And many won’t be popular, but I want to, I must share.
First of all, if you are comfortable doing so, I ask you to post this to your facebook page. I was inspired by friends:
To my female, LGBTQ+, and minority friends: just a reminder that my house is a safe space for you. If you're out and are being harassed, followed, or are in fear for your safety, you are welcome to seek shelter here. I may not be home, but you can call me and I will make it available to you for your use as long as you need to escape what you feel is a threat to you. PLEASE SHARE THIS and let others know you are a safe harbor.
You can modify it to fit you and your circumstances, but let people know you are there for them.
I also called close LGBTQ friends to let them know I was there for them and I loved them and I wouldn’t if it took my last breath, let any harm come to them. I was their ally, I was there for them. This should go for everyone you know who feels unsafe. I personally know of female friends who were verbally assaulted, or almost physically assaulted by Trump supporters who were emboldened. “Hey, lets grab her by the pussy!”.
And, something simple you can do. Wear a safety pin.
The “safety pin” symbol was inspired by the 2014 #illridewithyou movement in Sydney, Australia. where people offered to sit next to Muslims who felt threatened on their commutes — at the time, there was fear of an Islamophobic backlash after a terrorist attack in Sydney left two hostages and the gunman dead (one of the hostages was killed by a bullet ricochet). And its spirit is in line with a guide to stopping Islamophobia that recently went viral and offers solutions to bystanders and witnesses.
There’s now a burgeoning effort in the United States for people to start wearing the safety pin stateside in the face of post-election attacks and harassment. Having to adopt a symbol of anti-violence and anti-bigotry is not exactly what any of us thought we’d be doing in the wake of a presidential election taking place in 2016, but it could be one small way to signal that you’re an ally (regardless of who you voted for) to someone who probably didn’t think they’d be in this vitriolic and volatile situation either.
Another important point, President-Elect Trump is my President.
I know a lot of people will not like that I say this, will disagree and probably be disappointed in me.
But all I can think about are all the people who said that President Obama isn't their President, who spent all their energy obstructing him, insulting him and tearing him down. To this day, they hate him, undermine him and refuse to acknowledge the obvious good he has done to their own detriment. They are actively wishing for the demise of our Country.
I refuse to be that person.
I know that Trump and Obama are two vastly different human beings, I know this to my very core. I also know that this is a very different circumstance. I see with clear eyes who Trump is, but I will not let my life, my thoughts, nor my heart be driven by fear or hate. I will put my energy into doing positive things, like telling people I love them and I will defend them. I will find ways to create positive change, to work on behalf of others in ways that improves their lives in anyway I can. I will not let this drive me into the very feelings that made some people vote for Trump.
What will you do to focus your energy on positively affecting your neighborhoods, your cities and your Country? How will you channel your anger into doing something good?
And trust me, the people who voted for Trump? They get to own this shitshow. I am very proud of President Obama and what he could accomplish under the circumstances. I don’t think that those who voted for Trump will be able to say the same thing in four years. LET THEM OWN IT.
And then this:
Do I hate people who voted for Trump? Absolutely not! Do I think they are all racists? Of course they aren’t. You know they aren’t, but they sure the fuck enabled racists, sexists and homophobes to come out of their shell.
BUT yes, I am mad he won. I actually outlined the exact reasons.
These are the reasons:
I believe in a woman's right to choose even though I believe abortion is wrong. I fear that Trump will mean the destruction of Roe V. Wade. There is absolutely no reason to make abortion illegal. Education has been shown to reduce unwanted pregnancies!!! Access to safe and effective birth control is dollar for dollar much cheaper and better for men and women!
I believe climate change is real and that there is no such thing as "clean coal" or "safer fracking". I believe investing more money in these dying sources of energy is a dead end, not just for our economy, but for our environment. Sure, it will create jobs, but it will also create more pollution and keep us from creating clean energy alternatives, it will keep us from investing in those important technologies and creating THOSE JOBS.
I believe that there are many good regulations that we have in our Government and fear that the EPA and many other important agencies will be gutted by Trump. He actually called for eliminating the EPA!!! As we face many environmental issues, sure, lets get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency.
I believe that my dear LGBTQ friends have rights, that their equality hurts NO ONE, that repealing marriage equality shouldn't be a priority because marriage equality hurts not one person. I have more than one gay or lesbian friend that is SCARED for their rights now being taken away.
I believe that Trump has no idea how to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. Most manufacturing jobs are now automated and many jobs are actually already coming back to the US!!! If people knew the kind of jobs that could come back, they would not want them!!! And the other jobs? We don't have people are trained to do them. Trump cannot make any American company bring jobs back and he really seems to lack a fundamental understanding of what those jobs are! The majority of manufacturing jobs are just not going to come back people. Trump sold people a lie.
I believe the wall is a waste of money. Do we really want to spend money on a wall? And how is he going to get Mexico, a poor Country that cannot take care of its own people, to pay for a WALL??? Oh look, hey I have a bridge to sell you.
I believe that he will make our deficit even worse, just as past Republican presidents have. He wants to cut taxes to the very rich and spend half a trillion dollars on infrastructure? He wants to break trade deals, which I heard could cost California alone 600k jobs if we get in a trade war with China. He wants to spend a ridiculous amount of money on the military. He wants to spend, spend, spend. Bond futures are UP! They know it, inflation, debt, it’s coming!
Education. He's all about school choice. Need I say more. Goodbye public education if his plan works. And more debt, he has proposed investing billions of dollars in SCHOOL CHOICE, code for charter schools which takes away from public education funding.
I believe that putting more money into our military is not necessary. Trump has many proposals to build more ships, more planes, grow our forces. Where is this money coming from? WHERE???
I agree with one thing, ensure Veterans get the care they need and deserve. WE SHOULD PAY FOR THIS. But will he get the money? How will he pay for this? Republicans have obstructed spending by Obama!
I could go on, but there are just too many things.
We can decide how to react to this election. We can blame, we can point fingers. WE can certainly mourn and be sad. If you are one of the many people who are scared, reach out to friends and family and LET THEM KNOW. You are not alone. BUT, do not let it go forever.
I want to believe that this can make us better, stronger and bring about a progressive change, because we are the MAJORITY. We can change things. I don’t want to get into how you feel the DNC failed, how Bernie was betrayed, how flawed Clinton was, lets talk about what WE CAN DO to change things rather than dwell on what wrong, unless it gives us answers and the key to MOVING FORWARD.
I plan on volunteering at local organizations that do outreach for minority groups and LGBTQ youth.
I plan on starting a local Drinking Liberally.
I plan on reviving the push for our local community garden.
I plan on visiting my local Mosque to ask how I can help! Please let me learn about your community and how I can be of help.
I am going to march in the Corgi Holiday Parade, well just because. I don’t think Calvin got as many people out to vote as I thought he might.
Calvin at Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach, CA
What are you going to do?
AND to END, RIP to the late and great Leonard Cohen.