daughter and I were discussing the other day. Gaza, climate change, immigration - all issues that caused me to dislike Biden, and now Kamala is not living up to her potential. Of course I will vote for Kamala, but I agree that now is the time to make our voices heard. If only these arguments would help my "Kamala must not be criticized" friends realize their opportunity to influence candidates before the election. To paraphrase your argument: this is what democracy is all about."

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Her stance on border policy is batshit crazy to me because I don’t even see the benefit of appealing to conservative concerns at all. Like you are going to beat trump on border???? Do you think the people that are voting solely on immigration are going to be like yeah I think Kamala would be better on this issue???? Their strategy is lazy and pathetic. The knee jerk reaction to appeal to conservatives has the DNC in a chokehold. Not people getting bullied into the ballot box. If you can’t demand things from your politicians what the hell are we actually doing here? I’m Canadian but this trend of neoliberalist “liberal” governments using rising fascism to force us into being complacent with their lacklustre Reaganesque policies is becoming widespread. Rewarding politicians for bad behaviour by voting them in office is one thing, not critiquing them at all is mind-boggling.

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I wasn't a fan of either Reagan or Mulroney at the time, why do we want to repeat that??

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Tbh, we never stopped being in a Reagan era. Bill Clinton’s policies continued Reagan’s legacy. Obama’s administration didn’t do much to combat neoliberalism either, he’s not a socialist the way Bernie Sanders is for example. Each subsequent American administration after Reagan has not really challenged the deregulatory policies that eroded the Welfare state, even though there have been Democrat presidents in the last 40+ years. Joe Biden was better on unions though, I’ll give him that. Same can be said in Canada, with Trudeau. Moderate democrats do a good job of pretending to be for leftist policies, because they like black people and are okay with gays. In reality they are Reagan republicans with surface level commitments to marginalized communities but the Overton window has shifted so far right that moderate right-leaning politicians can claim to be “liberals”. Perfect example is Macron, who just screwed over the left to embrace the right who he has criticized for years.

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Oct 6Liked by Clara

The way straight white women are often the most rabid about Chappell Roan’s statements is so insulting too. She’s not writing songs for, about, or to you. And neither is she talking to you.

I’m sure there are some queers who have criticized Roan but I and so many are like “Yep that makes sense. It’s legit to draw a line in the sand at genocide.” Many of us do not feel great with these options. I would like for once to vote for the FUTURE I WANT and not just against the future I’d hate the most.

And for the dipshits who claim Roan’s not being political enough, she’s having drag queens open for her on her tour even in places where drag has been banned. That shows more guts than thousands of keyboard warriors have.

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I’m Australian and a Gen X and this is one of the best things I’ve read about the cognitive dissonance that is happening around the US election - and hear of course too. Thank you

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People act like enthusiasm somehow makes your vote count for more. She said she's voting for Kamala. That should be enough. The excitement with which she pulls the lever or sticks the ballot into the scanner does not make a shred of difference! Blue MAGAs are the political equivalent of those people who walk into 8am meetings with an overly cheery "Good morning!" and when they get a muted response they go "I think you can do better than that!" Look here, Shannon. I'm already here and awake. Just start the slideshow because this is as good as you're gonna get. You're not paid to measure my excitement, you're paid to make sure we speedrun this compliance training. Take that cheery shit somewhere else.

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All these marginalized people we are “ so concerned “ for that we will vote a war criminal (in every way except ICC/ICJ named) into the presidency. What she is willing to do to Palestinians, and now we realize any Arab, she will also be willing to do to you, and you, and you. You tell yourself you have no choice, when this is a perfect time to challenge the binary. Choose someone else. I just received my absentee ballot in WI and there are eight choices for presidential teams! Start the next chapter.

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There’s no such thing as a perfect candidate. I think what people take issue with is that Chappell Roan, whether she likes it or not, has the power to influence a large swath of people. That, in and of itself, is something celebs need to be introspective about. What cannot happen are 3rd party voters clearing a path for Trump. If that were to happen, I think we can agree it would put us in a very bad place as a country. From a PR perspective, if you’re a celeb, you can’t really say whatever you want. We have seen this time & again, and I blame the media for pushing questions they shouldn’t.

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Celebs aren’t beholden to whatever your beliefs are about what they should do. Or whatever opinions I have on the matter either. I appreciated that she spoke up and said what she did and I hope she’s protecting her peace while ppl howl at her.

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I agree w everything you’ve said but— you have a big ole brain (which I adore, btw) but I cannot say the same for most ppl, maybe too the age group of Roan’s followers (who may have also started to resemble the winged monkey followers of TSwift, whose music I love but honestly the rabid ‘we ride at dawn’ shit they do is so disturbing.) Most of these young followers are so impressionable and in my gut I know that if the race is as close as polls tell us, what if they are our only hope to get us over the finish line? Again, all that you’ve said is true but not voting bc “both choices have problems” would be so so so bad for us all. One choice is not bad, but it does need work, and we know Harris has to appeal to middle of the road voters and not Gen Z, or she won’t make it.

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If Harris chooses to make those kinds of concessions, then she has in fact chosen to lose the Gen Z voting bloc in favor of "middle of the road" voters. I don't blame anyone on the left for being tired of seeing their interests traded away in favor of more "moderate" (read: right wing but wrapped in a rainbow flag) solutions and saying "Fuck this." The problem with the idea of a candidate moving to the middle for the election is that after they win typically THEY DON'T MOVE BACK.

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Even though I'm Irish and so the US election does not involve me, this is a great post. The variations of the responses you shared above that I've seen in people's comment sections is wild. And I have not been able to stop thinking about you being told to not criticize Kamala Harris until she's president since I seen the comment myself because what🙃.

Anyways thank you for the writing you share that makes me feel like I'm not losing my mind altogether. Not just on this but whenever you share your writing it's always a great thing ❤️

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One of your finest works to date Clara. 👏🏻 As a nation we’ve lost our minds on both sides of the aisle in my opinion.

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Another brilliant piece that should be out on a bigger platform because we need more mindful voices like yours. But at the same time, like Roan, you'll face backlash because God forbid someone actually critiques the current adminstration for doing better. As someone said in the comments, facism is already here. People are either too privledged to not notice it or they just look at Trump and think "oh it could be so much worse." How is that okay?

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Apparently Chappell Roan, (musician, entertainer, cool ass young person) is required to make a presidential endorsement, but former PRESIDENT George W Bush is not? When all I ever hear is “stay in your lane” it seems the concept of who should be president is more the former president’s lane, but what do I know?

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Wow. Reading that made me feel like I needed a cigarette after😉 Love it!

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