I'm a pretty staunch independent voter. I woke up with a lot of disappointment today. And not just centered around election outcomes.
There was a lot of hate today. A lot.
This election was marked by hate. And fear. They tend to go hand in hand. One leads to the other.
Hate/fear of women. Hate/fear of Muslims. Hate/fear of Mexican immigrants.
But today he sides switched. Many of those who were voting against the hate became hate themselves.
That was the sad part of all this. Few people did not succumb to the hate.
"Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering."
-Yoda
Today at school I saw it's effects in my students. All they have taken in from the rhetoric of this election is fear and hate. My class is about 75% students of color. Our school is over 50%. There were comments about fear about how they're afraid their family or even themselves won't be able live in this country any more. They're afraid that their parents won't be able to stay married. They're afraid of threats against themselves. They're afraid that as girls they won't have a future.
Fear and hate aren't getting any of us anywhere.
The only way we as a nation can move forward is in love and kindness. To see the good in the other. To disagree without castigating. To listen. To hope.
