I am a feminist and sometime activist and have been angry since the election. I am a nurse, teacher
and have 8 grandchildren. I have written over two hundred letters to my congress people, but since they agree with me most of the time, it seems fruitless. I appreciate Matt taking this on so I don’t have to watch the news all day. I try to keep up, but sit is overwhelming.
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Howdy! My name is Kev, I’m a North Carolina native, and I live, work, and am raising a family in NC. I’m super active in my county political scene, and as a woman in politics, I’ve had a front row seat to an insane circus that’s been playing out here in NC since the 2010 midterms (you know…bathroom bills, Freedom Caucus folks, and fun things like that).
Despite the giant circus that is the Trump administration and the Republican Party writ-large, I’ve been working like a fiend in my area for over seven years to organize it and return it to sanity, and we “tipped over” just after the 2016 election. I try to keep my “eyes on the prize” for the sake of my kids, but I’ve thought or said aloud “What the ACTUAL fuck” more in the last two years than in my whole life combined (“What the Actual fuck” is click above “Bless your heart” in Southernese).
I’m EXTREMELY grateful for WTF Happened Today and to be able to hang out with y’all from time-to-time. If anyone in this community lives in Wake County or is from Eastern NC, hit me up. @Matt Kiser, if you come to visit NC and are in the Triangle area, give me a holler, and my hubs and I will take you out for dinner and drinks.
-See Y’all 'Round
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Hey Kev. I’m in Myrtle Beach and up in Raleigh periodically to visit my daughter. Whereabouts are you? Need to warn you that I’m progressive to a fault.
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Probably go get a real job 
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Dyinggggggg
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Two southerners. Oh my💃🏻
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Hello from South Carolina. Love what I’ve seen on this site. I hope to help reel the Right back towards center; or turn this state back towards a Blue one. I do believe I’m one of a select group of people who have been open minded enough to change beliefs from the ways of my upbringing and the strong local peer pressure.
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And me makes three!
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And me makes 4 (10 character requirement hmm)
Where abouts in the south are you? If you’re not comfortable posting, you can send a private message. Might be fun to get together with a small group and share thoughts.
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Where are you? Might be fun to get together and rehash this in person. Feel free to respond by private message.
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Hi there, I’m Rich, from Massachusetts. Just as appalled as [most] anyone else at Trump and what is happening in the White House, and beyond. I run a paltry little Facebook page called “The Trumpster Fire” (…/ShitsBrokenYo) where I share articles and posts regarding the current mess in Washington right now.
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Newbie from Canada
I am an artist and web developer and have been following the election, and other goings on in the USA, with great interest, and alarm, since 2016 elections were in early stages. It’s been quite a history lesson on how US government is set up and how politics is done south of the border. Needless to say, our household is like many up here glued to what is happening during this presidency; the impact of the current government goes beyond the american borders.
And while news reporting has been riveting in so many publications, the reader comments sure are enlightening.
Congrats Matt on such a great job consolidating stories in one place.
-connie
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Was unsure how to tell which messages replied to which, then I saw my image on yours. Not very familiar with forums. I am in the Summerville area. I signed up because it is very difficult to be any form of liberal in this area. It is refreshing to know you are not completely surrounded by Trump supporters in South Carolina. Judging from Facebook, you would be led to believe there are but a few that don’t believe everything he says.
No two forums are quite the same, of the ones I’ve used, so don’t feel bad. Also, you’re not the only one living in “enemy territory”. Welcome! I must confess that my eyes want to misread your name here: at first glance I thought it was “underbed” as in hiding under your bed until all this trumpism blows away, LOL.
@under8ed I have family in Summerville. Its really a lovely town, birthplace of sweet tea if I remember correctly. Welcome.
What little experience I have being out socializing has me convinced that the Dems are few and far between in the Carolinas. I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut in public because those Trump supporters push back if they hear you. Generally, when I’m out to have a good time, I don’t want to engage in spats. But when people a couple of tables away from you at a restaurant over hear you, then pull up their chairs and attempt to engage you in a less than friendly encounter, the line has been crossed. And there’s no polite way of telling them that you’d like to be left alone. We tactfully started idle chit chat about being new to SC and asked was there to do, etc. It turned out that we were talking to a former judge who now ran a mortuary business. Seemed like a strange combination but he was a force to be reckoned with. I know part of it was just genuine South Carolinian warmth. People down here really are quite outgoing and friendly, some of the most polite people I’ve ever met - until Trump comes up. Then duck and cover.
My daughter graduated college at Elon near Burlington, NC two years ago. David Gergen, advisor to Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton and now a senior advisor at CCN was the speaker. He made what I would consider mild comments about where the country was going and some people actually stood up in the middle of the graduation ceremony and walked out. I guess they found his statements inflammatory, but he was obviously concerned about the upcoming election and the various GOP candidates going into the primary. Perhaps it’s like this elsewhere, but I moved here from St. Louis and in the 35 years I lived there, I never recall people responding this way to political comments. Everybody seemed to mind their own business. I hate to say it, but life is easier when you do. At least in the short term.
But then came Trump. I guess all the rules have changed including what’s considered polite society.
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Just found this online. This was the comment Gergen made that had folks walking out:
"Gergen told a crowd of about 12,000 people at Commencement that “forces of political extremism” have asserted themselves in North Carolina, damaging the state’s reputation and putting citizens at risk.
“Enough is enough,” declared Gergen. “For those of us who have stayed on the sidelines, it is time to stand up and be counted. It is time to raise our voices against this darkness. Indeed, it is time for fellow citizens of all stripes – white and black; young and old; native and newcomer; men, women and people of chosen gender – everyone – to join forces and preserve the best of who we are as a people.”
And people actually left in a huff rather than watch their kids graduate. Go figure.
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I didn’t know Gergen spoke at Elon, a good academic institution. So much for teaching and modeling open expression, by the parents. NC seems divided like the nation, the large population centers are considered “liberal” and the rural areas “conservative”. The use of broad terms like these to describe people is helping to dumb down our society and create social discord IMO. They are useful for short political ads.
Like you I try to avoid talking politics in public. It isn’t productive.
Ditto from lovely British Columbia, WTFers. The daily reminder that y’all aren’t as batshit crazy as my ‘Murican family members is much appreciated.
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