I think we all thought life would be better once the interminable election was finally over. But I would give almost anything to turn back time. The anxiety of not knowing what the outcome would be was actually better than this. Back then, there was hope. Hope that things would be ok. Now we know that they most likely won't be ok, and that is actually worse. We've watched this week as hate crimes have skyrocketed. I appreciate that so many of them NAME Trump. The hate crimes scrawled on Episcopal Churches last weekend proclaimed Trump. The viral video of the man in Starbucks verbally abusing a Starbucks barista shows him declaring, "I voted for Trump." I appreciate them making the connections for us. We don't have to speculate if these acts of hatred are connected to our esteemed president-elect. They explicitly, unequivocally are.
People of Color have rightly pointed out that this is nothing new. The hatred that is happening now has always been there. But yes, the veil has been lifted. The "Heil Trump" graffiti-ers may not have done that before last Tuesday, or at least, they would have written it in a notebook as opposed to on a church building. And the man abusing the barista may have kept those comments in his head or under his breath before, but now he says them out loud, with the validation/explanation, "I voted for Trump." Critique political correctness all you want, but none of this seems better to me. These people were always already racist. Sure. But allowing them to make their statements in a public forum doesn't seem better to me. It's more aggressive and horrible, yes. Previously people had a sense that they shouldn't say these things out loud. Or maybe not in certain settings. Now they just spew, "Go back to your country." "Heil Trump." And any number of other racial and homophobic slurs. I suppose to the extent it proves that America is in fact that bigoted to be true (as opposed to suspected) may have some value. But the people on the receiving end of the hatred likely aren't feeling glad that people are now showing their true colors.
It makes me nauseous that Muslims are taking off their hijabs (and that legislation was proposed to make wearing them illegal, even though it's clearly unconstitutional), and that Jews are taking off their religious symbols so as to not draw attention to themselves. This is America. We're supposed to be able to wear anything we want and practice any religion we want. And even if that is the law, it makes no difference if people feel unsafe practicing their religion on a daily basis.
What have we become?
I've gone through phases in my life where I was really engrossed in studying the Holocaust. Mostly because I couldn't understand how it could happen. How could millions of people be rounded up and killed? Just like that? From children's books like "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," to "Man's Search For Meaning," and "Night," and of course, "The Diary of Anne Frank," - I wanted to understand. The narrative I internalized as a Christian, as an American, was that the Holocaust happened because 'good people did nothing.' And yet, there's books like, "Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed," and the movie, "Schindler's List." This week I realized this narrative is patently false. Good people during the Holocaust were not doing nothing. They were acting. They were hiding Jews and helping them flee the country. Average people watched their neighbors put on Stars of David and be hauled away, never to be seen again. And did nothing. Are they good people? I think we call them that to assuage our own consciences. What if we're faced with a similar situation and respond similarly? We're still 'good,' right?
Morally speaking, if this kind of persecution comes, we can't sit by and do nothing, and call ourselves good. Or Christians. We must act, We must resist. I can't believe I'm saying that. One fundamental truth I've had to accept about myself is that I am not an activist. I really have no desire to protest. I'll teach, I'll preach, but facing off with the powers that be with a large group of people in a public place causes me great anxiety and is not really where I want to be. I had accepted this about myself; but this election has awakened the activist in me. I can foresee that in the not-distant future, I will be present at marches, at actions, using whatever privilege and resources I have to resist what is coming next. When the president-elect stacks his administration with bigots and white supremacists, the writing is on the wall. We must stand up to and reject this, and protect those who are now being targeted by run-of-the-mill, everyday hate-filled bigots.
I still have a "#nevertrump" sticker on my car. I looked forward to taking it off on November 9th. Apparently it's going to be on there until 2020. I have never put anything political on my vehicles. This year was different. My son said I'll have to take that off when he becomes president or I'll get arrested. "No. This is still America, and I still have freedom of speech. I can't be arrested for saying this." But why is my son worried about this? I've seen plenty of terrible bumper stickers about President Obama in the past eight years. It's their right to say those things. So my sticker is staying on my car. And also, I got a compliment on it yesterday afternoon.
