Charles Blow To Trump: We Will NEVER Just Get Along!

I will say proudly and happily that I was not present at this (Trump and New York Times) meeting. The very idea of sitting across the table from a demagogue who preyed on racial, ethnic and religious hostilities and treating him with decorum and social grace fills me with disgust, to the point of overflowing. Let me tell you here where I stand on your “I hope we can all get along” plea: Never. You are an aberration and abomination who is willing to do and say anything — no matter whom it aligns you with and whom it hurts — to satisfy your ambitions. I don’t believe you care much at all about this country or your party or the American people. I believe that the only thing you care about is self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment. Your strongest allegiance is to your own cupidity.

The Coming To Power of A Demagogue: November 9 In History

From a friend who lives in Germany:

we older people in Germany have a bad feeling: On 9th November 1918: the German Emperor was overthrown! The German monarchy collapsed ... On 9th November 1938: the Nazi "Reichsprogrom-Nacht" was! The persecution of the Jewish population by the Nazis reached its first climax ... On 9th November 1989: the "Berlin Wall" fell! The division of Germany was ended by a peaceful revolution ... On 9th November 2016: the Americans elected a new president! The world asks: Does this man have the knowledge and character for this high office? He is an unsympathic narcissist! We see that good and bad important events begin in history these days.

Trump Is An Existential Threat To The GLBTQ Community

The LGBTQ community has every reason to be extremely alarmed about Trump coming to power, and it's not too early to oppose him with all that we can muster, including demonstrations in the streets. Trump has indicated opposition to marriage equality and plans to nominate the most extreme anti-gay judges to the Supreme Court. The people he has surrounded himself with are a collection of anti-gay bigots from Newt Gingrich to Sean Hannity to Mike Pence. A young lawyer friend of mine who works for Lambda Legal has stated that he will oppose and fight this demagogue as forcefully as he can. We should join him because we are in peril as a community and as a country.

What Is To Be Done?

David Remnick, The New Yorker:

Trump was not elected on a platform of decency, fairness, moderation, compromise, and the rule of law; he was elected, in the main, on a platform of resentment. Fascism is not our future—it cannot be; we cannot allow it to be so—but this is surely the way fascism can begin...It is all a dismal picture. Late last night, as the results were coming in from the last states, a friend called me full of sadness, full of anxiety about conflict, about war. Why not leave the country? But despair is no answer. To combat authoritarianism, to call out lies, to struggle honorably and fiercely in the name of American ideals—that is what is left to do. That is all there is to do.

The Unthinkable Has Occurred

Today is a black day. I am fearful for myself, my loved ones, the fate of our country and for peoples everywhere who used to look to America for decency and moral leadership. We have elected someone who represents the darkest, most evil impulses in our society. Those of us who do not share this horrible person's vision, and there are many of us, must, and we will, resist him. We know that we are in for some difficult times ahead.

Autumn In Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

These photos were taken during a morning walk recently.

Sunset Over The Ocean: Fire Island

This time of the year the sun sets over the ocean rather than the bay on Fire Island.

Autumn On Fire Island

Here are photos from an early November afternoon walk to Sailor's Haven and the Sunken Forest.