Challenging Hillary and Trump Supporters

I never post political things on this blog, but there's a first time for everything.

My story probably isn’t any different than many others from election night. I spent the evening glued to the TV screen while texting back and forth with a good friend, spending hours planning our escape to Canada. It was all in jest of course, because it was the only thing that was keeping us from freaking out. I am a white, middle class, straight woman. He is a white, straight man who even *gasp* owns guns (yes, liberal gun owners do exist). To be honest, our lives probably won’t change all that much. And yet we were afraid. Irrationally so.

We aren’t moving to Canada. We’re staying in a country that is now more divided that I’ve seen in my 28 years. Hillary supporters are terrified, furious. Trump supporters are glib. They’re both spewing out the same hate that got us here. To a place that is going to be hard to get back from.

Donald Trump is president of the United states. You tell me I have to respect him because of that. I tell you he has to earn it. The most I can do is give him that chance. The chance to show us that his hate-filled rhetoric was just that – rhetoric. The chance to prove he really does care about the people, all the people. The chance for him to denounce the hate groups that have gotten him this far.

You Trump supporters are angry at the names you are being called. Sexist. Misogynist. Racist. Bigot. Ignorant. I’m sorry. When people are scared, they turn to nastiness. In my heart of hearts, I do not believe each and every one of you is these things. I have some very good friends who supported Trump that I know to be loving and genuine. But, here’s the thing – you’re going to have to prove this isn’t you. It sucks, but when you support someone who says some truly awful things, innocent until proven guilty gets turned around. Stand up to injustice. Comfort the ones who may now have their rights endangered. Try your hardest to understand why this is such an emotional trial for so many people.

NEVER tell them to get over it.

NEVER tell them to move on.

DO NOT call peaceful protests hissy fits. (For clarification – I don’t condone violent protests or flag burning, but peaceful protests have been a bedrock of our society as long as we’ve had one).

This is my challenge to you, Trump supporters. Show us you aren’t who you are being painted as. And we might be able to heal more quickly.

To my fellow Hillary supporters, I also have a challenge. Do not let this election fill you with hate for half of this country. Stop the name calling. Do not let it destroy the progressive movement with spiteful actions. Use your fear to push you to action. Always remember, Facebook posts are not activism. Believing in something is not the same thing as fighting for it. We have a lot of good people working towards the good of everyone. All is not lost.

Never forget how empty campaign promises really are. It isn’t time to head to Canada just yet.