A week later, it's just barely hitting me: the grief for what almost was. We almost had a shot at moving toward more progressive legislation, to finally breaking the glass ceiling. We almost had it all. But instead, we're now contemplating how to keep Muslims, and immigrants, and LGBTQ folks and people of color safe. Part of the rage I feel is grounded in the reality that the future is not going to be good, not what I wanted or imagined. That now my time and energy has to be directed to fighting for equality and safety for people that should be pre-ordained. If the popular vote winner was the winner, we would be moving forward right now. Instead, we're moving backward. It's horrifying.
One thing that Nazi Germany didn't have that we do is states. I growing increasingly convinced that a primary locus of resistance will be at the state level. To that extent, I'm grateful to be in California, a blue state that tends to reject much of these ideals. So how can we let the state leaders know that we stand with them to resist mass deportation and Muslim registry? How can we encourage our state government to protect the people here and refuse to participate in these illegal and immoral policies? That's where I want to focus a lot of my time and energy.
A final thought: I found myself being drawn to listen to a song I haven't played in years: "Dear Mr. President" by Pink and the Indigo Girlz. It struck me how it was cathartic to hear again, giving voice to my questions and anger. And yet, the song ends with Pink singing, "Dear Mr. President, you'd never take a walk with me." The truth of that line directed to GWB was a nod to his elitism and ignorance/distance from the people he leads. But hearing it now, I realized I wouldn't want to take a walk with this president-elect, because it wouldn't be safe for me to do so. He has made it clear that he can access women's bodies any way and any time he wants to. I'm not interested in testing those words because I believe he was telling the truth. This is truly a sick reality we've landed ourselves in.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes we could go back and change a few things. Of course we can't undo what has been done, and it sucks to have traded one set of anxiety for a whole new set that feels devoid of hope. So now, as we look to the future, let us plan, and coordinate and resolve that no matter what, we will not let fascism win here. That the Church will not allow history to repeat itself. The writing is on the wall - we see it. So, let us act.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Sunday, November 13, 2016
It's the end of the world as we know it. And I'm horrified.
The past few days have been a shit storm. I have so much I want to say, and rather than post endlessly on facebook, I thought I'd try to contain it all in one tidy blog post. My goal is to speak to those who voted for Trump, and/or those who want to take the position of "what's the big deal?" Maybe none of them will read this, but I have to try. I think we're in a moment of time and space where we have to keep trying to help people understand. There's a lot of really good posts out there already, and I don't know if I have anything new to add, but I still want to try. So here I go.
First, I want to respond to things I've seen repeatedly or have been said to me.
1) "Give him a chance."
We have no choice but to do this. Trump won the electoral college. He will take power. We've given him chances for over a year to do the right thing - show himself to be a decent, rational human. He has not done that. And what is his first tweet? A denunciation of the protests* like a whiny, spoiled brat. "It's unfair." IT'S THE CONSTITUTION. It's our fundamental inalienable rights to free speech and assembly. At least for now we have them. I'm not interested in giving him more chances to take those away (which I do think are coming very rapidly - he is already blocking the media).
[*A note on the protests. Let's ask: why now? I don't believe there have ever been protests like this following an election. Why this time? Why this person? It has something to do with the popular vote versus electoral college, perhaps. But it also has to do with who this person is, and the things he has promised to do. This is not about sore losers. People have lost in every election and don't protest. This is different. This is borne out of genuine fear that less than half of those who cast votes have put a fascist dictator (as evidenced by his own words and promises) into power. That is why people are protesting, and I'm all for it as long as they are peaceful. I can never condone violence or vandalism and I know the protesters themselves are trying to clamp down on this. But trust me, there is much more of this to come. Too many of us are not willing to let this country quietly go the way of Germany in the 1930s.]
2) "He won. Just move on."
He won the electoral college, but not the popular vote. More people don't want him than do. But yes, he is now president-elect. I get that. Claiming he won, like George W. Bush before him, is just not entirely true. In a direct democracy (which maybe we'll finally get now) he would be heading off on the 6 month vacation he vowed to take if he lost.
