Welcome to the Disunited States of 'Murica.
Not America; we do not deserve an A any longer, but a solid F for the farce this country has become. But you see, we now have the leader we deserve. We are a culture that idolizes individuals for their bad behavior and gives lip service to diversity and tolerance while keeping a firm thumb on the necks of those that would disturb the status quo.
Simply put, if you are any of the following, you are invisible:
If you are any race other than Caucasian,
if you are of any faith but mainstream Christian,
if you are differently-abled,
if you are anything but vanilla heterosexual,
if you are female,
if you are anything but a size 0,
if you are a senior citizen,
if you are anything below middle class,
if you were born anywhere but in this country,
if you value peace and life over bearing arms at the expense of these,
if you are in anyway atypical or trying to exact change of age-old systems of backward thought...
This is NOT your America.
Now some may think this is extreme but they need to check their privilege. Anybody on that list has survived everything from being ignored, disrespected, all the way to outright hate.
If you cannot even acknowledge that someone else's experiences have been different than yours and that those experiences may have impacted them in very profound, often negative ways, or that they are still experiencing those things every day...You need to sit down and remain silent.
Do not presume that since you have not seen or experienced certain situations that they must not happen. Pretending and hiding ones head in the proverbial sand does not make these things not exist.
We live in an individualistic society. There is no We, only Us. Instead of caring for the whole, we only care about self. If it does not affect us directly then we disregard it as not our problem, not realizing that everything has a ripple effect on our society. We cannot pretend that we exist alone. Existing in society is not insular. Each of us is part of a greater mechanism. And when one part is affected, it affects us all. Never doubt that.
So now we have a racist, misogynist, pedophilic, immoral, disrespectful, narcissist degenerate for a leader with his current trophy wife. And though loud, ignorant and woefully unqualified for the position of commander-in-chief, we can't even hope for impeachment because his second-in-command shares his same "values" but actually has the political guile to sneak beneath our radar and cause irreparable damage while in our tremendous blind spot. Four years cannot pass quickly enough to prevent the setting back of all our progress in civil rights. Our economy is already being negatively affected.
I am a Hispanic, low-income, not thin female with a mental disability, caring for special needs children, barely surviving on government assistance, going to college by the grace of God, Financial Aid and ACCES-VESID and building a life with an African-American partner.
I am everything that The Man hates.
Every aspect of my life is what this new administration wants to destroy. Disability, social security, public assistance, etc. are all in danger. If you think this does not or will not affect you, remember that you and your loved ones can become disabled or lose your source of income at any moment. And you will get old. You can switch to the "other" side at any time.
So, in short, I am very afraid. For myself, my partner and my children. I fear for my community and all of you that I care for, as well as your communities and those you care for. I fear for the world our children have to navigate. I love where I live but I have to face the possibility that I can no longer live in a land where the racists have been given back their vile voice and tacit permission to spread their hate.
Being followed around stores or almost run off the road because we are persons of color is our reality, my reality.
If you don't get that and somehow believe this new so-called leader will not cause serious damage to millions living in this country, then please unfriend me now. Whether you are friend or family, I don't need to know, just go.
And don't comment after this trying to argue because I've heard it all and the ignorance being spouted by supposedly intelligent people has actually made me physically ill. Just go. Quietly.
Though we walk in the valley in the shadow of death...
I Will fear Evil.
In all its orange putridness. God save us all.
Pray...Hard.
