Hope, Hate and Anarchy after the Election

Hope is so scarce these days – yet it is the only thing that can save and redeem us – for it determines what we do with the love in our hearts

The following was written on Wednesday, November 9th, after learning the results of the presidential election, and Republican control of the House, Senate, Executive and Legislative branches. But most of all, as I watched the ugly demon of hatred, racism, cruelty, fear of difference and darkness rear its head across the nation, finally revealing itself and having a voice.

I am surprised by the emotions flooding through me today. Grief is one – I cannot stop the wall of tears moving through me.

I cry not because one side lost and another won – for neither talking head had my vote.

I cry not just for the onslaught of increased hateful anti intellectual ignorant inhumane destructive policies that have already begun.

I cry not just for the girls who ask their mothers and fathers why the nation elected a sexual predator.

Nor do I cry only because this outrageous outcome is in large part a response to the eight years we’ve had a black president and this is how much African Americans (and Muslims and Mexicans) are HATED – and if we don’t admit that we are lying to ourselves.

Nor do I cry only for those children who are different than what is admired by the narcissist we have elected, or the policies that will be enacted by the salivating trifecta of neoconservative power in the executive, legislative and judicial branches – those children who are immigrants, who suffer PTSD or mental or health issues, whose skin is any shade other than white, whose gender and sexuality and ethnicity and language and culture are hated – because these children will revolt. They have already begun as demonstrations stop traffic and students across the nation protest. They are not the ones who created this situation.

And I don’t cry only that so many millions thought, that this valid hateful agenda was desirable, nor for the billions who maybe impacted by decisions made for our military forces and economic devastation and environmental devastation (having already attacked science and the EPA) and any notion of sustainability and security. Nor for the women who thought they would have made history today with the first female president, and protect rights to their bodies (despite nominating a war monger for that role).

I cry for all these reasons – and so do you – but here is the real reason we feel traumatized:

Today we have seen the face of hate.

Why does this feel terrible? Because finally we are forced to admit and to see this hatred with no ability to hide our eyes or believe it’s only a few whose hearts are filled with hatred. We’ve looked into the face of hate.

Why do we hurt? Because we’ve elected into office those who would lynch our friends. We’ve come face to face with the fact that nearly half this country is teetering on being a lynch mob.

Yesterday I was numb: the presidential election, as so many felt, was a farce, and I hope all sides can empathize that intelligent, loving people felt that way, not “idiots” who voted their conscience or abstained from the whole game. I had more faith in humanity than I should have. I cry because I did not support Hillary (not from hate) but I did not think this turn of events would happen, not just in the presidential election, but the whole thing, the KKK demonstrating in the streets, and 1500 high school children walking out of class in protest of the election results.

I cry because I have become un-numb. My friend, the writer Christopher Ketcham, wrote this piece, “Anarchists for Trump” a few months ago, indicating that this turn events is what we need to wake us up. Chris may be right, as he often is. As Edward Abbey once wrote, “anarchy is democracy taken seriously.”

Maybe now we will get off our asses, and eradicate this “business as usual” brainwashing that tells us to be apathetic and vote for the lesser of two evils, that this is just how things are and always will be.

Bullshit.

We should pay more attention to the hearts of children who can’t believe adults nominated a bully to lead us.

Maybe we need a little more wild in our creativity, maybe it’s time for a little anarchy – the death of the national ego – until we truly recognize universal consciousness in a radical awakening of what is and what can be. First, we have to stop accepting the reality spoon fed to us by those driven by greed.