Dear Readers,
On November 5, the people of America exercised their most sacred and valued constitutional right to vote. On that day, fairly and democratically, they decided Donald Trump would once again be president of the United States of America.
I won’t lie, things look bleak.
It sucks to see my fellow citizens throw away basic morals for a man who is a convicted felon, found liable for raping a woman, brags about sexually assaulting women, runs away from any semblance of basic accountability, surrounds himself with neo-Nazis like Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, called for the termination of all the articles in the Constitution, organized a coup to overturn our democracy, egged on a mob that was calling for the assassination of his own vice president, and much, much, much more.
I’m disappointed that the people of America have decided that character doesn’t matter, that common decency doesn’t matter, that fundamental democratic principles don’t matter. Beyond any policy disagreements, I’m saddened to see that a man who would not be allowed to work at Burger King has been given the highest position of power on the entire planet.
I find it disturbing that a man so depraved, so morally bankrupt will be the face of our nation and people again.
Whether his voters know it or not, this is a dark time for America, and I can guarantee that buyer’s remorse will set in once they see the price of bacon soar even higher than before after his tariffs are enacted.
If you are a woman, a racial minority, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I fully understand why you are scared, because I as someone with the least to lose am also scared.
It’s scary that basic and fundamental rights such as abortion, marriage equality, access to healthcare, and even citizenship status are now up in the air with no guardrails to protect them anymore.
With this devastating loss, I know many of you may be shocked, bitter, and angry because I am too. It feels like this country has abandoned all of its principles for an angry demagogue who masquerades as a patriot while attacking the very foundational values of American democracy.
I, like many of you, feel abandoned by my country. I feel like the America I live in now is not the America that I Iove. I struggle to look at the stars and stripes and see the ideals of equality and democracy reflected in them.
For months, we have been told that this is the most important election of our lifetimes, if not all of American history. Put simply, this election was sold as the be-all-end-all for this country and its values.
So, I don’t blame anyone for the anger and bitterness they may be feeling because this is more than policy: it’s a crisis of faith in the American Dream itself.
That said, this is not over. While we may have lost this fight, the war is not over. It’s ok to be scared and angry, but do not let that turn to inaction. I won’t lie, we are in for a rough four years, but it is now up to us to fight for the country that we believe can exist.
It’s easy to give in to cynicism. It’s easy to be bitter. It’s easy to give up.
Freedom is never guaranteed and every generation has to fight for it. The torch has been passed to us, and now it’s up to us to carry it. To help create that “more perfect union” we have aspired for over the last 237 years, we have to put in the work to achieve it.
I know right now many of you might not know what to do or even where to start because now it seems like the cards are stacked against us. For now, grieve and give yourself time to process, but very soon it will be time for us to roll up our sleeves and once again fight for the future that we want for ourselves and future generations.
First and foremost, take care of yourself. Go on walks, clean your room, see your doctor, grind away at your favorite hobbies, etc. Find whatever means you can to improve your own well-being.
Please do not give in to your worst impulses. I know I tend to procrastinate and have a messy room, so I’m working on both (even if they can sometimes be losing battles). Ultimately, any improvement in your life will be born from self-control and discipline. That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect but just that you should find healthy coping strategies.
This fight is only over if we let it be so. Look to the people around you and make sure they are ok and let them know that they are not alone. I know that recent events can feel alienating but we are better than this politics of fear and anger, and we can only rise above it if we make a genuine effort to build communities and care for our neighbors.
I know there is and will continue to be finger-pointing at specific people and groups but this is not productive to the national dialogue. I know some of you might be bitter and angry towards demographic groups that moved to the right, such as young men, but responding with hatred and vitriol instead of self-reflection will only make things worse.
This might be controversial to say, but this extends even to people who voted for Donald Trump. Especially for marginalized communities, I understand the anger and hatred you might feel towards people who potentially voted your rights away, but it’s important not to immediately demonize people who voted for the other side.
That said, if the person is genuinely hateful and bigoted you are not obligated to engage with them, but if they are just someone who voted because they wanted cheaper bacon, consider actually talking to them about why they voted the way they did so that you not only understand their perspective but can respond to it as well.
We aren’t going to win over hearts and minds by demonizing anyone who disagrees with us.
I won’t patronize you and say everything will be A-Okay but I also encourage you not to lose hope either. Stuff like this has happened before and it’ll likely happen again. For example, in 2004 many Democrats were deflated and demoralized after Bush won the election with the popular vote despite leading us into a vastly unpopular war. Yet, in 2006 democrats took back the House of Representatives and in 2008, Obama took the presidency.
Hope is only lost when you let it be.
When our nationalistic ideals crumble around us and the world seems darker than ever, all we can do is reach out to our neighbors and reassure them that they are seen and heard.
And take heed of — and comfort in — the words of former Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall:
“Democracy just cannot flourish amid fear. Liberty cannot bloom amid hate. Justice cannot take root amid rage. America must get to work. In the chill climate in which we live, we must go against the prevailing wind. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.”
Stay safe and take care of yourselves.
Your editor-in-chief,
AJ Minnich
