We are standing at a crossroads. The high road looks like the right one to take but with so many people going low you start to wonder if you can endure the hike. It feels like common sense is common anymore and all the guise of civility has been ripped off our shoulders. Why are we all of a sudden turning against each other? The entire world sits in judgment of the Millennials, the 75 million souls that are the promise of the future, who went out in droves to protest our new Chief ranting about how Bernie Sanders would have won it all if the DNC had selected him instead. Little did they know that the adults in the room where so out of touch with their plight that they would rather see one of their own fail than to let the Gen Y narrative permeate the discussion. This election was not about students and their debt. It was about the dwindling opportunities for workers everywhere due to the notion that minorities and the rich are taking their jobs. The working poor can’t care less about you and your fancy degrees.
Let us not be naive folks, there are more conservative, risk averse people in the USA than you may think and we owe it all to God. In the 1950s, the threat of Communism was so overwhelming that our leaders chose to throw God into the mix in the hopes of keeping this nature pure. Before this time, the Pledge of Allegiance didn’t say “under God” which literally divided a nation. The backlash of this decision is still felt because not all of our Gods’ values are compatible causing rifts in society because a cohesive definition or morality and family values cannot be agreed upon. This is why hijabs are being pulled off women and swastikas are painted everywhere. My God is better than yours; MY country better than yours. It is horrifying to live under this blatant contest especially if you have no one true God nor believe he exists.
On top of this animosity, any lunatic that appropriates the Gospel or the Word of God can convince desperate and humble folks to follow them, controlling them with lies and half truths to get inside their hearts and their wallets with the intention of build a better life for themselves. Have you wondered why so many new Churches and faiths spring up every year? It is a legal tax free way to con the people who are in need of a savior. If the collections money really went out into the communities these religions serve you’d see a much better and different reality. Sadly, there is no financial gain in pursuing the greater good. These things now happen only if a corporation or person of power stands to grow their influence and cash flow. 😦
I don’t solely blame the mix of religion in government or politics for the turmoil in the country. Ironically, faith is the only thing that will see us through, the one thing that cannot be oppressed or repressed at this stage. The belief that there is still good in people motivates many of us to look for the solutions to the current ailments in society and of the problems spotlighted by the election results. The hope for a brighter tomorrow gives us the passion, drive and patience to weather and persevere over the hard rhetoric and malfeasance in front of us. It may be tempting to blame the uneducated or poor but the political parties polarized the constituents over this election in a way that it made bold and proud voters out of the most vile and treacherous beliefs systems holders.
Maybe we should stop and listen to what they are truly saying looking past their hate speak and bigotry. Our fellow Americans need help. Do you have the balls and ovaries to use your education and passion to empathize and help them? The marginalized communities need us now more than ever. While we fought over how we were cheated out of free education and healthcare those providing us with food and basic services could barely feed and provide for their own. A degree doesn’t necessarily result in a high paying job or even a decent paying one so education needs to go beyond degrees and American Dreams and take root in financial planning and saving strategies. We must bring back trade schools and vocational retraining outlets for those who decide to skip college. Hard work and trades need to come back with a vengeance. Guess who promised the disenfranchised voters a chance to at least get closer to these things that would serve them? Not us, the stuck up liberal brats who complain about our iPhone 7s not having ear jacks when people are fighting for water on our own soil. The storytelling won the election. Now action needs to happen to make these promises happen. United fronts on the truly important issues is the key to our progress’ survival.
Have the courage to go out into the streets and save your environment from the negativity. Spread love and kindness. Let’s prove to the world that we won’t allow history to repeat itself. The end is near because we will begin a new journey. We will build something better. Take good stock of your own blessings and talents. As an educated group, those of us wielding degrees and knowledge are a minority. Using facts and data to convince our uneducated folks wasn’t going to win us the next election; good inclusive proposals and outreach will.
May I suggest we finally become the indivisible nation we once thought we were? With our common enemy, poverty and ignorance, putting on the line our civil rights, shouldn’t we concentrate on eradicating these evils? Furthermore, a lot of smart people got elected to Congress, more women than ever before actually. In this Trumpening, a Somali woman made it to Congress, one of the ill reputed refugees the Trumpsters fear. We must continue to do our part to diversify and include, to educate and promote social change that benefits us all, and to give comfort and perspective to the whiners and naysayers. All I see are opportunities to find allies and heal this nation once and for all. Lets reconcile the differences. Do you really think the bigots and the sexists are more than the rest of us? There is a lot at stake, a lot to lose, and even our new President Elect knows this. Find your center and inner peace. This will only get as bad as we allow it to become. It is time to Katniss up and fight to make this country greater than it has ever been so that our future generations have not only a planet to inherit but good vibes and opportunities. It gets darkest before the dawn. Wake up! The war to defend and honor what we most hold dear starts now.
With young voters asserting their loyalties lie with progress, as many of the 18-25 crowd exit polls being blue even in red states, I think the road to 2020 is a bit brighter than we claim it could be.
Maybe because I am 35 and always knew that this country wasn’t just mine but ours, my mind and spirit are already engaged in the battle that many now just realized existed. I am a minority, an exception to the rule, and a woman. Shit has always been real for me, way before finally working for “The Man”.
Don’t forget that all US Citizens and residents rights are protected by the Constitution and any attack on our Bill of Rights won’t go unpunished. Exercise your right to an opinion, to congregate, protest and express dissent with sound judgement and restraint. Take a step back from the anger and pain to realize our nonconformity stems from pettiness and our constant desire to be right even when we are wrong. The majority has spoken and the electoral college has helped the rural and marginalized communities in red states regain their voice. We need to get ours back as well.
Mrs. Enginerd - Nerd Whisperer 