Nearly everyone has weighed in on the Trump debacle – whether the rant is laced with pro or anti keywords, it’s hard to get on the internet and not be faced with some Trump related news. Even in remote Bangkok, the capital city of a country run by a military government, there is an air of desolation, and everyone who’s everyone has shared their thoughts on the issue.

So instead of waxing ad nauseum about the same things (a lot of someones on the internet have captured the feelings better, and written the words more eloquently), here are a few pictures from the FCC-Thailand event I attended on President Trump’s inauguration day.

Organised by Democrats Abroad – Thailand, the event included the watching of Trumpland, an open mic to air your views, and an insightful panel discussion by experts in fields like climate change, economy, human rights etc.

As the night went on, I got more and more desolate. I’m not American, but it’s hard not to dodge around this doomsday feeling that is everywhere we look.Something one of the panelists said struck me. He said that the election was not won by racists voting. It was won because of economics. People can’t give a shit about any of the big issues when their day-to-day life is so difficult. He said that if jobs were fixed and a living wage guaranteed, the world would stop tilting to the right. Suffice it to say, a lot of alcohol was consumed that night.

However, I decided to focus a bit on the positives.

1. Americans can drink you under the table, while passionately quoting from very intelligent books/poets/artists/TV personalities.
2. The ‘useless millennials’ are raging, and are underestimated because of their choice of favourite beverage (something about a pumpkin spice latte?). This is good when a revolution strikes, the element of surprise will be on their side.
3. Trump was voted in my a minority of people, and by a flaw in the election system. So while he will try to push through archaic/damaging edicts, the people will rebel.
4. There are good people in the world.
5. We can actually do something, instead of wallowing in our ‘THE WORLD IS DOOMED!’ social media rants.
6. The American system of government and politics actually give its citizens the rights to be heard, to participate in democracy, to have your voice heard. I struggled to think of instances where I felt I participated actively in the politics of my own country.

There is a buzz in the air threatening to promise you the opportunity to live through historic times. I don’t know what to make of it.