I haven’t known what to write since the election. I’m angry. I’m scared. Mostly, I feel lost, because I want to write for kids and I don’t know what to tell them. “I let you down,” is maybe what I should say. Or I can say that I will fight for them, but is that really good enough? To say, “I’m here for you” but know that I’m going home to my house, which is safe and full of food, and so many young people in America don’t have that?

I’m sure people are expecting me to come out with a post about the social injustices that will occur with the horror that Trump has been elected our president. That thought is interesting to me, because I’m not a political person. I’m not a patriotic person. I do not believe in America, but I care greatly, greatly for her people, and even more so, the world’s people. I am a humanist, not a patriot. I’m so jealous of my friends and family who have written words of hope and courage. You make me happy, and I need you now more than ever. I can’t understand how a man who gropes women, brags about the sexuality of his own child, makes fun of people handicaps, wants to separate families and ship out people who live here, has attacked veterans and their families, slams journalists and our freedom of the press and speech, denies the need to protect our environment, and refuses to give safety to those fleeing war-torn countries could ever be president of the Land of the Free. Before you hang me, know that I also am ashamed that I live in a place that is supposed to be a democracy and the Democratic party rigged it’s own nomination. I don’t know if Hillary knew it or not. I don’t care. I understand that this fact made many feel their vote was futile. I also realize that some of you voted against Hillary because you believe she had bad business outside of our country. Have you looked at America? We are so incredibly horrible on the inside, how can you even look outside our borders?

I was in Alabama two weeks ago and my friends and I walked through Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham. In 1963 a Reverend led a peaceful protest of students—most of them grade school through high school aged—in this park. The protest was lead by students because adults could no longer afford to protest for fear of losing their jobs with long jail time. These school children’s protest was met with arrests, police dogs, and fire hoses. The fire hoses were so powerful they blasted children off their feet, ripped their clothes off, and tore the hair from their heads. You can watch a video about the park here  or this video about the Children’s Crusade--which is longer but totally worth the watch/listen.

I’ve been going on a decent Stay-Away-From-Social-Media purge the last few months, however, 

this hit my eye last week, a day after I got home from Birmingham. How? How can this be happening? We study history in hopes that we humans will progress and learn from our mistakes. Yet, here we are. Again. And now, we have a president elect that is endorsed by the KKK. His VP is a man who believes in conversion therapy for LGBTQ people. Electro shocking human beings. America gave power to a man who just said today: "Somebody willsay, 'Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.' These are foolish people. Wehave a lot of foolish people." How do you feel about the president threatening your Freedom of Speech? The FIRST amendment.

I hope you watch the video on the Children’s Crusade and are appalled. How could this country, “The Greatest Country in the World,” blast children with 100 pounds of water pressure because they were walking for their right to equality? I then hope you realize it’s happening again in 2016. 53 years later and we haven’t learned a thing. I hope you were horrified when you learned about Hitler and how he, a democratically elected leader, killed 6 million people because they were “different” than him. Again, here we are 80-some years later, and we’ve elected a man who has lashed out against African Americans, women, journalists, Muslims, and immigrants.

Tom Moe, a POW who spoke on an anti-Trump add former Republican Candidate John Kasich put together, put together his own spin on an anti-Hitler poem Pastor Martin Neimoller wrote saying:

 "You might not care if Donald Trump says Muslims should register with their government, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says he's going to round up all the Hispanic immigrants, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says it's okay to rough up black protesters, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump wants to suppress journalists, because you're not one. But think about this: If he keeps going, and he actually becomes president, he might just get around to you. And you better hope there's someone left to help you."

I’m using my voice while I have it. For myself and those I love and those I don’t know. In my heart I keep telling myself Love Trumps Hate, but I'm scared of the road to get there.