We lost. And we lost bigly. I feel it. I know you feel it too. The hurt, the resentment, the anger, the despair…it’s all too real. We thought we lived in one country, but discovered in the worst way possible that we actually live in a different nation entirely.
I’ve seen a lot of optimists touting positive vibes and silver linings, but I have none to share with you. I’m in deep grief right now. I feel this defeat in every aspect of my being: mind, body, and spirit. I wept bitterly the morning after the results were announced and could feel nothing but vitriolic sentiments toward those I blamed for every major problem we currently face.
I’m not going to say, “Look on the bright side.” I’m not going to suggest we search for a silver lining. Were I to say either of those things, I would be dishonest and naïve. I see no bright side. And what good is a silver lining if the cloud is pouring down acid rain?
No. I’m not going to tell you to be positive. Instead, I’ll simply say this: feel it. Feel all of it. Let our defeat consume you. Let it chew you up and spit you out. Embrace the despair and let it have its day. Surrender to the futility of all things. Let the darkness of what happened surround you on every side and don’t belittle its magnitude. Don’t pretend this is okay.
But at the same time, don’t stay there. Let your grief own you for now, but not forever. We have been defeated, not eradicated. Let this defeat burn away our complacency. Let us rise from the ashes of our immense failure and further the cause of justice and hope.
If you’re like me, you feel helpless, hopeless, and betrayed. You feel despondent, afraid, and angry. Don’t neglect those feelings. Let them in. But don’t use them to lash out. Don’t use those emotions as fuel for your interactions with others. Don’t seek retribution. Don’t be vengeful. Don’t contribute to the seemingly insurmountable division in this country.
We are Progressives, friends, so let’s progress. Let’s move forward. Insofar as is possible for us, let’s work with Conservatives. We pride ourselves on being open-minded. Let’s maintain that open mind and shed our opinions whilst holding fast to our convictions. Let’s ask ourselves, “How can we be productive? How can we help?”
What happened on Election Tuesday was a tragedy. We are at a massive disadvantage, ideologically speaking. We are now the underdogs. Our cause hit a massive setback. What if our response to this setback could shape the political tone moving forward? We have the chance to be the colloquial “bigger person” here. What if we succeeded in recognizing that our adversaries in politics are our brothers and sisters in real life?
Imagine, if you will, a world in which we could treat a Trump supporter with the same respect we demand he show towards others. What if we could be kind to the bigots? Love the xenophobes and fear-mongers?
We can, and should, fight against racism, misogyny, homophobia, and all other forms of hatred. But in that fight, let us recognize we do not wage a war against people, but against ideologies. We can’t fight hate with hate. We can’t fight injustice with retribution. We can’t hold love in one hand and attempt vengeance with the other.
Many Conservatives like to claim their moral authority comes from the Bible. Let’s take a play from their playbook and consider this: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18).
This is a dark time for Progressives. How we respond is critical. Grieve as you need to, but trust in the temporal nature of all things. This feeling, this loathsome feeling, it’s not going to last forever. Let it happen, but also let it go.
This is a wake up call. We can’t get complacent. We can’t become bitter. We can’t grow jaded. Forgive our Conservative brothers and sisters. By and large, they are doing what they believe is right, just like we are. I don’t care whether or not Conservatives would forgive us if the shoe were on the other foot. It’s not and those kinds of hypotheticals will get us nowhere anyway.
I will leave you now with a final thought from the same chapter in Romans I quoted sentences prior: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”