The Wikipedia entry for "Chad (paper)" opens with the following:

Chad refers to fragments sometimes created when holes are made in a paper, card or similar synthetic materials, such as computer punched tape or punched cards. "Chad" has been used both as a mass noun (as in "a pile of chad") and as a countable noun (pluralizing as in "many chads").

A 'hanging' chad, is defined as:

Hanging chads are attached to the ballot at only one corner.

This term "chad" is something I stumbled upon when trying to decide how to frame my political writing when titling this section Because cool, witty titles are the only thing that matters. 

In context, a "hanging chad" became part of the American political slang during the 2000 Presidential election: the controversy with the recount in Florida (shout out to the home state for fuckin' it up!) centered around votes that were considered "undervotes", which were ballots not counted by machines when run through them. Essentially, if a ballot doesn't have a complete punch for a selection, any residual piece of paper (chad) can contribute to the machine misreading, creating an undervote. 

This discrepancy led to physical recounts and was the source for so much debate during the election. And that tension, concept of not incomplete voting, or somehow being an 'undervote' feels all too relevant. 
As Trump has continued to fan the flames of pure evil since being elected, our socio-political world has become a clusterfuck of extremes, tribalism, anger, hate, and disinformation. It's horrifyingly reminiscent of all the most disturbing parts of novels like '1984' or 'Brave New World'. It's not dramatic to draw parallels - it's necessary to contextualize the consequences. People can't seem to understand the latter, though. 

And, to me at least, the political world is without any "hanging chads". Everyone is off the ledge of whatever cliff they were thinking of jumping off: right or left, everything has pushed farther from anything resembling the center. The difference between a Trump supporter and everyone else is a clear line in the sand - as it should be. There's no hanging chad between those worlds.

I'm certainly no sympathizer with the walking Satan-shit of a fake human that is Trump; I'm openly a Democratic Socialists (if getting all label-y) and have my own issues with extremes in belief. But when I consider my place in the world as it is politically, I struggle to understand how to connect with it. It feels too shallow, cruel, and altogether inhumane. Yet, despite all the chaos of humanity today, I do believe in the good of people and the mutuality of our base desires when you rip the cultural bullshit out of the way. 

However, I'd just as soon burn it all down. 

The hate, love, frustration, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty of being a member of the world right, especially as American, is what I strive to capture when writing politically. And the tension I feel between a compassion for people and a frustration to the point of wanting to give up is my 'hanging chad'. Sometimes, I think that's where we are all at, most days - stuck between when our vote has already been cast.

So, here's to sharing my terror and rage; I do hope you enjoy. 

“He speaks and his people sit up in attention. I want my people to do the same.” - Donald Trump, POTUS, on Kim Jong Un. 

#FuckTrump




TM Colin Corpe 2018.