Virginia is for something... (Scream #11)

Old white man #1: Shouldn't there be a test to vote? Shouldn't you have to speak English to vote in America?

Old white man #2: Are these machines really counting my vote?

Old white man #3: Well, missy, I hope these machines don't steal my vote.

These are actual things three old, white men (75+) said to me on Tuesday while casting their votes. Since I was the only woman within six feet of the voting booth, I have to assume I'm the "missy" the third man was addressing. As an Election Officer, there's not a whole lot I can say other than to explain how voter registration works and that our processes for ensuring safe and fair elections are stellar. I can also tell them they can fill out a complaint form with the precinct Chief if they have any concerns. They never have any concerns.

However, my mind is my own, so I can have conversations with these men without actually saying anything out loud. Here's what went through my head for each one:

OWM#1: Maybe you should spend time getting to know members of your community and understanding what actually makes America an interesting place to live and what being American actually means. I can 100% tell you it's not racist pieces of trash like you.

OWM#2: Fox News isn't real. Voting machine fraud wasn't a real thing in 2020. No one stole that election and no one will "steal" this election. Do you know how many steps and checks we go through to open and close these machines? Do you understand how many people have to witness what goes on to ensure nothing is tampered with?

OWM#3: Were you asking me a question? My name is Erin. I don't think we have a volunteer here named Missy, but I can check. 

I also may have rolled my eyes several times, and I'm thankful for masks because people can't see my full facial expressions when I wear one. I have no poker face, and I have a hard time masking my dislike of people even when I'm supposed to a neutral party. Wearing a mask keeps me from getting kicked out of a lot of places. 

Tuesday's election was disappointing on many levels. I've lived in Virginia a long time, and I've seen both major parties lead the state to various levels of success and failure. Virginia politics is a weird world, mostly because of the deep divide between the various parts of the state. Am I surprised the candidate I refer to as "DT in a sweater vest" won? Not really. I wish I was, but I'm not. Am I disappointed and angry he won? Absolutely, but I'm not surprised. I feel sort like I felt after the 2016 presidential election; angry, but not shocked; exhausted, but ready to do what needs to be done to make sure DT in a sweater vest doesn't undo so much of the progress that's been made in Virginia.  

Today's piece is called Virginia is for something...(Scream #11). I never thought I'd get to Scream #11 when I created the first Scream last year. I used fabric paint today rather than stitch the inside of the heart. I like the way light comes in through the paint, sort of like the way I feel right now. There's a darkness, but I know there's light too. 

You can view all the Screams from this project here. Some of the original Screams can be found here. 

Details:
Stitches: split and back stitches
Thread palette: DMC C666 (2, 6 strands), 310 (3 strands)
Other materials: black fabric paint
Inspiration: "Virginia is for Lovers" - originally, I tried to come up with a substitute for "Lovers," but the only one I sort of like sounded a bit too adult for the sake of this project, so I went with "something." You can add you own word to this Scream.