It’s been a tough few days, and I, along with the rest of the world, have been processing after getting blind-sided on Tuesday. Got to take this in small chunks because it’s a way bigger than any one problem or solution.
Here’s what I know as of now:
1. Let it be on record that I disavow any and all violent or destructive behavior. That goes against every ideal I voted in support of on Tuesday.
2. Peaceful protesting is a good thing. But let’s protest specific issues, with a plan and a purpose in mind. It is possible to be angry AND smart AND respectful.
3. We need to stop virally sharing the atrocious displays that the worst of our society have done in the past couple of days. I know, I am guilty of this, too–but not anymore. No more racist graffiti, videos of attacks, etc. This just results in everyone judging anyone who doesn’t have the same ideas as being that worst kind of person. I am not the people beating a Trump voter in the street and my loved Republican family members are not marching with the KKK on the bridge.
4. A last minute electoral switcheroo or contesting the vote would only make things worse. If the situation were reversed, we would be outraged if that were attempted. If the old system is going to be revamped, it needs to be done when we are in between elections. To do otherwise would seriously undermine our democracy.
5. That being said, yes Trump won. And that’s scary. Everything he has shown so far is that he is an awful person who brings out the worst in people. But he couldn’t have won without the support of the people. The problem is far larger than just Trump. How we react as a society at this pivotal moment will determine if things get infinitely worse, or if this is just a case of two steps forward, one step back.
6. So what do we do from here? We keep moving forward. We stay strong and stay kind.
If you see someone being hurt or oppressed, go to them and support them rather than staying silent.
Ignore and block the trolls. If you see a vicious message, remove it if you can and replace it with your own random acts of kindness, doublefold.
If action is taken to roll back the legal and civil rights that have been achieved or to implement new legislation that is dangerous, immoral, and/or unconstitutional, we band together to protect our country our people and our planet. Peace does not equal weakness.
Volunteer. Get involved in your community. Run for public office. Find an outlet for your outrage –anything that will positively impact our society rather than drag it down.
The good news? History is on our side. In the end, every major civil rights fight has been won, and the opposition goes down in the books as the”wrong side of history.” Change might not be as fast as we like it, but slow change is better than no change at all.
We as a society have become more and more progressive with each generation, and that isn’t going to change. Maybe we just need to grab the hands of those looking backwards, frozen with fear, and show them that it’s really not all the scary.
A world with more love and less hate is something we ALL want (with a few rare exceptions). It’s just a matter of leading by example and shifting perspectives.
We can do this, together, all of us.
