"My soul recognizes your soul, I honor the light, love, beauty, truth and kindness within you because it is also within me, in sharing these things there is no distance and no difference between us, we are the same, we are one."
This was going to be a long Facebook status. Then it resembled a novel. Then I went back and added the introductory note stating that I know it's long. Then I decided to post it here because people scroll past long posts.
My heart is heavy. I love people and I love this world with every fiber of my flawed and open self and the current status of my immediate surroundings is too toxic for me to not say anything.
I've never liked politics for many reasons you could probably guess. I've only been able to vote in 2 elections. One I skipped because I truly believed my vote did not make any difference. Once I voted Republican. Once I would have voted Democrat if I was of age to vote. I like to think I keep my ideas open enough that the infamous "party line" is blurred and I only focus on issues. I didn't anticipate being involved in this election until the man I truly believed in was robbed and my only options for a president were one resembling destruction and one resembling corruption.
It sounds like politics, doesn't it? It sounds like the politics I rolled my eyes at and made fun of. But I care this time because the issues presented this election go so far beyond politics. Racism, misogyny, xenophobia, sexual assault and victim shaming have spewed from a nominee. And to my horror, people defend it. People I respected share it and scream their applause. Even worse, they find Biblical scripture to defend it. And now we're to a point where Christians are using abortion as the best reason to support someone who says things so heinous and very un Christ like.
I am so disgusted by politics that I won't discuss it anymore. What I will not keep quiet about is the rock bottom we are at. Glennon called it what it is very well, Trump is America's rock bottom. He is the quiet, festering illness we have to face that we've been suffering from for decades (at least). This last week I have been angry, depressed and broken hearted that it's been made so clear that the people around me have revealed a much darker side to themselves than I could imagine. That's not to say disagreement is unacceptable. Disagreement is expected and often times a good thing. Disagreement is not dark.
To see people over and over defend the vile words of someone so repugnant in every way is devastating. Some people would shrug and say, "This is the state of humanity and the world is terrible so I'm not surprised,' but I wholeheartedly disagree. This is the lowest I've seen humanity, but I have not lost faith in it. My faith in the good of people is the one thing I have always had and it's hard to see now but I know it's there. The goodness in us is quieter than the loud, nasty words of the other side.
WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.
WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.
History will remember this time and will remember the words of many. I will work until I can't and fight until I'm weary and speak until I'm hoarse for the rights and dignity of the human race I truly believe in. Women deserve to be treated as an equal human. Children deserve to be treated as an equal human. Every religious person deserves to be respected as an equal human. Every ethnicity deserves to be treated as an equal human. When a victim steps up pointing out inequality and asking for help, god damnit we listen and step up.
We step up now.
As an introverted stay at home mom Facebook has been a much needed tool for me to stay connected to the world and the people I love. But it's toxic right now so I have to limit when I log on. I hate that because I rely on it for all of the hilarious pictures and adorable animals and clever gifs and moving quotes. Social media is a wonderful tool but in the next month it's not our tool anymore - it's the media's; it's the government's; it's the way to keep us collectively distracted. But the media knows we are devouring everything noxious they deliver so until next month it won't be letting up.
But I beg you, I plead with every one of you, do not lose sight of the light in your neighbor and the light in yourself. We are good. And we will come out of the other side of this better.
