Yes ;D post: Norwegians have great confidence in their political system. Tonight’s choice shows why I have lost confidence in mine.

When young people organize in Norway, they often do so through a political party. They join the youth or student organizations of the Red Party, the Labour Party, the Green Party.

They are convinced that through the system they can contribute to change. Norwegians have great confidence in their political system.

Yesterday’s elections show why I have lost confidence in myself.

On Wednesday, I woke up in what felt like a nightmare — but I was wide awake. It was the first presidential election in which I was able to vote, but in recent years I have nevertheless become increasingly aware that there have long been deep and systematic problems in American politics and American society.

The election of Donald Trump, a man who has sexually harassed women, used racist rhetoric, incited hate crimes and lowered the standard of public discourse, is just the tip of the iceberg.

Worried about my friends

Before every election, Americans joke about moving to Canada. I did even better and moved to Norway. The United States could not offer me the safety, equality before the law, and respect I wanted.

But even though I am living the true American dream of escaping and migrating to a strong welfare state, I still feel a lot of guilt about not being in the United States right now. Not being with my friends and family.

They can’t just drop everything and run away, and I worry about them more than ever. I’m privileged to live here. Things aren’t perfect in Norway, but life here is much better.

My friends back home are in danger. They could be targets of hate crimes and, more importantly, hate speech. This election has affected all of us mentally and the trauma is not going away anytime soon.

People in my immediate environment who are blacks, muslims, immigrants, gays, women Or having an intellectual disability, living this worse than me. They are not safe and I fear for them from the other side of the world.

Same country as before

But let’s be clear: All of this racism, misogyny, and deep-seated hatred existed long before November 8th. My friends were never safe.

The United States is the same country it was before the election. It’s just that people now think they have permission to display their deepest, most evil instincts.

They’re going to have a president who says almost unthinkable things and who was elected for them – not in spite of them.

On this day, one of the darkest in American and world history, I wish I had a clear future and a plan of action. But I have only one simple call to action: This is why we must keep fighting.

We must giant as we have always done, to show, through field work, that we still care. We must all giant against American policies and attitudes that affect us all: for Standing Rock, for refugees, and for the rights of all those who came to the United States for a better life and realized they would be just as oppressed as before. They deserve better.

Buy tomorrow

Civil resistance has prevailed before and it will prevail again. The American government has never really worked for anyone, so why should it start now? We Americans get things done with a bone in our nose, we stand up for what we believe is right.

This is how the American suffragettes began, how gays said “Here we are!”, how civil rights activists operated, how Black Lives Matter continued the fight.

We are taking to the streets peacefully, we are making noise, we will not stand silent while this president ruins our country even more.

Activist and author Ijeoma Oluo recently published one video where she summed it all up: “The world is no worse today – our country is no worse than yesterday.”

Because this election and its outcome were nothing new. They were simply the expression of the worst parts of my country. It is where we go from here that makes the difference.

I have little faith in the American political system, but I have faith in Americans who I know will eclipse the most hateful parts of our country and perhaps even help make the political system work for everyone.

Before long, the United States will be a country I will not be ashamed of, but not today. Today, I feel a deep shame on behalf of my country.

But I’m also proud of everyone who will be shopping tomorrow.

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