How’s everybody holding up?

[craigyb]

After today’s election results in the US I’m actually terrified of what might happen. With Trump in the Whitehouse and his attitude to Ukraine I think he will basically cut off funding and weapons for Ukraine and the Russians will over run the country unless Europe and the rest of the world steps in. I live on the south eastern side of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnipro and I feel that Putin at least will take all territory up to the left bank. That means I will lose my house etc because the Russians will either shell it or take it from us if we leave the country and leaving the country is really our only option I think in the future. I’m desperately saving money in the UK so I can afford to live in another country with my inlaws who have already escaped to Bulgaria to avoid the stress, but they live in one room and have done for 2.5 years. I don’t want to get political but it looks like my future is a bit bleak.

I can only hope that Russias economy fails before they get any further into Ukraine. The Russian people are silent, I know there are a few Russians on these forums and I feel you should be ashamed that you allow your country to invade another for no reason, kill innocent people and say nothing.

[krztoff]

Among many other things, I was thinking of you and people like you last night as it unfolded. I couldn’t be more sorry for what we’ve become and I wish you the best of luck.

[Caustic]

Today, feel the pain of loss. Tomorrow prepare for what’s to come.
Hunker down.
When shit gets like this you don’t have a choice to shut down. You gotta work.

Be on the lookout for misinformation.
Double check shit like it’s April fools day.
It just takes a moment.
Good information is better than fast information.

Be informed, not inflamed.

Remember to use tools in this forum to report posts if you see anything abusive. This time of year is especially targeted for harassment campaigns.

[Vampyre]

I was down in Tasmania for a Ham Radio conference over the weekend. Had a great weekend and won the major raffle prize but also came home with Covid.

[Maxhirez]

So since I’m officially the one who started this thread but haven’t been here in a while, I apologize.
The dark and somewhat violent thoughts-directed in every direction, including inward-have been ever-present the last 18 or so hours.

I know I don’t control anything but it’s alarming to have to wonder if I’m surrounded by racists, sexists or idiots and realizing it’s probably all three rolled into one.

I wish I could move to the land of my sires. I hope I can find someone and some way to spread at least a few of my ashes there.

[zorch]

All we can do now is keep doing what we are doing. Try our best to fight the good fight while we create and keep alive the strong and supportive communities that carry us through the tough times.

[eric]

@Maxhirez

if I’m surrounded by racists, sexists or idiots and realizing it’s probably all three rolled into one

Racists and sexists are just specialisations of idiots…
It all comes down to education in the youth.

[Caustic]

I will not tell you it’s alright, it isn’t.
I will tell you that your life is worth living even in dark times and that we will endure.

Keep on creating.
Keep on being kind.

Be the good you want to see in this world, because it sure as hell wont happen otherwise.

Form communities. Help people. These are things we can do.

[Farabide]

I’m with Adler here; education, compassion and peers are guides but it’s what we do and say now, the choices we make now, that defines us.

Now go synth my friends!

[devicex]

yes shutting down , running away and hating will not get us anywhere, it will just harm you more than them .
it is defiantly sad to think there are that many racist , homophobic , misogynistic people and people that have been fooled into thinking money is more important than a safe free world for EVERYONE .
maybe this is what is needed to really get the change that the world needs , they all need to feel the right wing pain and we will .
craigyb I was thinking about you and your people I am so sorry and very worried for you , well the whole dam world really .
be good to each other , thats the only way we really make countries better .
peace and a big hug to all .

[Dogstar13]

I live in the USA. I am not a racist. I am not a misogynist. I am not a homophobe. I am not only worried about money. I have children and grandchildren. Farthermore, I am a Christian. I voted for Trump. Am I “them”? Do you believe me to be your enemy? Do you wish me harm? I pray for peace in the world. God bless you all.

[Maxhirez]

I hope no one is thinking you’re an enemy. After all, you’ll suffer the consequences along with the rest of us.

[Dogstar13]

I didn’t intend to troll this thread. I came here to let you know we are not in fact all bigoted idiots. We are not enemies. We are friends, obviously. I sincerely hope God blesses everyone here with peace and calm. Peace in your soul. I love you. God is good.

[danbass]

Oof. Edits are public. When a clown moves into a palace, he does not become a king.

