Make America Kind Again

What do I tell my son when he asks about the 47th leader of our great nation?

• He encourages white supremacy, but you should love and accept all people.

• He mistreats women, but you should treat women with the utmost respect.

• He fuels the flames of violence, but you should strive for peace.

• He makes fun of disabled people, but you should be kind to everyone.

• He has committed numerous crimes, but you should follow the letter of the law.

• He strips away women’s and gay people’s rights, but you should fight for equal rights for all.

• He constantly lies, but you should always tell the truth.

• He does whatever advances his own agenda, but you should put morals and ethics first.

My son can vote red or blue when he’s of age, completely up to him. What he hopefully won’t do, is vote for someone who has a proven track record of hurting and demeaning others while intentionally dividing America. To me, this is not about republicans versus democrats and never has been. It’s about right versus wrong and sadly, the latter won.

So, what can we do about it? Not let him divide us further. Judge people on their character, not on their political beliefs. Refuse to use terms like Deplorables and Snowflakes. Practice kindness and empathy. Support and protect our gay and transgender friends. Continue the critical work to eliminate racism. Instill good values into our children.

I understand that the economy and immigration were key reasons people voted for Trump. Important political issues indeed, but let’s not forget about basic human rights and how important they are too, especially now.

America is not the dystopia he paints it to be, so Make America Great Again never resonated with me. I do hope he succeeds in his presidency as I want my son to grow up with the freedoms and opportunities that I had. However, I implore people to remember how crucial it is to love thy neighbor and not let political division tear us apart. Trump might be the Commander in Chief for the next four years, but we the people hold the real power. Let’s come together to Make America Kind Again.