'Just move on' is the worst. This is the epitome of privilege. So many people's lives will be decimated by this power shift. People who say 'just move on' believe there is something to move on to. For many people in this country, now there is not. What do we have to look forward to? A loss of medical insurance? The degradation of the planet? An exponential rise in hate crimes (already happening)? End to marriage equality? An end to freedom of the press? Mass deportation? He has promised all of this and it's right there in his 100 days plan. No, we will not move on to that. There is no hope in any of that. Maybe you don't care about all of this, but many of us (nearly 61 million, more than a half million - and counting - more than those who voted for him) do.
3) "We have to respect him. He's the president."
This year is different. I wish so badly this was Mitt Romney or John McCain that just got elected. I disagree with most of their policies. But they are decent people. They don't spread vile rhetoric and hate speech or incite their followers to violence. They are respectable people. Trump is not a respectable person. He is a bully, a misogynist, a racist. He is morally bankrupt. I respect the office of the president. I do not respect him.
To be clear: my baptismal vows call me to respect the dignity of every human being. Trump is a child of God. He has a right to exist and live his life, and be treated as such. I stand up for that as I would for any other person. But we are also called to not participate in perpetuating evil systems, and his words (and potential policies) will do that. So we have to denounce them, and to the extent that he embodies them, good people - Christians - have to oppose him.
Also, I have seen people arguing that God can use deeply sinful people, and then citing Abraham, Moses, David, etc. Absolutely. God can use anyone God wants to. All of those biblical figures, while sinners, also were FAITHFUL people. They listened to God. They repented. Thus far, I don't see much in DT's actions to indicate a similar faith commitment on his part. Maybe I'm wrong, I pray I am. But we should be careful not to believe that just because a person ascends to power that that means God wants him there. Plenty of leaders have believed themselves to be God and have done terrible, inhumane things as a result. Part of the beauty of our governmental system is that we are supposed to have curtailed power in each branch of government so that a despotic leader can be controlled. We shall see how this goes, but I don't feel super hopeful right now.
4) "Not everyone who voted for him is racist or sexist."
This is hard for me. I have family and friends who voted for him. I wish I didn't know that for a fact, but I do. I get that people may be looking at a single issue (or several) that compelled them to vote for him. Does that automatically make them racist/sexist/xenophobic? When it comes to issues of power, we have to take the totality into account. People who voted for him due to economics, or to 'drain the swamp,' or abortion also bring about all of the other outcomes: loss of healthcare, deportations, rise in hate crimes, rise in sexual harassment/assault, etc. Those outcomes harm and kill people. Real people. Maybe that wasn't your intention. But that's the result. And the lack of denunciation of these crimes from Trump and his ilk is further proof and validation that they are either not bothered by it or, worse, support it. Which further inscribes the truth of the racism (and all other -isms) of our society.
I've spent the days since the election professionally and personally sitting with terrified people. People who are not ok and likely will not be ok. People who now have to rush to get prescriptions filled and medical things attended to before the ACA is repealed (yes, they can do that and will). People who no longer know if they can finish their studies here either because immigration will forcibly remove them or because the anti-immigrant hate is so strong that it will no longer be safe for them to be here.
[I went over to the protest on campus at the MU Thursday, briefly. When the students started chanting, "Say it loud, say it clear: immigrants are welcome here!" I started to cry. My great grandparents were immigrants. Unless you are of Native American descent, you or your ancestors were also immigrants. I can't believe this has to be stated! In America. And yet, this is where we are.]
This is a collective moral failure: that racism/sexism, etc. continues so strongly in our country. That it is so strong that Trump could say the things he has said and still be elected. Is each individual racist? No. However, each individual prioritized whatever their "issue" was over all of this - over the lives and safety of real people. And they did so because in America it was 'ok' to do so. That's problematic. I get that saying this is uncomfortable to hear. A family member unfriended me for saying it. That's deeply painful to me. But if we are truly going to "move on" then this has to change, and it won't if we continue to refuse to name it and call it out as unacceptable.
5) "We need to be united now."
