An Especially Fearful Spooky Season.
I am officially extending the season of scary things to election day and possibly beyond. I am usually on board to watch all of the shows and movies of Mike Flanagan that I can find in my streaming services, but I have not even felt the urge to watch scary movies this Fall. My fear quota is fulfilled with the politics of fear that we are experiencing. One of the scariest parts of this election cycle is the faux fear that is being manufactured by the media and politicians. It is scary in itself because it creates real fear and problems for the people that the lies are about. Meanwhile Trump’s previous stint in office has already struck down national laws that creates a scenario that literally puts my life in danger. I am scared in a very real way, but I can’t help but see that the faux fear is being weaponized to counter our very real fear. They are trying to make the rest of the country as scared as I am, and I don’t know if that is possible.
Here I am working to educate our newest voters about the process with 8 weeks of voter registration and info at Hanover College.
I have been pretty quiet about politics this presidential election cycle. As someone who likes to keep my cool, I think it is because it is a challenge for me to do that in this political climate. But in truth, I have also been busy. We aren’t in a pandemic this election cycle, so I have been going places and doing things to educate myself about candidates and educating college students about getting registered to vote and how to physically cast a vote when they are away from home. I have seen students who were prepared to vote, students who were scared to vote, students who were indifferent, and students who were fully unaware of how the process worked. I feel like I did good work, but now I am having conversations with students that didn’t register in time and it just crushes my soul a bit. Voting is not some casual thing, it is a necessary civic action. This election especially has me on edge because so much is on the line, and I wanted to take time to say why it has weighed so heavily on me. More detail and maybe TMI regarding my health is ahead, so read on with that warning.
The most “Indiana” political event that I ever experienced in Clark County Indiana in September.
My life depends on having access to abortion care. If I get pregnant I don’t go shopping for baby clothes, I start searching for clinics in Illinois. I currently have four fibroids in my uterus that are each about an inch in diameter. I know from a fibroidectomy a few years ago that when exposed to hormones associated with pregnancy, my fibroids grow mitotically and very quickly. Mitotic growth is the way that cancers grow in the body, so left untreated, my fibroids would likely lead to a miscarriage and cancer. I am a person who could very much need a life saving abortion to treat growing cancer or to remove an already nonviable fetus. As an Indiana resident after the Dobbs decision, bureaucracy and legalese stand between me and a potentially life saving procedure. Before Dobbs, my doctor noted the risk of pregnancy and that I would eventually need have a hysterectomy. She said that if I did get pregnant that they would prioritize my health, but now there is an asterisk and some fine print by that statement. Women have been dying because doctors aren’t sure if they are close enough to death to perform life saving procedures, and that is terrifying and infuriating.
My gynocologist left my hospital system a few years ago and I had some weird experiences and trouble getting timely appointments after she left. I chose to switch to a women’s health clinic an hour away in Kentucky. I can’t help but think that the changes I have seen in women’s healthcare in Indiana are tied to the Dobbs decision and our Attorney General’s scrutiny of healthcare providers. My case is my own but I am not alone in my fears. I trust women to work with their doctors to make the best decisions for themselves without questions about what will happen to them in the legal system. My fears are real and not some fabricated media spun soundbite to push people further into the partisan tailspin that is this election cycle. This fear is an undue burden. I am not asking for pity or sympathy, I want votes that relieve my fears on this and on so many other issues.
When I feel compelled to write about topics like this, I try to think about art that I have made that may fit the feeling that I am living in. The one that comes to mind to me is my first woodblock print from 2003, Fear Not. I remember searching for inspiration for this project. I wanted something with high contrast and the opportunity to create texture. I googled some terms and did an image search and found a gravestone angel that was supposed to be in mourning (this was before I watched Doctor Who), but instead I saw a stubborn defiance and even anger in the angel’s posture. I was drawn to it and translated the image into a sketch for a print. The title reflects what I feel now, there is no time for despair, only action. I learned recently that in the Bible the term “fear not” is God’s most repeated command. I imagine that creating fear is a greater sin than feeling it, and feeling fear isn’t really a choice. Fear creates a fight or flight response, and I am not a “flight” kind of person. While I can’t avoid feeling fear, I can use that fear for action that is productive. I can mold fear into art, creative crafts for voter information efforts, and even into writing a blog post like this. I can’t help but think that if faux fear wins this election, my real fear will be harder to transmute into creative ventures, but I will have to try. I would much rather be focused on joy, and that is what I am hoping for.
Jane Inman, Fear Not, 2003. Woodblock print.
What does voting to relieve my fear look like? Here is the list of people I voted for in national and state wide elections, and some reasons why I chose them beyond their goal to get my rights back.
Vice President Harris and Gov. Tim Walz have checked almost every box for me. I don’t like having unchecked boxes, but nobody is perfect. It also feels good to acknowledge that since I disagree with some things, it proves that I am not in some political party based cult.
At the state level, Dr. Tim Peck got my vote for US House. I have met Dr. Peck several times over the last year as he has visited every corner of District 9. He is an ER Doctor that lives on a farm, so he has the practicality of a farmer and the compassion of a doctor that serves everyone.
Dr. Valarie McCray is running for US Senate, and I heard her speak at an event in September. She has worked as a mental health professional in the prison system for years and is motivated to fix broken systems. We need broken systems fixed, so go for it, Dr. McCray!
Jennifer David is running for Indiana House of Representatives in District 66. I met Jennifer before she was a candidate when she helped a local nonprofit build support for a Sensory Activation Vehicle for our community. Jennifer has worked for Outward Bound and has proven to be a lifelong advocate for resources for those in need. She has degrees in social work, behavior analysis and special education. I believe she can approach the issues in our state with patience, humanity, and with an inclusive perspective.
Dr. Jennifer McCormick for Governor and Terry Goodin for Lt. Governor also earned my vote. I got to hear them both speak this fall about their platform. Dr. McCormick is a lifelong educator, and education needs to be a big focus in our state. We are losing teachers and college graduates to other careers and other states at an alarming rate, and that must be addressed or Indiana won’t have the option for growth in any sector. Terry is a local politician and educator that I met years ago when he campaigned door to door in my neighborhood. When he visited me, my dog saw her chance to escape when the door opened. Terry spent the next 20 minutes helping me catch her, and Terry Goodin got her in the end! He is a patient and dedicated problem solver if I have ever met one!
That is a lot of hope and joy on one ballot!
I am not sharing my local election votes on purpose. My political opinions are not valued by many in my local community, so I may hurt the candidate's chance of getting elected more than I would help them if I share publicly. I can say that I voted for at least one Republican! I voted for people who are good listeners and I will leave it at that!
