Shock
I’m heartbroken. I’m in shock. I was sure she was going to win. I didn’t believe for a second that there were that many people who were angry enough to vote for him. I live in Lee County. I saw the signs and bumper stickers, but then I’d talk to people at the gym, in the store, in my neighborhood and hear kindness, not anger.
I traveled to Tennessee and hiked in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I was an outsider; I felt it. The bumper stickers, T’s, and hats were more prevalent. They were harsher than I had seen at home. Still, everyone was kind to us. I focused on the beauty of nature and hoped that the anger would dissipate after the election.
I woke this morning to texts from my family. My two children away at college and my husband on a business trip. They were heartbroken too. They were looking to me for words. I was still in shock. Then I thought about all the people in my community the ones who may have voted for President-elect Trump. The people I’ve known for years that I suspected or knew leaned right while I leaned left. They are good people. They are my neighbors. They are my friends.
We never discussed politics. None of us wanted conflict. Why? Because we saw the good in each other. We liked getting along. To discuss political views would separate us, cause anger. Why go there? Why be like the politicians that seemed to fight all the time and put each other down? We naturally want to gravitate towards conversations that bring us together. When we do, we see each other’s hearts. That’s what I clung to when the fear of President-elect Donald Trump began to permeate my thoughts. I remembered my friends and neighbors and their goodness, and I felt a light shine through the extreme darkness I had been feeling upon hearing he would be our next president.
Together.
I can’t believe in my heart that those who voted for him meant they’re against the LGBT community or Muslims or immigrants or minorities or the disabled. Against people. I can’t believe that their vote was for hate against others but that their vote was for their desire to elect someone who was not labeled a politician. An other. What they wanted was someone who was different from the rest to lead.
The right thing is to hope that President-elect Trump will make a positive change for all Americans. He will be our president, and I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of all the ugliness. We owe it to ourselves and our children to find a way to work together. It’s up to us to stop the hate.
I witnessed the outpouring of help from my community after my daughter’s accident. It changed my perception when people I hardly knew sent us cards, donated, came to visit my daughter in the hospital and offered continuous support. They didn’t care whether we were republican or democrat or who we voted for. They saw we needed help and reached out. That was back in 2003, and since then I’ve held the belief that there is kindness in all of us! That kindness is triggered when our hearts see someone in need. That kindness is triggered when we take the time to get to know one another.
It’s time to show the kindness again. Set the anger that leads to separation aside and remember that we are Americans first and foremost. We are a strong, courageous, unique individuals who love our freedom, our families, our holidays, our arts, our sports, our pets… We must focus on what connects us.
To all the people who are scared because they believe President-elect Donald Trump’s message was one of hate inciting people to rise up against others who they see as different from themselves, I understand. I feel that fear too, but I refuse to let it frighten me. The antidote is to do good in your community, show kindness, show acceptance, and to speak out whenever and wherever there is an injustice, against another human being. We must speak out for each other and our neighbors. But we must speak with compassion. We can disagree peacefully about the issues or our religious beliefs or what football team we want to win the Super Bowl. Disagree, discuss, try to see others point of view, but we cannot harm each other or keep silent when we see others being persecuted for their religious beliefs or who they are. We need to focus on the matters of the heart that connect us.
I believe in us.
My neighbors, my friends, my community, my country. We know there is more that connects us than separates us.
I’m curious.
If you want to tell me why you voted for President-elect Trump, I welcome all comments that are not derogatory towards anyone. If you want to tell me why you voted for Hillary Clinton, the same holds true.
I know it would help me to understand why some of my friends voted for President-elect Trump.
My View.
I voted for Hillary Clinton because my daughter is a person with a disability and she has a pre-existing condition. No insurance company will accept her if the Affordable Care Act is taken away. I voted for Hillary Clinton because I have friends and family who are part of the LGBTQIA community. I want children as well as adults to have the freedom and acceptance to be who they are. I voted for Hillary Clinton because as a teacher I witnessed all the children that needed the healthcare the schools offered thanks to her. There were many single moms who couldn’t afford healthcare for their children otherwise. I voted for Hillary Clinton because I thought she would be a much better leader than Donald Trump especially when it came to foreign affairs. I voted for Hillary Clinton because she is opposed to Human Trafficking. I voted for Hillary Clinton because of the horrible things President-elect Trump has said about women.
