If you are an American in favor of Trump's racist following, the individuals running around harassing people of color and threatening immigrants, I do not stand by you. If you identify with the people pushing for legislation that will force families to separate and minorities to worry about being stopped and frisked, I do not stand by you. If you think that we need a wall, physical or metaphorical, to stop people from entering our country in times of crisis, I do not stand by you.
I think you are mislead and you have forgotten that we are all human-- that we are all in this together. You are putting blinders on and forgetting that it's almost certain that your ancestors immigrated to America, too. You are putting your elitist entitlement to this country before people who are fleeing war zones, drug wars, and other life-threatening trauma. For some reason, you think that you deserve to live here and prosper, but another human being does not simply because he or she was not born here. You ignore the fact that your birth in the US, your citizenship, was entirely by chance.
One of the worst aspects of this election has been the wave of hatred and racism that it has inspired. A false leader preyed on deeply held fears regarding people of color and crime; he encouraged our population to single out people who have immigrated here and point the finger at them for a variety of offenses. He has created a deep and dangerous wedge within our population. We are watching our own citizens attack each other over immigration and skin color.
I do not stand by you, but I wish I could. I wish I could show you a world of compassion and open mindedness. I wish you could stop concentrating on finding a scape goat and supporting those around you. In the end, I wish I could open your mind and expose you to the fact that the people around you deserve just as much love and respect as you do-- no matter what they look like or where they come from.
Sometimes, I wish it was you who was forced to leave, for your lack of ability to engage peacefully with the rest of the population.
Trump's America can be a scary place. If this continues, it will be a dangerous and hateful place. It will be full of enraged and scared people, with leaders of hateful groups like the KKK proudly displaying their bigotry.
However, I believe we have a chance to support each other and make a change. We can work together now to educate those of us who are misled. We can and will create groups and mass movements that promote love and openness. If we can help each other, rather than attack and riot, we can help change misinformed hate to informed peace.
We can start with supporting our friends and neighbors as they face discrimination and blatant racism. We can peacefully remind those that spread hatred that there is no place for them in our country. We can protect those around us who are in danger in the wave of Trump's racist followers.
Essentially, we can help each other during this time and change the outcome. We can protect each other and support each other. We can spread tolerance and love.