[Dogstar13]

I said what I said. I deleted it to be kind and not rub it in. Oops? I’m not the least sorry for it. I didn’t apologize. I won’t. To be clear, I voted for Trump. I am very excited to see a positive change which is very likely considering the clear conservative leadership my countrymen and women voted for.

[krztoff]

I’ve deleted like 5 attempts to respond in a manner befitting this forum.

I’m just going to put a photo of a banana here instead and spend time thinking about those who won’t be afforded peace and calm or tolerance or understanding elsewhere on my own time

`.

[Caustic]

I am going to strongly suggest that people refrain from mass generalizations, and downplaying very real anxieties people have about the upcoming administration.

Not everyone that voted for Trump are doing it for overtly misogynistic and racist reasons. If anything the exit polling indicates that its because people believe that he will help the economy. This is not correct, but they feel that way. Democratic messaging is terrible.

I am not interested in having this place become a cesspit of political arguments. I advise anyone that has notions of downplaying the very real anxiety of anyone here to not go down that road. I also advise not publicly showing support for this controversial figure. Regardless of how you feel, its very much stirring the pot, and prior to this, people were expressing their real worry about how they will be affected. Not in small ways. Some of us will absolutely see death as a result of this, and it is not hyperbolic.

I love this forum. A lot of us love this place. We have held it together since the start of Covid. As a community, we have all made this space a safe place to commune and discuss our crazy projects.

We must have compassion to people in our community that right now, are very vulnerable.

@Dogstar13 You were very clearly defensive with regard to other’s posts about how this election went. I want you to understand that people’s concerns about the coming years do not come from nothing, and many people have a different lived experience than you. You have to realize that even if you personally are not a bigot, that does not mean that there isn’t a large group that is at best willing to compromise on those ideals, and at worst embrace them. No one was calling you out specifically, you announced yourself and your affiliation because you felt the need to.

The best thing we can do as a community, and indeed i mean this in a general way, is to come together and do harm reduction.

Earlier this year, we had to lock down another “vent” like thread because of similar circumstances. We are not making a sweeping ban on anyone because of their belief system. However, this is not the place to debate them.

Leave that toxic shit on Twitter/X/Meta/Facebook.

I also suggest to people to avoid venting about “that guy” here. It attracts trolls which may make this place less hospitable.

As usual, please use the reporting tools available to discourse to inform me if there are any escalations or harassment.

[Dogstar13]

You advise me to follow your opinion or else. Thank you for the support but no thank you. I appreciate everything this forum has done for my ability to create. But I would burn my handmade synth for another chance to vote for my grandchildrens future.

[Caustic]

This isnt about policing an opinion. This is about suggesting that if you want to be a part of this community, you will not downplay the fears and anxieties of your fellow members.

You are not entitled to be a part of this community, and i have been more than reasonable by giving you a way to bow out with grace. I even extended the charitable excuse for you, that not everyone that voted for Trump was overtly doing so with the intent of being bigoted.

Thanks for squandering that and not wasting my time capitulating with you on this though.

This is not twitter.

[AriaSalvatrice]

A lot of emotional conversations with trans people from the USA, recently. I’d often advise, you don’t need a gun, you need a valid passport, a jerrycan of gas, the phone number of a good lawyer drilled into your mind, and a huge stockpile of meds.

Some i know are trying to escape, but it’s hard. A work visa or marriage are your only options. Some I know are stuck living in places like Florida or Virginia, without a coin to their name, sometimes living out of a car.

One woman i know online lived out of a tent for months, being kicked out of a shelter due to having been prescribed meds that made her fail a drug test. I remember how online people were trying to chastise her for lacking enthusiasm for the democrat party, some guy from Germany even tried to teach her how the electoral college works while calling her a nazi. But trans rights were eroded under Biden, and they still will be no matter who will be in charge of the country. It’s the fashionable acceptable target to scapegoat, an easy political concession for the democrat party to make to appease haters.

Rather than advise, mostly i’d shut up and listen. It’s not the time to have conversations about the politics of a fucked up foreign country, but keeping those stuck in it safe and sane. I don’t know how many “i’m sorry, i hear you, you deserve so much better” i have left in me.