No doubt this last week will go down as one of the most surreal times in recent memory. For the first time in its history, America elected a president who not only ad-libbed his way to the Presidency, but exploited the suffering of millions of Americans to fuel his bid for the White House with unprecedented disregard for basic human decency. And I'm not talking about the Muslims, women, LGTBQ community, disabled, and veterans.
I'm talking about the Trump voters who thought life had gotten so unbearable that they were willing to overlook the complete lack of basic respect for human dignity regardless of race, gender, physicality and religion that epitomized Mr. Trump's campaign. I'm talking about the people who felt like being accused of criminal behavior was far worse than someone who openly mocked people different than him and incited his supporters to violence.
People don't vote for an overgrown toddler with hair trigger impulse control and no filter unless they are in a lot of discomfort. But elect him they did and with their vote, they pulled the rest of the country along with them into their tailspin of existential anguish.
Now, I was no fan of either Trump or Hillary, so I voted third party (Green) because I live in a solidly blue state and had the luxury of voting my conscience. But had I lived in a swing state, you bet I would have voted for Hilary because she had the ability to maintain composure and decency even in the face of an opponent who was sexist, juvenile and showing up at national debates and campaign rallies woefully unprepared. AND she was convicted of Nothing.
Mr. Trump had a choice to acknowledge people's suffering and elevate their consciousness by offering solutions that respected all Americans. Instead he chose to inflate their fears and provide easily identifiable targets to pin their disappointments and failings to.
I said early in Bernie Sander's rise to popularity, that it would be a tricky situation if he didn't win the Democratic nomination. All that emotion had to go somewhere, but it wouldn't go to Hillary.
So on the one hand, it was inevitable for Trump to win because the DNC refused to acknowledge both the level of suffering and disenfranchisement of a large part of the voting public and how far they were willing to go to alleviate that discomfort.
Even if it meant switching horses in mid-stride to vote for the only Dark Horse left in the race. The only pill that they weren't TOTALLY sure would be the same kind of bitter as Hillary Clinton.
That's a hell of a wager to make, especially if you're a member of one of his scapegoat groups. Like women. Or people of color.
But it was one many of them were willing to make.
Even people I had thought were made of clearer ethics than my own, chose to vote for Trump. Members of my own family decided it was excusable to act without respect and decency, which I am still considering how to respond around.
It is perhaps one of the most disappointing experiences of my life, knowing that good people were willing to overlook such glaring flaws in a potential leader, even if they were manipulated by conservative media, overzealous peers, or naive ignorance. All you had to do was LISTEN to him and ask yourself, "Would I talk like that to my mother? To my good friend? Hell, to a stranger?"
And the answer would have to be that America didn't care about that enough to keep Donald Trump out of the White House.
In fact, only about 58% of eligible voters in the US actually VOTED in the election.
Oh, and Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. Donald Trump won the electoral vote.
And the Senate and House have a Republican majority, which means that unless Donald Trump manages to offend and alienate most of Congress, he'll have the opportunity to make some major changes to American Reality.
The big question is, What will he change?
If his campaign is any indication of his inclinations, the environment, minorities, women and NATO better start shoring up their ramparts.
In the meantime, I'm building relationships with people in my community, especially the ones who were targeted by Trump's vitriolic rhetoric. I'm donating money to organizations who support the environment, minorities, refugees and LGBTQs. I'm actively seeking ways to become involved in local government.
And you know, though I would have preferred a peaceful and compassionate evolution of our society, we got the quick and painful reveal of just how deep our divisions and wounds are in this country. We can't look away and pretend that everything is status quo as usual, even if we voted like we wished it were. Granted, if we are white, upper middle class folks, we won't be in trouble regardless of what Trump decides from taxes to bigotry, but we won't be able to get far before realizing that SOMETHING is different in our world.
For that, I am grateful. For that, I have hope that if we continue to stand for the world we wish to see, where people are treated with respect and value, one day it will come about.
But we must stay awake. We must look at what we take for granted that others cannot. We must ask ourselves how much we are willing to invest in a future that is truly fit for our children. We must consider deeply who we are and what gifts we have to offer to this worthy cause of healing and evolution.
Then we must act. And continue to do it for the rest of our lives until all beings receive the dignity and love they deserve.
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