Waking up with horror and disbelief of what happened last night...
Panic about having to face what happened causing you to try and "run away"...
Looking at the evidence of what happened and wanting to gnaw your own arm off to get away from it...
That is how I feel today, but probably not for the reasons you might expect. I don't feel that way because of who was or wasn't elected. I am ashamed and grieved by who we as a nation have allowed ourselves to become.
It is a funny thing...
We were taught in grade school to mind our manners; to say "please" and "thank you", "yes sir" and "yes ma'am". We were told to treat others with respect, the way we would want to be treated, regardless of our differences or how we have been treated. As adults, we tell children that having tantrums when they don't get their way is not acceptable. We discourage bullying, name calling, resorting to physical violence and gossip/slander. We preach "tolerance".
--- YET ---
When it comes to anyone with a view that is different than ours, (or a candidate that we didn't vote for winning an election), all of those principals and values seem to just fly right out the window.
People keep asking "What has happened to our country?"
It's simple.
The same rules do not apply to everyone.
Adults are melting down and having full blown tantrums because they did not get their way. They are calling each other all manner of names and making accusations about a person's character with absolutely no evidence to substantiate them. People are disrupting the lives of others, destroying property that does not belong to them, and ending relationships all because they disagree.
If it is not okay for our children to behave in such a manner, HOW is it okay for adults to do so?!
COME ON, PEOPLE!
You want to know "what's wrong" with the United States? THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG.
I don't care who wins an election, you don't get to have a tantrum about it. You don't get to destroy property. You don't get to be disrespectful and abusive to others.
Not cool, y'all, not cool.
I have voted in 5 elections. The candidate I voted for has not always won. I have never trashed the people who voted differently than myself. I have never destroyed property because I didn't like the outcome. I have never tried to leave my country because I didn't get my way. I have never accused voters on the "other side" of all manner of unseemly things and basically being deplorable people simply because we do not agree on everything.
It is disappointing, and frankly disgusting, to watch adults being consumed with bitterness and hatred and being so completely destructive and divisive instead of conducting themselves with dignity and showing mature respect for others.
Who are we teaching the future generations to be?
We are showing them, with our words and actions, how to treat others.
We are showing them how to handle disappointment.
We are showing them how to respond to challenges.
As a mother, I can tell you, they are watching. They are taking it all in. They are learning through observation. But what are they learning?
They are learning to hate anyone who is different than them.
They are learning that they are somehow "superior" and "more valuable" because of their beliefs or political affiliation.
They are learning that difference of opinion isn't an opportunity to learn something, or understand a different perspective. Instead, they are learning that opposing opinions create the opportunity for them to make judgments about others. That slander and defamation of character are good practices, because that's what it is when you call people names and make baseless accusations about the quality of their character.
They are learning that it is okay to be violent and destructive when you don't get what you want or like the way something was done.
They are learning how to use their words to draw blood, to wound others, and to ultimately "go for the kill".
They are learning that there is no value in relationships apart from what you can get from them because they are to be abandoned when the other person doesn't do what you want.
They are learning that family and friends are enemies when they don't do/say/think the same way.
Is that really what we want to teach them?
The morning after isn't the time for negativity, hatred, abuse, violence, further division, and all manner of destructive behaviors. It is the time to reach out a hand and begin to bridge the gap. Instead of continuing the destruction, we need to put on our "big kid undies" and work together for a better future. We need to take responsibility for our future instead of putting all of the responsibility on someone else only to tear them down when they don't meet our expectations. If we want things to be different we have to do them differently. All of us are responsible for change.
This election has left our nation painfully divided. Now is not the time to drive the stake further, it is the time for healing to begin. That means we need to humble ourselves and apologize for the way we have treated each other. We need to stop trying to "decimate" one another and start respecting each other. Instead of condemning, we need to try to understand. Above all... we need to love.
We can be better than this.
We need to be better than this.
We need to set the example for future generations.
We need to be the change that we want to see.
No candidate can do that for us.
Be safe. Be kind. Love one another.
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