We The People

My wish for the world is that we can find peace and begin to heal the rift that is tearing our country apart. I struggle to make sense of how things have gone so horribly wrong; and in that process, I may voice my concerns and question why certain things have happened. If I didn’t love America and ALL the people in it, I wouldn’t be so passionate about this subject. I don’t want anyone to be hurt or offended. I want every adult and child to feel safe, whether they’re in their homes, at their jobs, attending church (or not), out shopping, walking down the street, or at school. I want the hate to go away and I want people to stop pointing fingers of blame at each other.

That being said, one question still remains: “How do we fix this mess?”

Because it is a mess and it does need fixing, whether Trump becomes president for 1 day, 1 year, 1 full term, or even a second. At this point, it doesn’t matter if you voted for him or didn’t. What’s important is how we’re going to deal with the residual hatred and discrimination and human rights violations from proposed legislation and from people lashing out at those who are different from them.

Again, I understand how Trump supporters are tired of the “protests.”

But I am deeply concerned and afraid for the future of our country. I can’t ignore it. I can’t stay quiet. I can’t “let it go.” I can’t just “get over it.” I’m tired of people wanting me to move on, to give someone I consider an extremely dangerous man a chance. I’m not okay with that.

This is not about winning or losing an election.

It’s not about my candidate not winning and me being a sore loser about it. It’s not even about Trump anymore. He might surprise me and be a good president. I doubt it, but in the interest of peace, I’ll consider it a possibility for the moment. Instead, this “protest” is about the toxicity Trump unleashed and validated when he poured gasoline all over the intolerance bonfire.

The future of our people and this planet is not a game to be won. This is about human rights and treating others with respect and decency, treating everyone equally under the law. It’s about preserving the world for our children and all the future generations to come.

This whole situation strikes a nerve so profound that I could not live with myself if I stood by and did nothing. That’s un-American.

Our country’s government was designed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people. If we take people out of that equation, it’s just a dictatorship. That’s not what America is about.

The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of hope and freedom to those seeking refuge, asylum, and a better life. She is a beacon of hope in a stormy sea of life, a welcome mat laid out for everyone.

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

Those words must mean something. They must ring true.

America is a beautiful land filled with talented, creative, intelligent, diverse people of all shapes, sizes, colors, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations. It’s the great melting pot. It was never intended to be an America of the whites, by the Christians, and for the elite upper class.

Our constitution gives us the right to peaceful assembly and free speech. If we the majority find a law to be unconstitutional, we have the right to try to have it changed. If our leaders fail their people or our systems fail, we have the right to try to replace them. That’s America. That’s the land of the free and home of the brave I fight for. That’s part of what I feel is being threatened now.

So if you’re truly tired of the “protests,” come to the table and talk peacefully.

If you honestly believe with all your heart and soul that Donald Trump is the right man for the job, I’d like to know why. I want to understand. But don’t just tell me his campaign slogan, that he’ll make America great again. I want to hear how you believe he’s going to do that. I want to know why you think I need to start supporting him too. And in return, I’ll tell you why I disagree if you’re interested in hearing it. Or you can read the list in my article, The Brink of Disaster. Maybe one of us will change our minds or perhaps we’ll both agree to disagree.

Until I’m convinced otherwise, however, I believe our country is headed down a dark and destructive path. What we do now will shape not only our nation but the rest of the world. That’s how big the stakes are. This wasn’t just a crazy election. The semi-dormant plague of hatred has been awakened and now sweeps across our land with a vengeance.

A country divided will surely fall. If a foreign power wanted to conquer us, now would be the time. Let’s not give those potential enemies the advantage. We need to be the UNITED States of America.

Let’s all stand together on the side of love. Listen with compassion. Exercise empathy.

Stop the hatred. End the violence.


#BeTheChange