Post-Political Thoughts

I've been back and forth in writing about this a lot. I thought that most people had already said everything I had to say, or that what I would have to say would be insignificant or that it would just be one more testament to add to a memoir of people who are extremely disappointed about what happened on Tuesday night. But I've had a few days to decompress and do some thinking about what happened and now I want to add my voice, thinking that maybe if these words reach one person I'll have done my job as a writer.

This election taught me something positive despite my dislike for the outcome. Like so many of you reading this I am worried for the state of the world, primarily because I vote based on social issues and Donald Trump and I have exceptionally opposing views. But despite a lot of hate that is being brought to the surface, I have a seen a lot of good people step up and say: "I am not like you, but I will stand with you if the worst happens." Please know that there are still those of us out there that will stand up and fight for your rights if someone attempts to strip them from you. It's because at our very basic level, we're all human. That's what you tell your kids when they ask you about what happened. Tell them that there are still good people in this world. Teach them that just because things don't always work out in our favor, it doesn't mean the games over.

Isn't that what is America is supposed to be about? Isn't the very ideal we were founded on? What the hell happened to that notion?

This election has found a way to divide us on everything from socioeconomic status to race to sex to sexual orientation. Both Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton are guilty of that; both of them personally re-victimized their own victims by parading them to debates to try to intimidate the other, to try to paint the other as somehow less than human. We have criticized them for going too far and yet, here we are. We have gone too far, now. We have become them because they made it acceptable and whether you like or not, celebrities and politicians and the people we admire set the bar for how people act and what becomes socially acceptable. Fear and hate have now become socially acceptable; and both of them have a hand in stoking that flame.

But I still believe we can go back, we're not too far gone. We start by reaching across the aisle and shaking hands with the opposition; it's over, it's done. No more of this petty nonsense about "not my President". There's nothing we can do to change this. Don't lower yourself to that level, you're better than that. We know he said the things he said; right, wrong or indifferent. There's no denying it. Most of it was horrible. It doesn't excuse his actions or his words, but we have a bigger problem here. He's President, and we can't change it. So what do we now?

We work together to make sure that the worst doesn't happen; we do everything with-in our political power to stop those frightening political ideals that President Trump built his campaign on. Don't forget he said them and don't underestimate him, but be vigilant. Give him a chance to change his mind, to do the right thing, before you go riot in the streets because you're not happy with how things turned out. The people have (overwhelmingly) spoken and they want Trump. You don't have to like it, but I'm also pretty sure he's not the anti-Christ. (Stranger theories then this exist, youtube it.)

I want to add something here to anyone reading this toting a deep seeded anger for Trump Supporters. While I do believe that some people voted for Trump because of some deep seeded prejudice; I believe a majority of the people who voted for him did so because they're sick of the establishment that's done nothing for them and this is their way of fighting back. He represents a giant "fuck you" to what most people believe is an exceptionally corrupt system. I see the appeal of it, I see the appeal of his promise to someone that's desperate for a job, for a better life. So, no, I don't blame anyone for voting the way they did. I still believe you're a good person if you did, I don't hate you. No one should hate you or make you feel bad for it. I just disagree with you. But we both have a right to our opinion.

In the end, I want to leave you with something positive because a lot of us are hurting and scared right now. You have a right to feel that way, don't let anyone tell you that you don't. I was driving home from a small road-trip today and this song came on and just inspired a great deal of hope in me, and I hope it can do the same for you.