I want peace. I want compromise. I want to work with people who have very different views than I do to solve the many and various problems we face. I have faith in our system of government of checks and balances. Like Socrates in the Phaedo, I have chosen to live here, and so that means I must agree with the laws of the land. If I don't agree with them then I should live elsewhere (this presupposes we have the ability to do that, but that's another post). By staying, we accept these laws and this government. I believe in America and our form of government, even if I'm critical of it (and it's been designed to handle such disagreement!) at times. However, now a fascist proto-dictator has ascended with no checks and balances. Republicans control both the House and Senate. His agenda will likely easily pass, and yes, he does have some power to do some of it on his own (hasn't that been a primary complaint against President Obama from conservatives?). He has unprecedented power, a deep lack of knowledge as to how to govern, and so the call to be united walks a fine line between compromise and complying with this regime. Many of us cannot comply with fascism, even though refusing to do that comes with great risk. It's devastating because we need compromise so badly right now, but since that entails give and take, I just don't see that happening. Congress has blocked and impeded the government's progress in order to avoid compromising with President Obama. So while voters claim this was a vote to 'drain the swamp,' they kept many of the same politicians in office, and DT seems to be turning to the usual Washington insiders to run things in his administration.
I love dialogue. This was part of what drew me to philosophy - I want to be able to exchange and nurture ideas, gaining wisdom and knowledge in the process. I try to read websites and editorials from people with whom's political positions I disagree. I listen to radio talk shows from time to time that are dominated by views and perspectives I don't share. I do this partly to "hear the other side," so I know what they're saying and thinking and can then respond. But I also do it so that I can be challenged in my own thought processes. Can I defend my ideals and values? Can we work together for better solutions that would enhance people's quality of life and end suffering?
And yet now, I must admit, there's a major impulse in me to want to separate from those who have helped elevate this man to the most powerful position in the world. Having spent so much time with people who are deeply hurt and scared by this outcome, recognizing that my fear for them doesn't even scratch the surface of what they feel because as a cis-hetero-white woman, I am unlikely to be targeted too viciously (although sexual harassment and assault is absolutely on the rise now thanks to the Pussy-grabber-in-chief, and while rape culture is already the norm, it is certainly now worse than before), and I won't be deported or harassed with racial slurs or accusations of being a terrorist. So if I am emotionally spent and scared, I can imagine how much deeper it is for people who are easier targets. It's hard for me to dig up understanding for Trump supporters in this aftermath, but I do want to keep trying. Some are now finally seeing what they have done and expressing remorse/regret. That's a step in the right direction. Too many are doubling down with these horrific platitudes I've unpacked in this blog. Still more are silent.
The New York Times has called on Trump to denounce the hate-crimes and tell his supporters to stop this. If you voted for him but "don't hate anyone" then speak out! Hold him and those in your community accountable for this behavior. It will not just go away. It's like a monster has been unleashed, and so it has to be called out, and eradicated. All of us, regardless of how we voted, can and must be part of that.
What now?
Ok so I think it's time for prayer and action. This is still America and for now, we still have certain rights to use to affect change. I want to commit to a couple of things:
1) Continue to speak out. People may not like what I have to say. Good people cannot be silent anymore. I may lose relationships over this choice. I will grieve for that. On the other hand, I will dialogue with anyone who wants to (dialogue is an attempt to reach mutual understanding, arguing is to make ourselves right - I'm interested in the former, not the latter). I have a glimmer of hope that as this unfolds people will want to join forces to change this society from the ground up. Hearts and minds can change. I will pray for and work toward that end.
2) Find ways to make it known that I will not be complicit in harming people. Wearing a safety pin is one way, perhaps. I'm pondering potentially wearing my clergy collar in public a lot more. I'm well aware that it doesn't carry the same weight as a man in a collar, but it might enable me to intervene and be present for people in ways that if I was in regular clothes, I wouldn't be able to.
3) When I see something I will say something. This takes a lot of courage and risk on our parts, but as Aristotle has said, doing the right thing is almost never easy. If it was, we would all always do it.
