"In a world where you can be anything, be KIND"

As per the usual, this blog comes with a warning. But just because of the content of this particular blog, I shall present you with two warnings.

First fair warning: This blog contains political content. The political content is not meant to change your personal opinion or state that the reader is wrong for their beliefs; it only serves the purpose of my own personal thoughts.

Second fairer warning: This blog contains all my personal thoughts. No one is encouraging me to write this post. I honestly have so many ideas bouncing around in my head and they just need to come out to help me "heal" and to give the readers of this blog some food for thought. I also have to include in this second warning, that I have been thinking about this for a while and that perhaps my thoughts might be a little rambling, so please excuse the semi-organized chaos. Although, you are reading a blog with the title "Always rambling with nothing to say".

I strongly encourage the readers of this blog to read my last post due to the fact that this is most definitely related. Or please, read a newspaper because this country just had an election. An election that was held after the most hateful, tumultuous, anxious political campaign that most people have ever experienced in their lives. An election that showed the clear, and disheartening, divide among our American citizens. An election that resulted in Donald Trump as the presidential-elect of the United States of America. An election that made me cry and feel anxious for several days after. An election that still feels like a personal, and perhaps, national nightmare for myself and many others.

I am going to be completely honest and say that I never saw this coming. I truly did not believe that our country could elect a racist, xenophobic, womanizing, reality show host to lead our country for the next four years. Although those words seem long and a cliche for many individuals now, they are my honest opinion. Throughout his lifetime (forget about the words, speeches, and televised statements that were made during the election), president-elect Donald Trump has insulted huge groups of individuals. He has made vulgar, demeaning comments towards women (many of them made public) and derogatory remarks about minorities, immigrants, and those with special needs. He even insulted veterans who had/have PTSD saying that they were too weak and that's why they are experiencing their symptoms. He has threatened to take away many of our rights (including reproductive rights) and overturn many of the laws and acts that were put into place from the President Obama administration over the past eight years. He has bankrupted himself and his company many times, yet he promises to put more money back into our economy, which feels like a true statement of contradiction. He wants to build a wall for immigrants which would undermine the entire foundation of our country; in addition to the wall and its reinforcement costing millions of taxpayer dollars, 90% of us would not be here today if our ancestors did not IMMIGRATE into this country many years ago. Honestly, I could list countless other reasons why president-elect Trump's term in office is potentially catastrophic for this country, but I choose to stop here.

I understand that many of these potential policies are going to have to pass through the House and Senate before they are even considered to be a valid option. I also understand the fact that Donald Trump is not the only individual to make horrible choices and decisions throughout his life and campaign run. Hillary Clinton is definitely not an angel and she has a list of statements and choices that I personal do not condone. I understand that no one is perfect. Hell, on a daily basis I have "resting bitch face", I tend to judge others too quick, and I hold grudges. I have done my fair share of horrible decision making and faced potential regrets. No one is proud of 100% of everything they have said, done, or haven't had the opportunity to do. I understand that we don't know what a Donald Trump presidency would consist of; he might surprise us all. Even though I seriously doubt that...

What does scare me and what I can honestly say for certain, is that this hateful election, the aftermath of experiencing months and years of hate, has resulted in disastrous social consequences. Ones that I fear are only going to get worse over the next several months and years unless we as American citizens acknowledge what is happening in our country and try to be better people.

Since the announcement of Donald Trump's election results, America has seen an outpouring of racist, demeaning, and overall nasty comments and actions. Swastikas promoting "white pride" have been painted on public buildings, students have been wearing "black face" to scare away the "black population", individuals have been attacked on college campuses for wearing hijabs, women have been scared to walk to their cars, and countless racial slurs and taunts have been written across bathrooms, public stalls, and even people's cars. But that's only a small amount of incidents. Those are only the acts that have been committed by "Trump supporters". Although Trump has said that he doesn't welcome those individuals who committed these acts into the Republican party and he doesn't condone what they have done, they did happened. But, it's not just "white supremacists" who have engaged in these hateful acts. Those who were supporting Trump and his political views have been victims following the election as well; they have been beaten during rallies and protests, they have been called racist and have experienced hateful crimes, and they have been made to feel like their views and their personalities are "wrong" just for voting in the election. In fact, a friend on Facebook described some of the hate she experienced and the racial comments that she received from those who she considered friends were disgusting. Just because she voted for Trump she became an enemy. And she isn't the only one to experience these words and actions.

