Last night, as ballots were counted and former President Donald J. Trump secured his return to the White House this January, many reactions across the country reached a level of anguish perhaps deeper than ever before. While our community bubble will shield many of us from noticing today, there are many who are hurting and who will hurt for the next four years.
Many in our community are white, upper-class Northerners and if that describes you, there's a decent chance you are celebrating today. There’s also a decent chance that your initial reaction today will be to dismiss the fears and emotions of others with a phrase somewhere along the lines of: “You are being dramatic, this won’t even affect you.” This is where I urge you—regardless of what your desired outcome was for this election—to keep sensitivity at the forefront of your mind.
I understand—and somewhat agree—that there’s a strong chance Trump’s radical rhetoric may not translate as sharply into action in the Oval Office. This does not matter. There will be change, and the hurt many feel today is very real and fully justified. Undocumented immigrants, southern women, and lower-income Black women with business aspirations are just a few of the groups that many feel will suffer under new legislative priorities. For them, this election not only threatens their rights and dreams but cements a painful feeling that the United States—the 'land of the free and home of the brave,' its systems and its citizens—does not care about them. Don’t let your personal ego deepen that feeling of exclusion.
It is easy when you do not know these people, to belittle their feelings and the feelings of those who do empathize with them to an overreaction. Behind this ‘overreaction,’ however, are real lives and dreams which are now overshadowed by crushing uncertainty. If you’re struggling to empathize because you do not know these people, and find yourself dismissing their reactions as 'dramatic,' I urge you to stay silent and take time to process your victory with humility.
America is hurting today. Maybe not your America, but a very real, very vulnerable America. Do not let self-importance blind the validity of that hurt. As St. Paul’s guiding principles remind us, “We gather to address important questions with open minds, robust dialogue, and mutual respect.” It's okay to feel victory, but let’s move toward unity, prioritizing the humanity of those we may not know. We must honor each other’s experiences, especially those we find hard to understand, and approach this moment with empathy and respect.
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