I am furious. My hands are trembling as I type this on election night. I am in complete disbelief and shock at my nation, at our democracy, at my countrymen.
A racist
A misogynist
A liar
A failure
A crook
An ignoramus
A conspiracy theorist
An aggressor
An oppressor
And, frankly, a piece of shit human being.
This is our leader. A world leader. America has forfeited any and all claims to superiority tonight.
I am disgusted. Ashamed. I desperately pity those who are not.
Our unashamed citizens will return to their everyday lives, just as ignorant and misinformed about the world around them as they were coming into this election. Their only solace will be years drowning in regret as they watch their world collapse.
Myself and countless others will suck it up and return to work, feigning optimism. Personally, I will attempt to muster the strength to continue my work of educating our nation’s underprivileged youth. I will fake a smile while I try to explain to my students that they shouldn’t worry about their families being forced out of the country. That they shouldn’t fear their own president or the authorities that enforce his will. Against my better instinct, I will likely lie to them.
I will try to convince them that the wall won’t happen.
I will attempt to convince confused teenage boys that the way their president treats women, is not how they should treat women.
I will tell my girls that nobody should ever grab them by the genitals, and that “locker-room” talk is a myth created by sexists and perverts.
I will reset our norms about how we discuss race, religion, disability, sexuality, and gender.
I will try to comfort the children in my school who approach me at lunch, and ask, “Why does Trump hate us?” I will try to explain. I will try to simplify hate, prejudice, and ignorance -- explain it in children’s terms.
Tomorrow may very well be the most difficult day in my career as a teacher -- as a thinking, caring human being.
A racist
A misogynist
A liar
A failure
A crook
An ignoramus
A conspiracy theorist
An aggressor
An oppressor
And, frankly, a piece of shit human being.
This is our leader. A world leader. America has forfeited any and all claims to superiority tonight.
I am disgusted. Ashamed. I desperately pity those who are not.
Our unashamed citizens will return to their everyday lives, just as ignorant and misinformed about the world around them as they were coming into this election. Their only solace will be years drowning in regret as they watch their world collapse.
Myself and countless others will suck it up and return to work, feigning optimism. Personally, I will attempt to muster the strength to continue my work of educating our nation’s underprivileged youth. I will fake a smile while I try to explain to my students that they shouldn’t worry about their families being forced out of the country. That they shouldn’t fear their own president or the authorities that enforce his will. Against my better instinct, I will likely lie to them.
I will try to convince them that the wall won’t happen.
I will attempt to convince confused teenage boys that the way their president treats women, is not how they should treat women.
I will tell my girls that nobody should ever grab them by the genitals, and that “locker-room” talk is a myth created by sexists and perverts.
I will reset our norms about how we discuss race, religion, disability, sexuality, and gender.
I will try to comfort the children in my school who approach me at lunch, and ask, “Why does Trump hate us?” I will try to explain. I will try to simplify hate, prejudice, and ignorance -- explain it in children’s terms.
Tomorrow may very well be the most difficult day in my career as a teacher -- as a thinking, caring human being.
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