Even on social media, I have been astounded by the amount of hate and ridiculous memes that have emerged since the Trump win on Tuesday. I have seen memes stating that those who were protesting Trump could afford to go to rallies since "they are lazy, don't work, and receive state benefits". I have also seen the meme of a woman crying stating "Trump is gonna make me work for my benefits". There have been countless others, but these are truly personal and aggravating to me.

First of all, just because people didn't vote for Trump, doesn't mean that they don't work and that they are receiving state benefits. Second, some people honestly need those benefits to survive and they have done everything they could before relying on those services provided by the government. Are there people who cheat the system? Yes. Are their people who receive benefits and don't care? Yes. But there are also those hard working people, like myself and others, who have been in positions where we worked our asses off at our minimum wage jobs and where our husbands lost their jobs and applied for everything under the sun and still didn't find anything. We had no choice but to rely on state benefits to carry us through until we could find something better. By assuming and passing along these memes and hateful words, you are perpetuating the hate and possibly hurting others who had no choice but to rely on assistance and feel ashamed for that fact.

Writing and describing these acts and words honestly leaves me on the brink of tears. How could our society be so hateful? How could we demean and categorize individuals for their beliefs and how could we perpetuate hate when we are all American citizens? Why does this feel like we are stepping back into the era of segregation? Running towards a future that places hate above love? That places individual's rights and beliefs over the good of a country?

Martin Luther King Jr. stated, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

So, I ask, no matter what your view. Choose love instead of hate. Choose light instead of darkness. Choose a path that not only benefits your beliefs, but also reinforces the ideals that this country was founded upon. Choose to drive out what you believe is wrong without hurting those in your path. Choose to set an example rather than following the examples of others. Choose to think for yourself instead of following the individuals who repost and "jump on the bandwagon". Choose to be the person that you want your children, your students, your family, the younger generation to follow. Choose to support instead of abandoning those who need you the most. Choose to volunteer rather than being passive in your choices. Choose differently.

After Tuesday, I was running on little sleep and I was feeling depressed and disheartened. I didn't have a smile to give and I felt angry at our country for getting it "so wrong". But instead of acting on my hate, instead of turning this into a "me versus them" argument, I chose kindness. I purchased my bagel and coffee and then I also passed along a $5 gift card. The woman behind me, kept it going and passed it along to the next customer. I say this not to receive acknowledge for my "good deed", but to say it's possible to choose kindness.

In a world where there is so much hate and so much bitterness, why do I need to hate Trump supporters too. Why do I need to bring others down to support my own views? We do not live in an "eye for an eye" society. Therefore, we need to make a difference if we want others to hear our voice and if we want others to make a difference too.

Martin Luther King Jr. also stated, "If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way".

So I ask everyone to do something small. If you see someone who is experiencing a moment of great sadness, offer them a hand or a hug. If you see someone who is being targeted for a hate crime, stand by them and let them know you don't stand for intolerance. If you see an individual on the street in rags and tatters, buy them a warm blanket or a hot meal. If you see an elderly man or woman who cannot hold the door and push their shopping cart out, hold the door. If you hear about a friend who went through a bad breakup, let them know you are there to listen. If you do not feel comfortable taking a stand in government, speaking up, or standing out, then commit a random, small act of kindness. It could make a huge difference.

If you feel like taking a bigger stand, get involved. Donate to a charity that you believe in. Volunteer at a local food bank or homeless shelter. Look for minority organizations and see how you can support them with time or money. Lend money to Planned Parenthood if you fear for your reproductive rights. Write your Senator, State Representative, or Governor if you think funding should be allocated towards a specific cause (such as education or the arts). Sign a petition to protest laws and acts that you have no tolerance for and then continue to advocate for those groups and rights. Sit in on a local or state government meeting and find out what is happening in your community.

