I've got to get this off my chest. I have been in love with politics and the democratic process since Mr. Hadfield's civ class my senior year of high school. It hasn't always been a pretty relationship and I haven't always been satisfied with its results, but this week has left me particularly heartbroken. Heartbroken not because of our new President-elect (although he wasn't my first choice), but because of the toxic atmosphere that has seemed to settle in the election's aftermath. Although we were not particularly upset by the outcomes of the election, my husband and I still felt solemn on Wednesday morning. We couldn't retaliate against hateful things being said by supporters of Hillary Clinton, because we recognized that hate comes from fear. And we knew that if we had woken up to a Democratic President, House, and Senate, we would likewise be fearful for what that meant for our political ideals. So we decided to stay silent about it. And I felt the sadness that so many others felt that day; I do try to take seriously a promise that I have made to mourn with those that mourn. Plus, there are some people who voted for Trump that truly have reacted in disgusting ways. I am heartbroken for anyone who has endured any sort of persecution this week from hateful people who must truly be bigots or at least raised by them. These people aren't who I am writing about here, and I pray that they don't represent the majority of those who voted for Trump. Even so, I don't think that politics should necessarily be blamed for what's happening.
I don't want to lay blame on any one group of society in this country. I don't want to spark any sort of argument or even create a space for others to launch an attack on "the other side." That's probably why I felt like this was appropriate for my own space, where it might not even be read by many (if anyone at all), rather than the blood-bath that is social media right now. Call me human, but I'd rather not be figuratively drawn and quartered for expressing my own thoughts, which seems to be the trend on Facebook these days. And why would that potentially happen for expressing my opinions there? Because they aren't popular, which somehow has come to making them wrong altogether.
As has been expressed all over the internet since the results came in late Tuesday night, it is becoming more and more apparent that the United States of America is two different countries. Liberal and Conservative. Urban and Rural. Black and white. Millennials and the "older generation." Feminists and degenerate misogynists. The educated, and the backwoods hillbillies without college educations that handed this election to the President-elect. If there was one philosophical concept I learned to despise while studying psychology in college, it was the old-fashioned, outdated dichotomy. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why a society that prides itself in all things new and shiny and progressive, is clinging to dichotomies as if they are the only way to describe what has seemingly rocked the world this week. Haven't we learned that humans can't be categorized so neatly?
It first started when I saw an article floating around Facebook that basically condemned white women for robbing HRC of the White House. In a historic election, where many women were realizing the culmination of their life's work, the work of the suffragettes and generations of feminists, I was shocked to see this article, criticizing some women for using their supposed hard-earned right to vote, because although they had used their freedom to vote for their choice, they had not done so correctly. I have tried my hardest to stay away from personal attacks on HRC throughout this election. I do not agree with her politics and I do not agree with the way she has handled her office. But let me make it clear that just because I do not fit in the group that was proud to vote for her as the first female President of the United States, does not mean that I wouldn't have proudly voted for a woman who I did find qualified to represent the policies and ideas I would like to see implemented over the next four to eight years. Just because I did not vote for Hillary does not mean I have any less respect or admiration for Susan B. Anthony or any other woman who has sacrificed so much to guarantee me my right to vote. And I don't believe that the majority of the women who voted for candidates other than Hillary could fit this false dichotomy either.
It popped up again when I saw a similar post showing the statistics of levels of college education (or the lack thereof) in large numbers of those who voted for Donald Trump. These also happened to be mostly middle-aged men and women (let's not forget to mention that they were white). My mind went back a few months to one of the large topics of debate in this election: the right to a college education at an affordable price. And suddenly I realized that so many people who had been fighting for this right, were now condemning those who did not receive it. As a first-generation college graduate, I felt personally attacked and offended by this article that seemed to say that my parents and grandparents were unintelligent people because they do not hold a college degree. I know that this is definitely not the case. (The irony of this dichotomy is that a larger number of voters with college degrees voted for Romney than Obama in 2012. While I do recognize that the number tapers of for postgraduate educations.)
Things like this have been circling around me all week, making it very obvious that we are a country that celebrates diversity and differences in opinion, unless your brand of diversity is not one that is accepted by those lobbying for this very right. I came across this article earlier today, which seems to almost perfectly summarize what I've been trying to explain to myself all week. This article, "The smug style in American liberalism" was uncomfortable to read, and I think that's what makes it so important. There is a new class of elitism in this country. (Now go read the article, and I apologize for any offensive language in it.)
After I've expressed all of this though, the problem isn't solved. It's not okay that there are minorities in this country fearing for their safety right now (see the Twitter post above). It's not okay that Trump-supporters are also having their lives threatened. But as much as I disagree with the things Mr. Trump has said during this election regarding minority groups (whether they are legitimately his opinion or a part of a campaign persona), I don't think that these outbursts are a result of Trump's politics. They are, however, a direct result of the society that we've allowed to be built around us. Trump is not causing this filth, he is evidence that it exists. A friend posted on Facebook that the real problem was the media we all listen to and watch. "Unfortunately or fortunately, most kids will probably actually hear about 20 minutes of Trump speaking. Yet they'll consume countless hours of music and entertainment. And none of us talk about this. We have no outcry about the terrible messages sent in our everyday media; nay, we worship it! We hold grand and lavish award ceremonies for people who sing about beating women and refer to women as "b*****s and h**s. Or we love Robert De Niro for what he said about Trump, but have nothing to say about his despicable movie "Dirty Grandpa". Or worse, we go and watch and laugh at it! Media and entertainment are going to influence your children's morals much more than the president ever will."