4) Furthermore, I will support organizations that will be most needed and most attacked in the coming era. Whenever Republicans are in control, human needs spike because funding for services and resources get cut. A non-profit colleague told me long ago that in those times, we just batten down the hatches and wait those terms out. But this is different. Funds will certainly dry up which will make needs much greater, but the threat to so many other aspects of our lives: health care, freedom of speech, education, etc, are now also on the line, so I need to be willing to help fund organizations that are equipped to do this work. I was included in an email chain a few weeks ago among Trump supporters. Instead of responding in anger, I made a donation to Hillary's campaign for each email received. I think I'll make some more donations for those emails, and facebook posts, etc., this time to Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. That this is happening can leave us feeling helpless, but there are definitely things we can do, and using our funds in this way is one of them.
5) I'll continue to love. To love God and love my neighbors (all of you) as myself. That means loving the vulnerable and oppressed, and also loving my - and their - enemies and praying for those who are doing terrible things right now. I will pray fervently for our elected officials and all in government, that they may seek justice in all they say and do for all people.
And hopefully I can post on here from time to time. I think we all need to be brushing up on our Bonhoeffer and MLK, and those who are in positions of privilege (who can 'move on') need to listen and listen some more. If we see something, we have to say something. We knew major healing would be necessary after this election. Maybe healing is not possible yet, but we do need to face the 'what now?' question. Let's do that together, regardless of who you supported.
First, I want to respond to things I've seen repeatedly or have been said to me.
1) "Give him a chance."
We have no choice but to do this. Trump won the electoral college. He will take power. We've given him chances for over a year to do the right thing - show himself to be a decent, rational human. He has not done that. And what is his first tweet? A denunciation of the protests* like a whiny, spoiled brat. "It's unfair." IT'S THE CONSTITUTION. It's our fundamental inalienable rights to free speech and assembly. At least for now we have them. I'm not interested in giving him more chances to take those away (which I do think are coming very rapidly - he is already blocking the media).
[*A note on the protests. Let's ask: why now? I don't believe there have ever been protests like this following an election. Why this time? Why this person? It has something to do with the popular vote versus electoral college, perhaps. But it also has to do with who this person is, and the things he has promised to do. This is not about sore losers. People have lost in every election and don't protest. This is different. This is borne out of genuine fear that less than half of those who cast votes have put a fascist dictator (as evidenced by his own words and promises) into power. That is why people are protesting, and I'm all for it as long as they are peaceful. I can never condone violence or vandalism and I know the protesters themselves are trying to clamp down on this. But trust me, there is much more of this to come. Too many of us are not willing to let this country quietly go the way of Germany in the 1930s.]
2) "He won. Just move on."
He won the electoral college, but not the popular vote. More people don't want him than do. But yes, he is now president-elect. I get that. Claiming he won, like George W. Bush before him, is just not entirely true. In a direct democracy (which maybe we'll finally get now) he would be heading off on the 6 month vacation he vowed to take if he lost.
'Just move on' is the worst. This is the epitome of privilege. So many people's lives will be decimated by this power shift. People who say 'just move on' believe there is something to move on to. For many people in this country, now there is not. What do we have to look forward to? A loss of medical insurance? The degradation of the planet? An exponential rise in hate crimes (already happening)? End to marriage equality? An end to freedom of the press? Mass deportation? He has promised all of this and it's right there in his 100 days plan. No, we will not move on to that. There is no hope in any of that. Maybe you don't care about all of this, but many of us (nearly 61 million, more than a half million - and counting - more than those who voted for him) do.
3) "We have to respect him. He's the president."
This year is different. I wish so badly this was Mitt Romney or John McCain that just got elected. I disagree with most of their policies. But they are decent people. They don't spread vile rhetoric and hate speech or incite their followers to violence. They are respectable people. Trump is not a respectable person. He is a bully, a misogynist, a racist. He is morally bankrupt. I respect the office of the president. I do not respect him.
To be clear: my baptismal vows call me to respect the dignity of every human being. Trump is a child of God. He has a right to exist and live his life, and be treated as such. I stand up for that as I would for any other person. But we are also called to not participate in perpetuating evil systems, and his words (and potential policies) will do that. So we have to denounce them, and to the extent that he embodies them, good people - Christians - have to oppose him.
