My Response To Trump

     Everyone seems to be reeling and searching for answers in the wake of Donald J. Trump's historic and unprecedented election win Nov. 8. Social media is ablaze with both celebration and fear. Which of these responses you see depends upon where you are politically. I have seen mostly fear and dejection. News media, comedians, pundits and pollsters have all been trying to bring some sense of normalcy by analyzing how this could happen. Although it has only been a few days, it is time to move from passive reaction and shock to proactive effective response.

     As I watched the election I was surprised but not as shocked as I could have been. I fully expected Clinton to win. I expected rational and educated thinking to carry the day. I was wrong. I was nervous when the polls suggested Clinton would win. They have been more wrong than right in recent years, predicting vastly different outcomes in elections here in Canada. More ominously they were wrong in Europe with the astounding Brexit vote.

     Even before the votes were counted I was starting to get a sinking feeling when I read an article about a person who has correctly predicted every Presidential election since the '80s. He predicted Trump, or rather he predicted Republican and hedged his bets saying that Trump was a wild card. (See the article here.) 

     As the results started to come I was more and more certain that Trump would win. And he did.
The Question now is how do we respond? The pronoun 'we' can mean Americans, Canadians or people in General. The response, so far, to this election reminds me of the cookie cutter response to mass shootings in the U.S. There is a lot of consternation, fear and anger that is forgotten almost as fast as it erupts. It is too soon to tell whether the election's response will continue to follow this pattern. If things are to be righted I hope it doesn't.

     I am (thankfully) not an American. I will however suggest some courses of action to those that oppose Trump. Like it or not, the American election has consequences globally and thus everyone has a reason to comment.

     Now is the call to action. If you are sitting at home stunned now is the time to start working. Don't move to Canada (we don't want you. You made this mess, it's your responsibility to fix it.) Don't wait till the next primaries. Start working. Now. Join the Democrats, be active, hold the party elites to account. Makes sure that next election the best, and I mean the best candidate is put forward, not the one whose turn it is or the history maker. Nominate the best, most electable Democrat in the entire country regardless of race, gender or creed.

     If you aren't a Democrat, work to change the system, abolish the electoral college, grow a third party to the point it is viable and not just a distraction. If you are a Republican, find the values of the party that have integrity. The GOP abolished slavery. If it was once able to do good in the world find a way to do it again. It doesn't matter where your political allegiances lie everyone has a part to play.

     Be active in your community. Do not tolerate ignorance, hate racism and misogyny. Don't fight hate with hate. Fight with love, with patience and with education. This won't be easy but it needs to be done.

     This same advice applies in Canada and to the whole world. No matter when the next election is, Now is the time to take a stand. As Canadians we will have no excuse if this hatred takes root here. We have watched the rise of intolerance in other countries and need to guard against it at home. If it comes and finds a home here it is because we have ignored the lessons of Britain and America and invited intolerance and ignorance into our home.

     Canada can be and needs to be a beacon of hope in the world, guiding others forward and showing that although it is hard, inclusion, tolerance and love can turn back the tide of hate.

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