[No I don’t know what’s going to happen] it was a feeling, but I can guess. In so much chaos, someone is going to do something stupid. And when they do, it’s going to get nasty…
~ V for Vendetta
As far as I am able, this will be my last words on this subject…for now at least, until something else draws more out of me.
When one thinks about the world changing overnight, one has a tendency to think about of it in the way of good; of things changing for the better. In the last few days, it seems to be becoming more clear that that is all too often not the case.
And now there is before and after, and it will always be remembered as that. Before and after.
I wanted to believe that nothing could happen overnight, I wanted to believe that it had been only campaign promises and hyperbole, but under that; I was afraid, the sinking feeling in my stomach perhaps told me I had reason to be.
I was never afraid of the candidate; I feared what he stood for, what he tacitly gave permission to. The kinds of people who violently support those ideals, who think that all problems can be solved at the end of a gun barrel. I am fully aware that not everyone who voted for him voted for those reasons, I know many people who choose that particular party line for other reasons, but there were enough who did choose his rhetoric specifically. And as a result, I have friends – dear friends – who are trying to figure out how to get themselves out of the country, my facebook feed is filling with news reports of harassment and violence everywhere from gas-stations to college campuses.
You want a woman? Grab her and take her
Someone dresses differently than you? Harass them, threaten them, deport them.
Someone is of a different faith? Demonize them
Someone is of a different skin tone than you? Treat them as less.
This is the mentality that has been voted into office, this is what is the role model for the world to see. This, is post-election USA. The hate was always there, we know that, none of us are ignorant, there have always been individuals in this world who fear what they don’t understand and trumpet their own opinions and values loudly and without care for those who may be effected. I am not saying, nor do I think, are any of those who are fearful or angry or protesting – that one man, no matter how twisted or ignorant – created that anger or that hate. I am saying that his election made it the comfortable norm, made it suddenly and somehow acceptable for these things to take place.
I Canadian, but – as I have said before – I am also a woman, I am also pro-choice, I am LGBTQ, and while I have the blessing of being born Caucasian, I have many many friends on both sides of the border who are not.
Whether or not the man-who-would-be-king is “as bad as we think” is not the point, the wave of hatred that he has caused will be difficult to stop. If it can be stopped.
Because so many are afraid.
And their fear is all our fear.
So what can we – as little tiny individuals do in the face of all that fear? We can stand strong. We can hold the hands of our fellow humans, of all races, of all genders, of all orientations, and we can declare that in the face of adversity, we WILL be fearless, we will be strong, and we will do what’s right, without it costing blood, without it causing violence, without resorting to hatred. In our fear, we can spread love, in our anger we can spread peace. That sounds like an oxymoron, it’s not. Donate to planned parenthood, march in pride rallies, step in when you see bullying of any form, give blood, give money, give of your time and your support.
Even in fear, when they go low…we must go high.