Also, I have seen people arguing that God can use deeply sinful people, and then citing Abraham, Moses, David, etc. Absolutely. God can use anyone God wants to. All of those biblical figures, while sinners, also were FAITHFUL people. They listened to God. They repented. Thus far, I don't see much in DT's actions to indicate a similar faith commitment on his part. Maybe I'm wrong, I pray I am. But we should be careful not to believe that just because a person ascends to power that that means God wants him there. Plenty of leaders have believed themselves to be God and have done terrible, inhumane things as a result. Part of the beauty of our governmental system is that we are supposed to have curtailed power in each branch of government so that a despotic leader can be controlled. We shall see how this goes, but I don't feel super hopeful right now.
4) "Not everyone who voted for him is racist or sexist."
This is hard for me. I have family and friends who voted for him. I wish I didn't know that for a fact, but I do. I get that people may be looking at a single issue (or several) that compelled them to vote for him. Does that automatically make them racist/sexist/xenophobic? When it comes to issues of power, we have to take the totality into account. People who voted for him due to economics, or to 'drain the swamp,' or abortion also bring about all of the other outcomes: loss of healthcare, deportations, rise in hate crimes, rise in sexual harassment/assault, etc. Those outcomes harm and kill people. Real people. Maybe that wasn't your intention. But that's the result. And the lack of denunciation of these crimes from Trump and his ilk is further proof and validation that they are either not bothered by it or, worse, support it. Which further inscribes the truth of the racism (and all other -isms) of our society.
I've spent the days since the election professionally and personally sitting with terrified people. People who are not ok and likely will not be ok. People who now have to rush to get prescriptions filled and medical things attended to before the ACA is repealed (yes, they can do that and will). People who no longer know if they can finish their studies here either because immigration will forcibly remove them or because the anti-immigrant hate is so strong that it will no longer be safe for them to be here.
[I went over to the protest on campus at the MU Thursday, briefly. When the students started chanting, "Say it loud, say it clear: immigrants are welcome here!" I started to cry. My great grandparents were immigrants. Unless you are of Native American descent, you or your ancestors were also immigrants. I can't believe this has to be stated! In America. And yet, this is where we are.]
This is a collective moral failure: that racism/sexism, etc. continues so strongly in our country. That it is so strong that Trump could say the things he has said and still be elected. Is each individual racist? No. However, each individual prioritized whatever their "issue" was over all of this - over the lives and safety of real people. And they did so because in America it was 'ok' to do so. That's problematic. I get that saying this is uncomfortable to hear. A family member unfriended me for saying it. That's deeply painful to me. But if we are truly going to "move on" then this has to change, and it won't if we continue to refuse to name it and call it out as unacceptable.
5) "We need to be united now."
I want peace. I want compromise. I want to work with people who have very different views than I do to solve the many and various problems we face. I have faith in our system of government of checks and balances. Like Socrates in the Phaedo, I have chosen to live here, and so that means I must agree with the laws of the land. If I don't agree with them then I should live elsewhere (this presupposes we have the ability to do that, but that's another post). By staying, we accept these laws and this government. I believe in America and our form of government, even if I'm critical of it (and it's been designed to handle such disagreement!) at times. However, now a fascist proto-dictator has ascended with no checks and balances. Republicans control both the House and Senate. His agenda will likely easily pass, and yes, he does have some power to do some of it on his own (hasn't that been a primary complaint against President Obama from conservatives?). He has unprecedented power, a deep lack of knowledge as to how to govern, and so the call to be united walks a fine line between compromise and complying with this regime. Many of us cannot comply with fascism, even though refusing to do that comes with great risk. It's devastating because we need compromise so badly right now, but since that entails give and take, I just don't see that happening. Congress has blocked and impeded the government's progress in order to avoid compromising with President Obama. So while voters claim this was a vote to 'drain the swamp,' they kept many of the same politicians in office, and DT seems to be turning to the usual Washington insiders to run things in his administration.
