Leaderboard

I am an American Indian, born in rural Pennsylvania while my dad attended Penn State for graduate school in the 70s. He was accepted by all on campus, but encountered plenty of racism when outside of it, going to get groceries or go to a restaurant. My dad played national level basketball in India (not a particularly impressive achievement in the 1960-70s) but it did give him the crack in the door to make friendships with non-Indian people around State College. It had fast become his first love in India and he was amazed at the access he’d have to courts once he moved here. He played basically any time he wasn’t studying and he credits it as THE reason he survived the first few years alone while my mom was still in India before he could get a job and sponsor her to come over. He made friends, met families, ate midwest heartland home cooked food, started drinking socially, went bowling, played golf, and experienced so many other American cultural institutions because of the connections basketball provided him. More importantly, after my mom was able to move, this support system provided a lifeline which if she hadn’t had I’m not sure I’d have ever been born here. Strangers to her (not my dad) would take her grocery shopping. They’d invite her over for tea and sit and watch American soap operas for hours without saying a word to each other. Because they couldn’t! They’d go for walks and my mom slowly learned some phrases and in a couple years she was a fairly competent speaker. She overcame her embarrassment of sharing Indian food (the strong flavors, the smell, etc) and invited friends for dinner. She said they sometimes barely ate any of it but they always smiled and were grateful for the invite. She got a job shelving products at the local grocery store. There she encountered the ugly head of racism every day. But she always went back, day after day, held her head up and did her work. At first, co-workers started dropping the veil of hatred, then some regular customers. She learned that only intimate social exchanges change minds, but that they do! My parents raised me informed by these experiences. They wanted me to be an American Indian, with both feet firmly planted in both cultures. My dad passed on his love of basketball (and sport in general) to me. But I was made sure to love cricket as well. Since my earliest memories, we celebrated Christmas. We also celebrated Diwali. There were no temples around growing up so we learned religion at home with my parents. My parents always tried to make connections with other parents at school. A lot of times the parents sneered, my mom would still feel most comfortable wearing Indian clothes so she’d often come to the bus stop and that stopped a lot of other moms from having conversations with her. But she also made friends by reaching out. Our home became where my friends congregated after school, most likely because my mom always kept the pantry stocked with Twinkies, cookies, ice cream, chips, and soda or whatever else she needed to buy to bribe my “friends”. Because of all this, I’ve always felt like I’ve known who I am and I have grown up to have great admiration for my country and proud to be an American. As I’ve become more self-aware that America’s diversity is its strength after college, each year goes by and I know that greatness is in this country. America is great because we have African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latin-Americans, AND the Americans that have been here for hundreds of years. This is my America. Our America. The America we love. I don’t really know why I’m writing this post today and if it makes any sense. But it’s helping calm my nerves today. I don’t want my love and faith in this nation to be broken tonight. Being American is my identity. I don’t know if it will be at the end of this election. There can be two seemingly incongruous things about this nation we hold dear: 46% of the country is happy to be lead into a fascist, racist, misogynistic, dictatorial regime whose policies largely mirror those of the Taliban. It’s also true that we are on the precipice of electing a Black and Indian woman as our Madame President. To close, on this past October 12, Hindus celebrated Dussehra. I’ll spare the detail of the reason for the celebration but it represents the victory of good over evil. Today, I will celebrate Dussehra again. To my Surly brothers and sisters, I wish for all of us a Happy Dussehra tonight. I'll see you all at Chili's tomorrow.

Absolutely gorgeous day in DC. Did my soul right to spend some time with someone who carried it all to hold our glorious republic together.

This is how we win.

From the battleground in the great commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with all the sincerity in my heart: Get fucked Trump! Our girl Kamala has this.

For the love of fucking god, stop posting screenshots from TexAgs

From Reddit asking how Americans feel today.

Well my brothers and sisters, it’s been a hell of a ride with y’all. Let’s see what happens today.

Does anyone else wish YGIFS was here? I think he’d be loving this shit

Soon

Suited up and ready for the day

This Queen has spoken (at least for the House)

Ib4c

So yesterday I closed on the sale of a house. Very long story--was supposed to be Mrs.LL's dream house, but interest rates happened and the timing and shit and now it just makes more sense to renovate the current house. So today, I have quite a lot of money sitting in cash in my brokerage account. Here's the thing--Wall Street doesn't understand shit about politics. Mrs.LL was in finance for a long time, and ever since we've been together, I've always been shocked by how little Wall Street understands politics. So much of their business is dictated by what happens in Washington, but they understand fuck-all about it. And right now, Wall Street is expecting 1) a Trump win (and the inflationary and recessionary dangers that come with that) and 2) a period of uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the election as happened in 2020. Based on everything we know, I strongly expect neither of those things. And I think the market is going to react very favorably to 1) No Trump, and 2) certainty (irrespective of who wins) when the race is called shortly after midnight CST. So fuck your prediction thread--I'm putting my money where my mouth is. When the market goes up 5% tomorrow on the strength of a definitive Kamala win, the first round at Chili's is on me.