If anyone else wants to add their comments, please do so with compassion. That means no attacking, no belittling, even though language doesn’t bother me, let’s keep it clean for any kids who may read this.
My goal is to help us all understand each other. I believe understanding one another will help bring us together.
7 Comments
Baldar Oney
You voted for late term murder of babies. You voted against the safety and security of my family. You voted to keep healthcare out of my family’s reach. You voted against child care and elder care assistance. You voted illegal aliens above veterans.
kdrausin
Dear Baldar Oney, If you would like to give me some facts regarding your comments I’d be happy to respond to exactly why you believe Hillary Clinton is against keeping your family safe or against veterans. Illegal aliens are people. I am advocating seeing the hearts and understanding people. I believe in a woman’s right to choose, however, I would never counsel any woman to have an abortion. Ever. I have friends that are pro-life and friends that are pro-choice. We have been friends for years, and we do not attack one another. We find what connects us.
Cindy Felice
I proudly voted for Hillary. Most of my reasons mirrored yours: healthcare, foreign affairs, acceptance of all people even if they are “different” than us. But quite possibly the strongest was my disdain for her opponent. I was raised that if one had nothing nice to say, they should say nothing. His bullying tactics and name calling went against my upbringing and moral standards. I worry for our country.
kdrausin
Cindy, thank you for commenting. Yes, I understand your fear. Many things he said and did broke my heart. I searched for reasons of why someone would vote for him and that searching led to this post. I keep this quote next to my computer: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, to learn more, do more, and become more than you’re a leader.” John Quincy Adams
I think we all can and must be leaders in our communities. It’s up to us.
Lorissa Simione
I didn’t want to get out of bed yesterday. It was hard. As a mother of four adult women, there was a lot at stake with this election.
I, myself, could not bring myself to vote for Trump, hell, I didn’t vote for Clinton either. I have seen people that I love being treated unfairly for far too long. With the induction of Gay Marriages, I have witnessed men and woman allowed true happiness in their lives, a luxury that all before them, were denied. The thought of their happiness privileges being revoked are devastating. I have seen the oppression of Black Americans slowly being lifted. It has not been nearly enough, but it has been a start. I have known woman who have been raped, obtain abortions, because they felt they had to. It was their choice. And they were able to make it. I have seen what degrading a woman can do, and It’s devastating. I have seen people that have suffered in physical pain for years, finally able to be seen by doctors and treated, thanks to Obamacare.
I watched our then First Lady stand by her man during an exposure of infidelity on his part. That hits a nerve in my heart. As a leading lady in the United States, it would have spoke volumes to our young women if she would have taken a stand against this. But there was nothing. And the exposure of the emails, I feel a little upfront honesty would have gone a long way. And then there’s Benghazi. Idealisticly, I would have voted for Bernie Sanders, until he folded and jumped ship. My vote went with Gary Johnson. Many people thought I waisted my vote by choosing someone who was not in the forefront. I chose who my heart went with. I have to be true to me. 💜
kdrausin
Lori, Thank you for your openness. I understand your sadness. I understand your fear. I think what’s important now is to do what we can to bring people together. Everyone had their own reasons for voting as they did. I don’t believe everyone who voted for T. stood for hate. Some yes. Not all. To make those people who supported him our enemies is a mistake. To behave in ways that some Republicans did toward President Obama is a mistake. We can be kind and still stand firmly in our beliefs. People who supported Hillary Clinton have told me they signed up for volunteer work in their communities. I did too. The best way to combat fear is to face it and get out and do good. Show kindness. A teacher taught me the phrase: “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.” I think it’s perfect. We need to get out there and show people that kindness is strength. Our kids are watching.
SisterM
To balder oney — it may be offensive to some the way you worded “late term murder to babies.” Yes, Hilary Clinton was for late term abortion but have you educated yourself on the matter? There are only 7 doctors in the United States that will perform a late term abortion. Those 7 doctors require, for lack of better words, a VERY good reason for mothers to go through with such a hard process. There are many tear jerking stories out there about why a mother had to make that heart breaking decision. All of them I have read have to do with either the baby or the mother’s life.