Post Election Thoughts (Alternate Title: I Know Nothing, Hear Me Roar!)

Caveat: This is more a stream of conciousness writing than a formal essay. I post it simply because it feels good to try and codify my thoughts.

American populism has won the day. The last gasp of an angry, increasingly marginalized (in their eyes) white population has propelled a man with no knowledge, no experience, and no concept of the principles of American government to the Presidency. But blame is immaterial now, although it certainly feels good. So instead I turn to speculation.

Donald Trump does not believe that global warming exists, and commensurate with that belief has said he will reverse the Paris Climate Agreement. Now we are not the only country in the world, so the world will not wait for us. The world will move on without us.
Donald Trump represents isolationism, a want to keep America to itself. In today's global economy, tariffs and isolationism will not bring jobs back. The jobs are not being taken by other people, but by machines. The steady march of technology will not stop. Even if we try to make it stop, it will not, and the world will move on without us.

So what about at home? I'm a straight white guy, and my ability to live an unencumbered life has never been at risk, and continues not to be. But what about all of my friends, so many of whom are part of the LGBTQ youth of America? What about all of the people and groups that I do not have a personal touchstone for? African Americans, Muslims, the illegal immigrants who work as hard as anyone? The rest of the world recognizes that all people have rights. Half of America believes that all people have rights. Even still, the world will move on without us.

The people have spoken, and we must accept the results of the election. But acceptance can not mean reserving ourselves to whatever the fates will bring. We must hold our government accountable, and always remember what we believe in. Certainly this too shall pass, and we will have another chance to decide the direction our country will take. But for now, the only course of action is to fight on. Fight on in the courts, fight on in the state houses and in the town halls, fight on in everyday life. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. Donate to the ACLU, plan to run for local office, protest, write a shitty think piece like this one. Write to your representatives and tell them what you believe. Do anything. Do something.