Wife is a nervous wreck. She put her nerves to rest by doing this. SHE IS BEAUTY, SHE IS GRACE

I'm not going to make it to tonight. I don't even really follow politics. I don't want to pay attention to this shit but I feel obligated to. Until the last couple of months, I hadn't posted on this board since the last time we kicked that orange asshole to the curb. I'm seriously thinking about going home and eating a gummy I bought in Seattle that works like a horse tranquilizer, and spend the afternoon trying to feel the side of my face.

The first 4 inches

You heard it straight from him, guys. @Js1 official prediction:

This thread has legitimately been my primary election news for weeks. Thanks to all who contribute the good stuff.

A GOOD OMEN!

Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world, and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interest. Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, we will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We're going to live on. We're going to survive. Today, we celebrate our independence day.

@Hook1997

Absolutely not. Do not fuck with Philly on today of all days.

I will be the founder of the Church of Selzer if she called this

Vic Mackey:

I wouldn't say I'm worried about his safety. More like, I'm intellectually curious about his safety. Or lack therof.

Ashley Babbit sure as fuck is non-violent these days.

Philly

Its a great day to be an American. Go exercise your rights today. I'll see you all at Chilis tomorrow.

Difference between men and women in this election.

Are you serious with this shit? You really don’t understand why today of all days people may have a strong visceral reaction to your “both sides” bullshit? We’re staring at a race between a fascist moron and a centrist candidate, but because of people like you it’s a fucking tossup because when the right tells you she’s the most dangerous liberal candidate of all time, you believe it.

"Sure the Republicans say fascist things and promise to enact fascist policies, but the Democrats call them fascists and so I'm just tired of both sides being so unreasonable."

On the other hand, I have a message thread with a bunch of high school friends. Three of them are hard core Southern Baptists. One was a preacher, another a preacher's son, the last is currently a deacon. Preacher has been convinced that the sheep have lost their way entirely and is spitting mad. He also has three daughters who've worked on him. I sent him free Harris and Allred signs and he put them in his yard...in Azle. That's like the school punching bag putting a "Kick Me!" sign on his own back. He gives zero fucks. He's voting D up and down the ballot until the party ejects that fucking guy. Deacon has also seen the light after his wife's posts lightly questioning tfg's attitudes towards women were gang piled by other members of his church he thought were sane. He's been converted. Once the scales came off their eyes they were able to see the many and varied offenses of that fucking guy and have become vocal opponents within their communities. I'm sure that's cost them some friends, but they believe they're on the side of right. Preacher's son has remained conspicuously quiet on the thread. 2/3 conversion rate works for me.

Okay, I'm back. What did I miss?

I have a country club story. Grandaddy loved golf and would caddy at the old course in Selma Alabama when he was a boy. He seems to have been pretty good at it and other golfers liked him. After the big war there was a new country club west of town. Grandaddy (electrician now) helped build it, in fact doing electrical work is how he paid his dues. He kept on winning golf trophies and hobnobbing with golfers from out of town. Then he got sick. Couldn't work. Country club let him know he would no longer be a member. OK, he was more busy trying to get well. There was a golf tournament and so he went to the club to see his buddies. While there, he went inside to the bathroom to take a leak. One young member gave him hell for not being a member. Grandaddy died. The last day he was alive, he took his clubs out into the front yard and knocked golf balls way out into the field across the road. Fast forward to 2023. A tornado is bearing into town from the west, knocking the tops off houses down that same road. Grandaddy's daughter, my mom, is huddled inside the house he built for his family. It skips her. About a mile farther east sits the country club, probably still has the lights running off Grandaddy's wiring. The tornado FLATTENS that place.

We’re doing this…

Philly vote tracker says they are at 70% of 2020 E-Day vote in Clark looks like 33/33/33. It was 50% R in 2020. They definitely cannibalized their E-Day vote.

Precinct numbers for the Pitt campus have already surpassed 2020 total numbers

They’re freaking out

Come thru Philly!