Reflections on an Election

Was it a sunny day after Trump's election?

I know it was like waking from a bad dream and then having that realization "my God, that really happened." My head is filled with questions.   How is it possible that Trump won?  How can a unqualified man defeat a qualified woman?  How is it possible that the things I value, the things I teach, critical thought, rational argumentation, kindness, compassion, tolerance, have all been overthrown by those who believe in a piece of rhetoric so ridiculous as Make America Great Again?

There's fear too.  You just wonder how far this type of demagoguery can go, will go.  You don't need too fertile an imagination to envision mass deportations, the arrest of political opponents and the intimidation of the free press, to make you run and want to hide your children.

My mind spins towards darkness, it struggles to find light.  Then I read the Facebook posts of young people I have known through teaching and coaching:

From Nancy Tombe:  "Feeling so very disgusted and so very disappointed by America this morning.  I'm also so very sad for those of you that didn't choose hate, and now must live with the repercussions of those that did.

This from Tori Allen about Kellie Leitch, the hateful Tory leadership candidate who espouses many of Trump's ideas:  "Canada, shut this down now.  And by shut down, I mean take it seriously, figure out who this appeals to, why and how to bridge that divide before it turns into a chasm."

This from Joanna Kyriazis:  "I know many of us want to turn to fear and blame.  But those are the attitudes and approaches that led us to these results.  We need to stop "othering" and focus on what we share--a desire to be able to provide for our families,to feel a sense of fairness and belonging and to live in a society in which we feel safe."

This from Brendan Fernandes:  ""I am numb, searching out what I am feeling-enraged?  Perhaps angry? Something is burning underneath.  I know that as an artist I can use this to create.  As an immigrant, a queer, a person of colour and a feminist, I will raise a deeper, more powerful, more important voice to reflect my issues and defend the right to be different.

This from Sophie Bisnaire:  "It's been too calm and comfortable for us.   The majority of our privileged generation knows nothing of loss and survival.  We've been spoon-fed, sheltered and brainwashed all of our lives.  maybe the West needed to get shaken up a bit in order for us to wake up, actively participate in the real worlds and fight for what we believe in.    As I'm typing this, I'm realizing that all this is, is history repeating itself..It's about to get very interesting, so join me in growing a backbone and brace yourselves.

You can hear the resolve in their voices.  They remind me of Maya Angelou's Inaugural Poem for the wrong Clinton:

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

These young faces, these young eyes, they ensure that the pulse of a different, better day will arrive.