In my post-election funk, I’ve been trying to get my head around how things went so horribly wrong, how my country would prefer a candidate such as Trump. And it seems obvious, at least to me, that most of the pundits and talking heads are missing the point. They can say what they want about Biden not “passing the torch” to Harris soon enough, or immigration issues, or inflation and the economy – all contributing factors, no doubt. But they are avoiding the deciding factor, the “elephant in the room” that most don’t want to talk about – the fact that this country, even at this late date, well into the 21st century, is still not ready for a female president, especially one of color. 
We have a daughter-in-law who is part Latina, a beautiful, brilliant woman who is beyond outraged over what she is seeing around her, by the fact that a majority of her fellow citizens would prefer a convicted felon and sexual abuser to a woman. What can I say to her? Be patient? Things will get better? I have no idea what to say to her. The sad truth is that misogyny and racism are still alive and well in America. We obviously still have far to go to achieve that “more perfect Union” mentioned in the preamble to the Constitution.
Lynn Scott
Soudan