Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

George Bush and his moral majority won the election. Mostly by mobilizing white, Christian, midwestern and southern voters, Bush succeeded in racking up a lead in those states that was insurmountable, even given the numbers of voters in the states on the east and west coasts.

I promised myself I wouldn’t wax angst about what’s done. But I am struck with the impact of it all as I read emails from close friends who voted as I did. As a group, we are somewhat frightened. Maybe almost intimidated.

One friend, who will remain nameless to protect her, notes that she is “an unfortunate but proud eastern liberal, who has a conscience and a morality that includes everyone regardless of religious affiliation or race or sexual preference etc., etc. I am really, really offended that the current “spin” is that morality won. What does that say about the losers…me and you?”

Another friend started her letter to the editor of her local newspaper with this sentence:“While pundits debate what Democrats might have done differently, this election was still a triumph of ignorance, hate, and fear over reason, love, and compassion.”

This is a strong statement, and my friend (who will also be nameless) lists several examples in support of her viewpoint.

It’s scary that, in our own country, those who didn’t vote for the lead dog feel the need to be careful. But that is the sense I get from the emails I receive, even thought they are forthright in their sentiment. It’s a sad state of affairs and not at all what our founding fathers had in mind.