I love dialogue. This was part of what drew me to philosophy - I want to be able to exchange and nurture ideas, gaining wisdom and knowledge in the process. I try to read websites and editorials from people with whom's political positions I disagree. I listen to radio talk shows from time to time that are dominated by views and perspectives I don't share. I do this partly to "hear the other side," so I know what they're saying and thinking and can then respond. But I also do it so that I can be challenged in my own thought processes. Can I defend my ideals and values? Can we work together for better solutions that would enhance people's quality of life and end suffering?
And yet now, I must admit, there's a major impulse in me to want to separate from those who have helped elevate this man to the most powerful position in the world. Having spent so much time with people who are deeply hurt and scared by this outcome, recognizing that my fear for them doesn't even scratch the surface of what they feel because as a cis-hetero-white woman, I am unlikely to be targeted too viciously (although sexual harassment and assault is absolutely on the rise now thanks to the Pussy-grabber-in-chief, and while rape culture is already the norm, it is certainly now worse than before), and I won't be deported or harassed with racial slurs or accusations of being a terrorist. So if I am emotionally spent and scared, I can imagine how much deeper it is for people who are easier targets. It's hard for me to dig up understanding for Trump supporters in this aftermath, but I do want to keep trying. Some are now finally seeing what they have done and expressing remorse/regret. That's a step in the right direction. Too many are doubling down with these horrific platitudes I've unpacked in this blog. Still more are silent.
The New York Times has called on Trump to denounce the hate-crimes and tell his supporters to stop this. If you voted for him but "don't hate anyone" then speak out! Hold him and those in your community accountable for this behavior. It will not just go away. It's like a monster has been unleashed, and so it has to be called out, and eradicated. All of us, regardless of how we voted, can and must be part of that.
What now?
Ok so I think it's time for prayer and action. This is still America and for now, we still have certain rights to use to affect change. I want to commit to a couple of things:
1) Continue to speak out. People may not like what I have to say. Good people cannot be silent anymore. I may lose relationships over this choice. I will grieve for that. On the other hand, I will dialogue with anyone who wants to (dialogue is an attempt to reach mutual understanding, arguing is to make ourselves right - I'm interested in the former, not the latter). I have a glimmer of hope that as this unfolds people will want to join forces to change this society from the ground up. Hearts and minds can change. I will pray for and work toward that end.
2) Find ways to make it known that I will not be complicit in harming people. Wearing a safety pin is one way, perhaps. I'm pondering potentially wearing my clergy collar in public a lot more. I'm well aware that it doesn't carry the same weight as a man in a collar, but it might enable me to intervene and be present for people in ways that if I was in regular clothes, I wouldn't be able to.
3) When I see something I will say something. This takes a lot of courage and risk on our parts, but as Aristotle has said, doing the right thing is almost never easy. If it was, we would all always do it.
4) Furthermore, I will support organizations that will be most needed and most attacked in the coming era. Whenever Republicans are in control, human needs spike because funding for services and resources get cut. A non-profit colleague told me long ago that in those times, we just batten down the hatches and wait those terms out. But this is different. Funds will certainly dry up which will make needs much greater, but the threat to so many other aspects of our lives: health care, freedom of speech, education, etc, are now also on the line, so I need to be willing to help fund organizations that are equipped to do this work. I was included in an email chain a few weeks ago among Trump supporters. Instead of responding in anger, I made a donation to Hillary's campaign for each email received. I think I'll make some more donations for those emails, and facebook posts, etc., this time to Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. That this is happening can leave us feeling helpless, but there are definitely things we can do, and using our funds in this way is one of them.
5) I'll continue to love. To love God and love my neighbors (all of you) as myself. That means loving the vulnerable and oppressed, and also loving my - and their - enemies and praying for those who are doing terrible things right now. I will pray fervently for our elected officials and all in government, that they may seek justice in all they say and do for all people.
And hopefully I can post on here from time to time. I think we all need to be brushing up on our Bonhoeffer and MLK, and those who are in positions of privilege (who can 'move on') need to listen and listen some more. If we see something, we have to say something. We knew major healing would be necessary after this election. Maybe healing is not possible yet, but we do need to face the 'what now?' question. Let's do that together, regardless of who you supported.
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