Over the last couple of weeks I’ve had the first few lines of “You Must Love Me” from the film Evita stuck in my head. Eva Perón (played by Madonna) meant something very different when she sang the opening lines:
Where do we go from here?
This isn’t where we intended to be
We had it all, you believed in me
I believed in you
Evita may have been seeking solace and answers in light of her impending death from cancer, but for me, right now, the lyrics mean something else. As of this writing, we’ve only just found out that Brexit will be delayed again, this time until the 31st of January, 2020. Nancy Pelosi has called for a formal vote regarding the impeachment hearings regarding the 45th President of the United States. So where do we go from here?
We’re still trying to sort out the implications of a looming Brexit. Childhood homelessness in Britain is growing at a rapid rate, and the uncertainties of Brexit and the economy aren’t helping. Though the impeachment process may be where we need to be, I think it’s safe to say that it’s not where any of wanted or intended to be back in 2016.
I think many of us want to believe in the democratic process. I did, and I still do. And yet I feel I’ve been let down repeatedly by it. As a dual US-UK citizen, I feel both of my countries–both considered world leaders in many ways–have failed at the most basic levels of democracy. Whether it’s the electoral college overriding the popular vote or a massive lack of understanding how the UK and EU are intertwined (and consequently, how to untangle them), I feel let down by those we elected to represent and serve us.
Denying climate change. Ignoring human trafficking (until 39 people died on our soil. But we’ll soon forget). Burying rape and sexual assault kits. Basic health rights threatened. Turning our backs on our allies.
This definitely isn’t where I intended to be.
Katie Weidmann
Editor
Girl News International