Movin’ On Up, by Martha Thomases – Brilliant Disguise | @MDWorld

November 5, 2016 Victor El-Khouri 3 Comments

According to a study, there are almost no mosquitos in Iceland.

I mention this because I’m starting to look at real estate prices for properties outside of the United States.  Unfortunately, the website I found with the most listings in Iceland has no details other than that houses exist.

I try really hard to be a good American citizen.  I vote.  I show up for jury duty.  I pay my taxes promptly and in full.  I try to be helpful to my neighbors, to strangers, to tourists.  I try to stay current on important issues and base my opinions on facts.  I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (including the Second Amendment, although I might argue about the ways in which it has been recently interpreted).

All of these efforts will get thrown out the window if Trump is elected next week.

I’m not saying this out of spite, and I’m not making a promise nor a threat.  Rather, I fear for my safety.  I am seriously worried that Trump will lead us into a war, and living where I do, my hometown might be a target.  Also, as a Jew, I’m terrified of the people who support him.

So I’m trying to think about where I might go, should this catastrophe occur and I am able to rouse myself from my usual inertia.

And, if I manage to actually do something, should I look for a place large enough for my family and friends as well?  My Jewish son will soon marry a fabulous Latina, and they might feel as threaten as I do.  How large a house do I need to accommodate all of us?  And, if I put in the most money, can I get first pick of the bedrooms?

So, we want to go someplace that will accept us.  We want to go someplace that will feel safe.  We want to go someplace with a history of religious tolerance.  That lets out a lot of Europe, because so many countries have thrown out Jews.  Some are even now looking for ways to throw out Muslims.  The Catalan province that includes Barcelona is an exception.  They are reliably anti-fascist and cosmopolitan.  There are nice places there.

Barcelona is one of my favorite places.  The climate is great, the city is well-planned and feels like a work of art.  There is lots of delicious seafood and inexpensive wine.  Alas, I don’t speak Catalan.  I would have to live in a part of town that caters to tourists, or is patient with my poor linguistic skills.

Canada is a more obvious choice.  The two cities where I would most like to live, Vancouver and Toronto, seem to be even more expensive than New York.  My husband and I had swell times in Ottawa, when we visited for animation festivals.  I can occasionally flounder successfully in French, so perhaps I won’t seem to be as rude as I would in Spain.

It would be even better if I didn’t have to move at all.  It would be best if we soundly rejected a candidate whose resume includes numerous bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, an upcoming trial for allegedly raping a 13-year old girl, and the attention span of a three year old.  It would be fabulous if we, as a nation, denied the presidency to a man endorsed by the KKK.

As an American, I urge you to vote, even if you don’t agree with me.  Democracy works best when we all participate.

Martha Thomases, Media Goddess, needs to go to a country that will accept her cat.