I want to start off with a quote from Lisa Simpson:

"Okay I am a liberal and sometimes that is a dirty word, but what liberal really means is those who have more than enough sharing with those who don't, and those principals have been in place during this countries most prosperous times. So, if that is a liberal then I am a liberal."

I feel like this statement is a good foundation for what I am going to talk about. (she says liberal but in this instance, it works for progressive too.) I am progressive not because it is "hip or cool trend or because of the liberal media". I'm progressive because when I looked at the people around me and the things that were going down I didn't like it. I saw people who were conservative spewing out dirty hateful rhetoric and people talking about an America I don't believe in. When there were multiple Republicans who talked about deporting undocumented immigrants, "for the good of the country" but the majority of the states that they reside don't care if they live there or not. Also, giving tax breaks to the wealthy elite of this country while millions of Americans are still on welfare. Then when we speak up or take a knee because a community of hard-working Americans is getting pushed around we are disrespecting our country. Oh but I guess it's not disrespectful when our police brutality attacks the African-Americans of this country or when our president wants to focus more on starting a war with the NFL then helping the victims of natural disasters. You can say what you want about Obama but he did not disrespect the conservatives the way Trump is disrespecting the liberals of our country. Also, this president has stirred up more white supremacist groups than any president in at least the last 50+ years. I know some of Trump's rhetoric and speech doesn't reflect all Republicans but still, I can't stand for a country that is under leadership that wants to push down the very people that make this country great. I am progressive because it is right, I spent my whole life with Aspergers having to fight to be heard and understood and that's what I want for my fellow Americans to be heard and understood. Not to be pigeon held and suffocated by oppression but to be unbound by the chains of oppression, not to be banned from our country based on religion or not serve in our military because of gender identity or be kicked out of the NFL just because you are standing up for your people but to live the American dream. I maybe was born with Aspergers but I am still a white straight Christian male and have a lot to learn and understand from my fellow Americans who aren't. #lovetrumpshate