Dear Ellis: 4 - Time to Take a Stand

Oh El, it's happened.

No one thought it would, but it has. And people are on fire about it. Dave Martin was elected as president.

This country has become a land of self-entitlement instead of community-building, where it's me versus you, instead of us versus life's intrinsic hardship that every one of us faces daily. People are waiting for someone to pop down and save them, to win the lottery, looking for someone to blame for their struggles, and blinding themselves to the reality that every single human around them is also fighting something, even if it's not what they them self are fighting on this particular day or in this specific moment. They no longer seem to understand that hard work earns things, because for many, working hard has earned them nothing but harder work, and THAT is what we need to change to fix ourselves, not pushing out those who are different or blaming someone else. Blame the greedy, blame the fear-mongers, blame those who divide us and insight violence and anger, blame ourselves for allowing ourselves to be lead away from basic human values for ALL.

Too few of Janus's supporters actually gave credance to the chance that Martin could defeat Janus. Part of me knew it was indeed a risk, but didn't want to allow it into the realm of possibility. But he promised fix the crumbling economy, with so many losing their jobs, so many fighting just to feed, clothe and shelter their families, and they believed. Within a country full of corrupt Congressmen and wealthy, power-hungry businessmen with sway over far too much, he promised to fight that corruption despite himself being one of the wealthy, power-hungry businessmen, and they believed. He fed into their fear of terrorist violence, fed into their (often false) belief that anyone immigrating into our melting-pot of a country, built on freedom and opportunity, would steal their own freedom and opportunity, and they believed, instead of welcoming new comrades to fight those corrupt and greedy few that push us ALL down, not just them. They may not have believed in his racist and bigoted remarks, but they believed he could restore a feeling of safety and hope that they hadn't had in a long time, and that he would fight for them.

The divide grows and grows... Martin supports are cheering, and bashing Janus supporters for supporting yet another corrupt politician. Janus supporters are horrified that Martin supporters would elect someone so divisive, who shines a spotlight on blaming groups of people for things that are not their fault, who supports bullying others and ostracizing those who look different, or live or believe differently.

Janus supporters are attacking Martin supporters for being hateful and racist and bigots and sexists because Martin's speeches make him out to be and they are the ones who chose to elect him. They accept no perspective that Janus supporters are people who are afraid, and that fear was used against them, that they too are parents, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, and Americans all seeking a less troubled and worrisome life. I am not approving of their choice, but I can try to understand it, so I can understand them.

Martin supporters lash back that Janus supporters need to "get over it" and that "the people have spoken", despite Martin winning the electoral votes by state by only the slimmest of margins, and losing the popular, by-citizen vote, again by only the slimmest of margins. It shows our divide like a neon sign on a dark night that the race was so close.

Janus supporters call Martin & his followers "bullies", yet they bully just as much, believing they are righteous in their actions and hurtful words because they are aimed at "ignorant racists bigots", not at people disillusioned by corporate political corruption, by a terrible economy for all, by wanting to feel safe and secure in their right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Martin's followers justify their bullying with their "triumph" in the election, that Janus followers are just sheep too busy following the status quo to see how corrupt the world has become, or are socialist liberal lazies who want everything handed to them for free.

Martin's whole campaign gave the impression of approving "speaking your mind" despite who is offended by your viewpoints, and that precedent now continues in the words and actions of his compatriots, and it seems, Janus's compatriots are following suit, instead of standing up for the values they had so loudly claimed to hold for so long - respect and equality for ALL.

Janus supporters express a sarcastic snide desire to watch Martin fail miserably, even if it means the failure of our nation as a whole. Whereas I myself want to work even harder toward a better world for my children.

If I see bigotry, I will speak up. If I see racism or sexism, I will speak up. I will not give up nor go blindly along whatever path we are lead, but I will also not focus on blame, the way Martin has and now Janus supporters are. I will focus on anything I myself can do as one small human in a big ocean of life to evolve that ocean into something more beautiful. I will not attack a Martin supporter simply for their support of him. I will acknowledge what made them afraid, I will acknowledge their desire to work and earn a "good" life for themselves and their families, if that is what they do desire. I will stand beside my Muslim sisters and my gay brothers and my dark-skinned cousins and my immigrant family if they are down-trodden, and I will also stand beside my fearful brothers and my poor sisters and my homeless family, that they too may grow the life they seek, for that is also the life that I seek.

I will not give up, I will not give in, but I will not hate and I will not hurt, it is not who I am, and I do not truly believe it is who the many are. Perhaps the few, but we outnumber them, and it is our time to take a stand, together.