I hate it here.

My immediate reaction to the shooting at the Trump rally.

I hate the guy with all of my being, but guns are not the answer.

I hate that we live in a time and place where I’m no longer suprised when it happens, even to a presidential candidate.

I hate that when I’m in a group of people, whether it be a parade, a sporting event, or a crowded store, I wonder if it’s going to happen to me.

I hate that this will further harden and frenzy his already fanatical supporters.

I hate that the rhetoric from his campaign and mouthpieces will now be even darker, more fervent, and more ominous.

I hate that when I saw the photo of his bloodied face and fist in the air my first thought was “this all but seals his victory.”

I hate that just by writing this I will be accused of deepening the discord when he’s done nothing but for a decade.

I hate that this will serve as a free pass for him to do and say whatever vile, disgusting, hate-filled things he wants without consequence.

I hate that he’s openly threatening to destroy our democracy and he’s going to win anyway.

I hate that everything I was afraid of happening when he won in 2016 did happen.

I hate knowing that everything I am afraid of happening when he wins this time will happen.

I hate that my daughters have fewer rights today than when they were born and will have even fewer in four years.

I hate that our “chosen” antidote to him is an elderly shell of a man who is clearly unwell and not mentally fit for the presidency.

I hate that these two have somehow been deemed the best we have to offer.

I hate that there are hundreds of women and minorities who are more capable, articulate, and prepared to be President but are disqualified merely because they are women or minorities.

I hate that reason and kindness should prevail but they won’t.

I hate that this is our reality.

I hate it.

IOWA WRITERS’ COLLABORATIVE

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here, Sioux Center

Ray Young Bear: From Red Earth Drive, Meskwaki Settlement

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat, Quad Cities

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Live, Des Moines

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll

Jane Burns: The Crossover, Des Moines

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines

Rachelle Chase : Reading with Rachelle, Ottumwa

Iowa Writers Collaborative: Roundup

Steph C: It Was Never a Dress, Johnston

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake

Suzanna de Baca: Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley

Taylor Deckert: Taylor’s Millennial Mindset, Sioux City

Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts, Des Moines via Bloomfield

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker, Des Moines

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis, Winterset

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts, Okoboji and Sioux Falls

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime, Marengo

Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames

Rob Gray's Area: Rob Gray’s Area, Ankeny

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times, Iowa

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla

Iowa Capital Dispatch, an alliance with IWC

Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup Sunday Roundup

Black Iowa News: Dana James, Iowa

Chris Jones: Chris’s Substack, Iowa City

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey

Letters From Iowans

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural, Calhoun County

Hola Iowa: Iowa

Alison McGaughey: The Inquisitive Quad Citizen, Quad Cities

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up, St. Ansgar

Vicki Minor: Relatively Minor, Winterset

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines

Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers, Cedar Rapids

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines

John Naughton: My Life in Color, Des Moines

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective, Des Moines

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC, North Liberty

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative, Norwalk

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land, Elkader

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona

Mary Swander's Emerging Voices: Emerging Voices, Kalona

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist, Earlham

Kali White VanBaale: 988: Mental Healthcare in Iowa, Bondurant

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines