Trump

Yes, Jane, thank you. I feel we are more same page than we realize.

I'm not trying to invalidate anyone. I trying to inspire us to be the change we want to see by loving. By not falling into the traps that are set for us. I'm so heartbroken over this. I just can't wallow in that. It will consume me.

I understand that completely and have promised myself not to wallow more than a couple days, and then I will lift myself up and get to work. I will work tirelessly to lift others up, protect the rights of others, and be part of a path toward healing. I don't know where to start yet, but I'm not quite done wallowing...

I do think, as whites, we need to show humility at this time. Like you said, we need to make sure we aren't invalidating anyone. Trump won because of white people. White voters. White people will not suffer socially because of him. Our privilege is not threatened while people with less privilege than us are feeling, justifiably, that what progress they've experienced is under threat. I posted on a post of Yaki's that I understand if she hates white people right now. I know she doesn't, really, and that's remarkable to me knowing how much she has personally suffered at the hands of whites. She has a lifetime so far of being punished for being born a darker shade than me. If she or anyone else who has been pained by Trump's election feels mad right now, it's utterly understandable. When we can understand and be on her side even when she's angry with us (because it is truthfully unfair that we were born with greater privilege), then maybe we can move forward together. I hope we can lift Yaki up so one day she doesn't feel like anyone thinks less of her because she's non-white. I hope we can change the minds of people who think she's worth less because those people exist. It's not going to happen overnight.

This isn't meant to be a lecture. I'm talking to myself as much as anyone else. Self-soothing perhaps. I don't know if I'm right. I'm learning as I go. I started crying at Lowe's today because Hispanic people were looking at Kevin and me side-eyed. They were nervous. I felt immense guilt. A white man in a Trump hat tried to high five us as we avoided eye contact. I opened my phone to learn a woman yanked another woman's hijab off at Walmart and told her to hang herself with it. What a time to be alive.

Anyway, love you both.

Brit no, your insight on how you coped in the past is needed to help remind people how to cope with these things and for others to learn. its the first time i personally have felt fear from the people supporting him.. Thats something i dont know if it will go away. Hearing people left and right scream for a person you feel has wronged you... The fear it has built...

Yaki ---> theres so much i want to say... So many things... Ive tried to write a damn paragraph out so many times and i have failed. From my own minority, i can see to the smallest extent of what you are seeing, and i worry honestly about people who are trans and a person of color...

Knowing that in my neighborhood, right now, they are not welcome... And i wouldnt even have a floor for them to sleep on...

that scares me..

I have so much to say but im unable to word it right now...

As far as the presidential side goes, i dont think (i hope) he is going to do anything bad and everything wil be okay...

But the scariest thing for me is how mcuh hate has be rallied together, a nation that prides itself on standing together during our worst... No we stand for ourseves...

Im done theres so much more i want to say but i cant .

I realize its not the end of the world... But damn... This is something huge when hate has such a fucking hold on our country.

Edit: also im so scared of being called ignorant for saying anything about comparing any part of minorities... if you take offense to that im so sorry there was none intended... Seriously @.@

Brooke, you're so right about the feeling. I'm not sure how much damage Trump, the man, can or will actually do, but I am sure of how his campaign and now election is negatively affecting people. He's being used as a platform for hate whether he himself actually condones this behavior or not... enough people think that he does and now think they've been given free reign to behave badly. Very badly.

EDIT: Reading this and I'm crying again. Don't know why I'm doing this to myself right now. I'm exhausted. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-comment-in-one-place/

Americans are out in the streets protesting against their president elect less than ONE day in....WTF???

I think his acceptance speech was very well orchestrated...but that's me, forever the cynic :)

Gah, I have logged in and out of Facebook so many times today. Tried to read a book, watch Netflix, get back on the computer, etc. Just so restless with this. I totally get the self-soothing, needing to do that. Trying to find that comfort. I haven't posted in this thread yet but have been keeping up to date on it, reading, learning, humbling myself through all of what you share. I can see in my head the faces of so many people I have never met in tears or with fear/confusion/questions behind the masks they wear. Thank you for giving voice to how you feel and who you are, you beautiful people. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability.

It's amazing, and at times overwhelming and surprising, to go online and see SO much support and outreach from every direction and location. That warms me. People are at least taking the effort to write something or post or share from their heart. I've seen in-depth posts from friends who usually just share cute/funny videos, but are now offering more of themselves. That will hopefully, eventually, lead others to feel brave and passionate enough to approach these issues face-to-face.

What resonated most with me right now, Jane's post:

"have promised myself not to wallow more than a couple days, and then I will lift myself up and get to work. I will work tirelessly to lift others up, protect the rights of others, and be part of a path toward healing."

Beautifully put and a call to us all. We can have humility in the tiniest of our actions. Let's be more aware of what we and others say, how we treat each other, so we can get in better practice of calling out and fighting injustices.

Peace and love to you all.

To the 'believers' on this site...honestly I hope you prove me wrong but...as a realist...if Jesus did exist he's a long time dead guys so...he's as unreliable as you president elect...

You know what...and sorry to offend but...if someone portrayed themselves as Jesus...I think a lot of American's would vote for him regardless of the fact that he's dead/did not exist...call this post extreme but...yeah...Trump is your president...nothing can be more "extreme" than that :)

All the time want is for people to help us de-construct a system that was build on inequality.

i agree with Britt, we have to love on each other and we need to be kind.

the change has to happen collectively. one person alone can't change the world. we needs everyone input.

I don't know about that, Hellon. If someone portrayed themselves as Jesus (reincarnated?), it would probably enrage believers or they'd brush him off as nuts. Then again, I don't feel I know much about my own country anymore.

When Trump announced that he'd run, I cracked up. You know, there are plenty of celebrities I could've taken more seriously, but Donald Trump? The guy with the weird combover from the show The Apprentice who despises Rosie O'Donnell and ranks women on beauty pageants? The guy who does disgusting interviews with Howard Stern and famously cheated on his first wife and married his mistress...only to divorce her and marry someone not much older than his daughter, Ivanka? That is what I knew of Donald Trump before he began his campaign. During his campaign, of course I learned a lot more about him, none of it good.

So yeah. Anything can happen.

^^^

That's all very nice but..totally naïve and, to be honest Yakz...you surprise me with your post??

Yeah...let's all love one another?...it's been tried...obviously didn't work...

We need everyone's input? You believe Trump really cares what you, or anyone else thinks??

Sorry...that was posted in reply to Yakz's post..

Jane...come on...America has voted Trump in, with all his faults so...can't you see it even just a tad possible that someone as 'mysterious' as Jesus could serve America to the same level????

I don't know, Hellon. To be honest, the last thing on my mind is what other ridiculous presidents we might see in the future. If I start thinking like that, I'll lose my mind. I am hoping Trump's presidency will make it impossible for people to say sexism and racism and homophobia are not real issues anymore. Everyone's going to see this awful stuff firsthand and I hope it shocks us into coming together against darkness and hate. I don't know what to believe... in 2016, we have elected a reality TV star who has built a campaign on prejudice and cruelty. I don't know how I'm supposed to believe in my country at this point. Oh god, crying again.

I'm being hypothetical here...

"Jesus loves me yes I know...for the bible tells me so"...

I believed that back then because...I was channelled that way..

can you see any comparison in the way some of you are still thinking today??

Purely out of interest, can someone fill me in on this? I keep hearing that Trump's anti-gay but doesn't he support gay marriages (openly, at least) and didn't Hilary Clinton once disagree with it?

Not winding anyone up, just checking on the facts. Every time I put on the news, I hear differing stories.

Hey Ben, Hillary was against gay marriage way back when every politician was outwardly against gay marriage. Her views changed over the years. It was a gradual transition for her... it was the same for my mom, a devout Christian. Hillary publicly announced her support of gay marriage in 2013.

Then we have Trump. Who the heck knows what he believes because he changes his opinion every day. He has flip-flopped a lot, I mean A LOT on this issue, and though he was waving a rainbow flag at a rally on Sunday, he seems to be -usually- against marriage equality. He's declined to support the Equality Act. He's said at one time he would support the Supreme Court ruling, but backtracked and said he would strongly consider appointing judges to overturn the same-sex marriage decision. It's mind-boggling.

Okay, I have a question before I go to bed: Why have Republican candidates been consistently rated as bad for animals? They tend to rank low on animal rights issues. Why is that? I don't know how any of you guys feel about trophy hunting, but Trump's sons kill jaguars and elephants for fun. Or "sport" if I'm being politically correct. In general, Trump doesn't seem to care about the welfare of animals. He was pissed when Ringling Brothers said they were phasing elephants out of the circus (accused them of wanting to save money under the guise of caring for intelligent animals). He's choosing advisors who want to fight the Humane Society and ban undercover filming on farms to reveal horrible conditions.

Jane - thank you. That's the clearest and most direct answer I have got on that issue.

As for trophy hunting, don't get me started...

Hellon, as far as your questions and my belief system: Jesus is part of the Holy trinity... Father, Son, Holy Spirit. He ascended back into heaven after his resurrection and time in Earth. He is living. I know it sounds weird. It IS weird. I get it.

If someone came on the platform and said they were Jesus I believe most Jesus followers would immediately think he is the antichrist and believe the end times are here. Jesus is not supposed to come back as man. So anyone who claims He is.. I disagree with them. At least in all my study, I've yet to read He is coming back as man.

We haven't done the love one another thing. Maybe some have. Maybe it was a big slogan years ago but it's not been done well. And just because 5 people don't love well, does that mean the 2 people who can love well shouldn't? That seems silly to perpetuate hate with more hate, cynicism with more cynicism. Living that way makes you ill, it makes you paranoid, it makes ya crazy. Not mental health "crazy", I don't use that term, I mean it just brings you down. The Church has done an incredibly poor job at loving people, and there is a movement happening right now in that direction. I call that a small victory.

Friends in fear: be sure to celebrate the small victories. You'll never accomplish changing the entire world, but you will change, in you, in those around you. Don't let the burden of a movement make you forget the small victories. Without small victories you cannot have the big ones.

Http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/proposal-ban-muslim-immigration-disappears-trump-website-0

See guys.. it's already changing.

Britt - I think a lot of people are worried, yes we will celebrate victories but.... what if he does put judges in to override marriage equality? Thats a huge step back.

I mean... I date both sexes but, if i were to marry a man (what im mostly attracted to) and they take back gay marriage well... In my state i am a "male" so my right to marriage is literally gone. Just like that.

Still.. I hope for the best, thank you again britt

I, and many others I know, would fight for you. Gay marriage was illegal federally and yet multiple states had it legalized - Oregon was one of them. I absolutely cannot ever fathom taking it back at this point.

Locking this thread since it hit 100, feel free to make a new thread. :)