Well, have my feelings of fear and disbelief diminished as I paused in the last week, as many people requested, to give President-elect Trump a chance to show his presidential race was filled with rhetoric he would never actually engage in. I am here to tell you, the pause was barely a heartbeat between his acceptance speech that espoused unity among the political parties in the United States of America and his reconciliatory new promise of being a President for ALL the people of this country; and the divisive, separatist ideas of most of his recommendations and hirings for his upcoming Presidency.
As I research to find reputable news sources, listen and watch the numerous instances of hate shown marginalized people by white men and women, and walk through the world with my marginalization apparent for all to see, I am feeling less optimistic, less everything really. Every story of hate has been perpetuated by people who have vocally used an impending Trump presidency as a reason for their actions. Some more public officials have been held accountable, but what of all the people who are only in a position to loudly terrorize others with no thought of repercussions? Many want us all to forget that the history of this country, forgetting the history of the world for a moment, tells us this new America is frighteningly similar to the old America. Many people in this country despised the idea that the old America ever left, and now find themselves vindicated and elevated and celebrated. They are passionate and dangerous and nothing you say will change that. Does every person of privilege want some return to old America that includes savagery to those marginalized people who have always been here, who were brought here illegally, who travelled here under duress for life improvement? No, I certainly don’t ascribe to that belief, but those who don’t have misread the cues of the people before them and now we are stuck in an American Horror Story of our own making. The only way to change the story is to do the difficult work of looking at ourselves, our surroundings and our government and then work for change. Now that your President-elect is filling the spaces around him with divisive people, what will you do?
May you be emboldened to not show hate, but show systematic work to dismantle those who would tell us we don’t belong, don’t deserve and don’t matter. Remember that every day and person you show love and acceptance to in your small town or big city makes a lasting impact. And if all you can do is that, know you are thanked. Do more if you can, do your part and hold up the love Jesus showed to ALL people, even those who despised him through no fault of his own, and you too can change the world. It takes workers and caregivers to evoke change and both are equally important to the betterment of this place at this time in history. Because I want to be on the side of betterment, how about you?