Triumphalism
It’s a fascinating, if frustrating, study to hear the response from the Bush supporters now that their prince has won: shut up. Yes, that’s basically the gist of it. We won, they say, so shut up. That’s when they’re not engaged in mocking those of us they’d like to now shut up.

Sorry, but there’s no reason I can think of to be quiet. Regardless of rampant fraud versus legitimate results – I can’t prove anything, so it’s all hearsay at this point – losing an election isn’t a reason to give up principles. When did the Republicans ever shut up? Were they quiet when Clinton won? No, they weren’t even quiet when he was just a candidate to be a candidate, let alone afterwards. They sure weren’t quiet while Carter was in office, either (although they were clandestine, making deals with Iran to undermine the incumbent’s ability to retrieve the hostages). In fact, they’ve never shut up, even when they were on top of the political heap. When Nixon was in office, did they shut up, content with their win? No, they only crowed the louder: America, love it or leave it; yea us. And Reagan? He got hosannas at ever turn, and for fifteen years after he left office, too.

So shut up about shutting up. It’s not going to happen. Get used to opposition; we have. But if you won’t come willingly into an open, accepting, and progressive future, kick and scream all you want; we’ll still get there eventually.