Now that I’ve had all day to take this in and process it, I
still feel the same way, but I am ready to get everything out—albeit in a more
socially-appropriate way than in my morning post. But first, let me get this all out:
fuckshitassdamnhellbooger. My intent is that this--although I can't make any promises--will be my final piece on this.
I’m not mad that a Republican is in office. We’ve had them before, we’ll have them
again. Honestly, I’m not happy with many
Democrats, either. We’ve survived
intact. No, I’m upset—I’m afraid, I'm sad—because
THIS Republican—THIS guy—is in office.
This hateful, pessimistic, sorry excuse for a human being, whose
leadership consists not only of spewing violence and racist, misogynistic, and
xenophobic views but also inspiring it; a mentally unhinged individual whose
rhetoric could very well get our country attacked and whose temperament may
result in him waging World War III based on a real or perceived
slight.
Before I continue, I do want to say that I know not of all
of his supporters—including many of my friends on and off social media—share the
same views that he has. You may have
voted for him because of his financial or governmental proposals, and may even
disagree with the comments he has made over the past year. Either or, whatever your reason—and even
though you don’t need my affirmation—I still love you and consider you wonderful
people. I’m not going to unfriend you or
dislike you over this.
But it comes to a point when it's not just about policies, but about character. And the message that we are sending by giving him the
most powerful position in the nation is that we can spread these hateful ideologies,
throw temper tantrums when somebody disagrees with us, and simply be disrespectful
and unkind.
That is the message we’re sending to the world and to our
children. I worry about the children
around the world, but selfishly, I’m specifically concerned about
Lorraine. I’m specifically concerned
about Lillian. I’m specifically
concerned about Lia. Even if we stay
relatively conflict-free, I’m worried about the vitriol that may be coming out
of this guy’s mouth. Kids are so
impressionable, and to hear an authority figure speak the way he does gives
children the impression that it’s OK, especially coming from a world
leader. My younger two girls will be
oblivious for the most part, but Lorraine’s getting to the age where, over the
next four years, she is going to be more in tune to things and understand what’s
going on. If—God forbid—he gets a second
term, Lilli and Lia are going to be exposed to it, as well. Fortunately, they watch very little actual TV
as it is, so I’m going to be extra cautious about keeping them away from the
news. (On a related note, an
eight-year-old student of mine found an Apprentice board game in our library
today and asked if the man on the front was Donald Trump. “He’s mean.”
EIGHT YEARS OLD. Broken down to
the simplest basics: “He’s mean.”)
Moving on, I’m equally as concerned as the assaults on
people who didn’t vote for Hillary and their effect on this election. At the beginning of the campaign, I would scoff at posts about voting for a third party; this is not the election to "throw your vote away", I would think. But, as time progressed, and I became more and more uncomfortable with Clinton, I decided it's important to vote for what you believe in. Still, part of me wants to shoulder the blame for
this happening, but then I’m like, dead that; I participated, I shouldn’t be
made to feel like a bad guy here. Voting
shouldn’t be about keeping somebody out of office, but putting the right person
in. None of the candidates on the ballot
were the right person, and I don’t feel I “threw my vote away” by writing
someone in. We were put in a crummy
situation and weren’t given a viable alternative. Just like the many reasons I didn't vote for Trump, there were reasons I didn't vote for Clinton. If the Democratic Party would’ve nominated
somebody better, perhaps more people would have voted that way. I look at it this way: I’m pretty sure a lot
of the Trump votes were by party-line voters rather than actual supporters; how
can we chastise them but then get upset when people vote with their hearts and
not with the Democrats? I participated in the democratic process; I refuse to be a scapegoat for this travesty.
I hope to God--for the sake of our minority communities, country, and the world--I’m proven wrong and that things turn out for
the better, but until then, I’m scared for those same communities, country, and the
world as a whole.
On a final note, I ask everyone to be civil about this outcome.
