Occupy MY street- not MY president, yet.

Original Post Date – December 10, 2016.

I spent the evening listening to Fox News. I understand more now why our nation is so divided. We are being duped so we stay divided. I am saddened, and I am fired up. Trump is #notmypresidentyet- but that doesn’t make me a sore loser.  Yeah, I have been quiet on #Trump since the election. That time is over.

I have listened to the push-back on the #notmypresident movement and the cries for disappointed folks like me to stop being sore losers. Well, he is #notmypresidentyet, I am not a sore loser. I’m just profoundly disappointed. I accept he’s been elected by a minority of Americans, but don’t expect me to jump aboard the Trump train. Not now. Not yet. I need him to show up, man up and apologize.

But he will not apologize.  That’s one of the main reasons I am disappointed. We elected a bully that gloats the results of outright hostility and lying. I believe in redemption and forgiveness, but Trump clearly sees no wrong in his actions.

Why do I remain so bothered? Why do I want an apology? Why is he #notmypresidentyet?

• Misogyny – the systemic hatred of women. It won. There is a rudeness and condescending way in which Trump spoke about women during the election and I will not let that go until I see a change and hear an apology. Michelle Obama said it best, but we all know the way he brushed off his language as “locker room talk” was a pathetic attempt to excuse away the inexcusable. I am sick of people brushing his words aside and being willing to accept him as a change agent someone who breaks up the status quo as though that is enough to look beyond his misogyny. It is not enough for me. All the change he might bring (and yes, I’m hoping he is successful and does good for our country) is not enough for me to accept the systemic hatred of women he emboldens. He applied sexism as a tool and then denied its very use.
• Racism – he’s a proven bigot and racist. Unlearning my own inherited sexism and racism in my early years has made me a better person. It is thanks to patient women and patient, caring women of color that I can understand my white privilege and become more responsible for my own racist actions. Trump flaunts behaviors that look like he feels entitled to his sexist behaviors and that he has no idea of how white privilege has aided him. I want leaders who live by examples that can help shapes our children. What lessons do kids learn from Trump actions? That scares me.
• Hate bating bullying – Trump used it as a tool and he won. Why should that make anyone happy? He’s even back-peddled from many of the position he touted during the election process – (making him slightly more tolerable?) – but not enough to lull me into complacency. Fine, he’s a good strategist. He played chess and won. But his debate behavior (talking over Clinton, blurting out insults, leering over her as a power-play) and his campaign trail race-baiting was a calculated call to the worst sentiments of racism, fear and division among us. He is part of the financial and political elite that works to drive American apart so we don’t focus on them and hold our political systems and officials accountable.

I’ve long accepted my ability to blend in with the majority of Americans (white men) as an obligation to look out for others. Obviously being gay helps me identify as a minority. I am sure that is why the election of Trump strikes so deeply at my core values.

I have to keep reminding myself that roughly 47% of Americans did not vote. Unbelievable. Inexcusable. Some 4-6% of Americans voted for a 3^rd party candidate.  That means less than 50% of Americans voted and even if Trump and Clinton had split the rest (they didn’t – Clinton won the popular vote, among those that voted) – that still means only 1 in 4 Americans stood up for Trump.  I’m also willing to accept that is a small minority of them that embody the sexism, racism and bigotry that he did during the campaign.  I want to believe he’ll be President of all of us and that most of his supported are just equally pissed off as I am and wanted a change.

All of that is going to take time and adjustment.  My way of adjusting will be to write about it.  I welcome comments, but I know I’m doing this mostly as a coping mechanism.

I’m also starting a separate blog, Occupy My Street and soon will be joined by others who have something to say.  Feel free to join the conversation, occupy my street and I’ll occupy yours.  That way we can come together. That way we can stop letting the 1% define the agenda that keeps us fighting one another instead of holding them accountable.

For now, he’s #notmypresident because I can’t look past the horrible behaviors until I see a change or year an apology.  I’m holding my breath.

#unclerandy