And so, I'm making a plea, if with no one else, then just with myself. We have to move forward with optimism and hope. We have to love our neighbors and those around us, whether we agree with them or not. We have to teach our children to love, not hate. We have to teach them morality in its various shapes (for I try not to claim that my sense of morality should also serve as your compass). The person sitting in the oval office should hold no sway over how we treat each other as fellow Americans and just as human beings in general. I don't know if the maxim has ever been more true or important: United we stand, divided we fall. By looking at the popular vote in this election, it is obvious that almost exactly half of the country (or those that voted, at least) was going to be disappointed by the outcome of the election. That doesn't mean that we have to turn against each other. I pray that we can still find common ground in the humanity that bonds us.
I don't want to lay blame on any one group of society in this country. I don't want to spark any sort of argument or even create a space for others to launch an attack on "the other side." That's probably why I felt like this was appropriate for my own space, where it might not even be read by many (if anyone at all), rather than the blood-bath that is social media right now. Call me human, but I'd rather not be figuratively drawn and quartered for expressing my own thoughts, which seems to be the trend on Facebook these days. And why would that potentially happen for expressing my opinions there? Because they aren't popular, which somehow has come to making them wrong altogether.
As has been expressed all over the internet since the results came in late Tuesday night, it is becoming more and more apparent that the United States of America is two different countries. Liberal and Conservative. Urban and Rural. Black and white. Millennials and the "older generation." Feminists and degenerate misogynists. The educated, and the backwoods hillbillies without college educations that handed this election to the President-elect. If there was one philosophical concept I learned to despise while studying psychology in college, it was the old-fashioned, outdated dichotomy. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why a society that prides itself in all things new and shiny and progressive, is clinging to dichotomies as if they are the only way to describe what has seemingly rocked the world this week. Haven't we learned that humans can't be categorized so neatly?
It first started when I saw an article floating around Facebook that basically condemned white women for robbing HRC of the White House. In a historic election, where many women were realizing the culmination of their life's work, the work of the suffragettes and generations of feminists, I was shocked to see this article, criticizing some women for using their supposed hard-earned right to vote, because although they had used their freedom to vote for their choice, they had not done so correctly. I have tried my hardest to stay away from personal attacks on HRC throughout this election. I do not agree with her politics and I do not agree with the way she has handled her office. But let me make it clear that just because I do not fit in the group that was proud to vote for her as the first female President of the United States, does not mean that I wouldn't have proudly voted for a woman who I did find qualified to represent the policies and ideas I would like to see implemented over the next four to eight years. Just because I did not vote for Hillary does not mean I have any less respect or admiration for Susan B. Anthony or any other woman who has sacrificed so much to guarantee me my right to vote. And I don't believe that the majority of the women who voted for candidates other than Hillary could fit this false dichotomy either.
It popped up again when I saw a similar post showing the statistics of levels of college education (or the lack thereof) in large numbers of those who voted for Donald Trump. These also happened to be mostly middle-aged men and women (let's not forget to mention that they were white). My mind went back a few months to one of the large topics of debate in this election: the right to a college education at an affordable price. And suddenly I realized that so many people who had been fighting for this right, were now condemning those who did not receive it. As a first-generation college graduate, I felt personally attacked and offended by this article that seemed to say that my parents and grandparents were unintelligent people because they do not hold a college degree. I know that this is definitely not the case. (The irony of this dichotomy is that a larger number of voters with college degrees voted for Romney than Obama in 2012. While I do recognize that the number tapers of for postgraduate educations.)
Things like this have been circling around me all week, making it very obvious that we are a country that celebrates diversity and differences in opinion, unless your brand of diversity is not one that is accepted by those lobbying for this very right. I came across this article earlier today, which seems to almost perfectly summarize what I've been trying to explain to myself all week. This article, "The smug style in American liberalism" was uncomfortable to read, and I think that's what makes it so important. There is a new class of elitism in this country. (Now go read the article, and I apologize for any offensive language in it.)
After I've expressed all of this though, the problem isn't solved. It's not okay that there are minorities in this country fearing for their safety right now (see the Twitter post above). It's not okay that Trump-supporters are also having their lives threatened. But as much as I disagree with the things Mr. Trump has said during this election regarding minority groups (whether they are legitimately his opinion or a part of a campaign persona), I don't think that these outbursts are a result of Trump's politics. They are, however, a direct result of the society that we've allowed to be built around us. Trump is not causing this filth, he is evidence that it exists. A friend posted on Facebook that the real problem was the media we all listen to and watch. "Unfortunately or fortunately, most kids will probably actually hear about 20 minutes of Trump speaking. Yet they'll consume countless hours of music and entertainment. And none of us talk about this. We have no outcry about the terrible messages sent in our everyday media; nay, we worship it! We hold grand and lavish award ceremonies for people who sing about beating women and refer to women as "b*****s and h**s. Or we love Robert De Niro for what he said about Trump, but have nothing to say about his despicable movie "Dirty Grandpa". Or worse, we go and watch and laugh at it! Media and entertainment are going to influence your children's morals much more than the president ever will."
And so, I'm making a plea, if with no one else, then just with myself. We have to move forward with optimism and hope. We have to love our neighbors and those around us, whether we agree with them or not. We have to teach our children to love, not hate. We have to teach them morality in its various shapes (for I try not to claim that my sense of morality should also serve as your compass). The person sitting in the oval office should hold no sway over how we treat each other as fellow Americans and just as human beings in general. I don't know if the maxim has ever been more true or important: United we stand, divided we fall. By looking at the popular vote in this election, it is obvious that almost exactly half of the country (or those that voted, at least) was going to be disappointed by the outcome of the election. That doesn't mean that we have to turn against each other. I pray that we can still find common ground in the humanity that bonds us.