STOP WEARING SAFETY PINS, and start making your voice heard. Although the idea of a safety pin is a nice thought, it is meant as a patch for our own personal feelings. The only thing a safety pin is holding together and representing, is ourselves. We need to think beyond our own feelings and start broadening our view.

Don't fear the Trump presidency, just ensure that your voice is heard and start ensuring that our future as a country is not in jeopardy.

And lastly, I will leave you with two pieces of information...

First, before everyone starts thinking that I am on a high horse and that I am just spewing random words and that I don't take my own advice, slow your role. I am actively involved in local politics (I have personal contributed time and money to the recent elections). I am also a member of several women and education advocacy groups due to the fact that they represent causes that I firmly believe in. And I have written to the Attorney General and State Representatives many times in the past to let my voice be heard about issues that I found to be unacceptable. So, yes I firmly believe everything that I have said.

Second, please remember this quote:

"In a world where you can be anything, be KIND".

*Final note: Not sure where the last quote came from. Sorry for not citing my source here.

You are Making a Mistake

WARNING: This blog post contains political content and if you are easily offended, then you should stop reading. Additional note, this blog post DOES NOT contain partial favoritism or try to convince the reader to vote for a specific party, candidate, or rights.

I have always been fascinated by the concept of time. So much so that I actually wrote a final composition piece in high school on the topic. Time is a strange concept. It is one that we invented: we placed seconds to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days, days to months, months to years, and years to the span of our lifetimes. We conceived countless concepts regarding daylight savings times, time zones, and times at which specific events occur. We placed the importance on time. But the fact of the matter is that time is an inevitable part of our lives. And time seems to proceed at an accelerated rate.

Today is already November 3, 2016. The year is almost over. Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Independence Day, and Halloween have passed. Before we know it, the major religious holidays will come and go and we will be ringing in the New Year of 2017. This also means that another important date is quickly approaching: Election Day, which is November 8th for the record...

Unfortunately, this election year has been one of turmoil, angst, argument, disappointment, conflict, and general uneasiness. It has been said that this year is one of the most important election years to date. While I partly agree with this statement because I think we have the potential to witness history (no matter what way the electoral college and popular vote indicate), I also think that every single presidential election is incredibly important.

Let's refer to the concept of time once again.

In the early years of our country, only white people were allowed to vote. Correction, only white males were allowed to vote (especially those who were wealthy land owners). Time progressed, the Civil War was won, and then came a period of great segregation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, along with countless other thankless and equally important members of the African American community, came together to fight against racism and pass the 25th Amendment which banned all forms of the poll tax, thus paving the way for African Americans to vote. Historical figures such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucy Stone advocated for women and faced countless critics and other obstacles to ensure that women had the right to vote.

An innumerable amount of people were beaten, faced harsh critics, and spent their entire lives dedicated to ensuring that ALL American citizens would be able to vote in all future elections. Minutes, hours, days, months, years, decades were spent tirelessly by hundreds of people to ensure that American citizens would be able to vote without facing segregation, injustice, punishment, and criticism.

Yet, so many Americans are actively choosing and discussing the fact that they will not vote due to the candidates on the ballot this year. How incredibly sad.

If time has taught us one thing it should be that we shouldn't take anything for granted. Our right to vote is something that we should not take for granted because if you exercised that vote, perhaps we wouldn't have these two major party candidates.

Make a stand. Start voting in EVERY SINGLE ELECTION! Declare yourself apart of a party...any party. It doesn't have to be Republican or Democrat. It could be the Green Party, an Independent, or one of the other parties that are now being recognized and advocated for. While you won't be able to vote in primary elections (which is truthfully upsetting), at least you are exercising your right to vote. You are declaring that you recognize the time spent and the fights lost and won to earn your right to vote. You are making a stand against future candidates and you are advocating for the best candidate that will represent how you feel and what direction you believe this country should be heading towards.

But, mostly importantly, RESEARCH! Understand that you are not obligated to vote for Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party or Donald Trump and the Republican party. There are so many other candidates; Jill Stein for the Green Party and Gary Johnson for the Libertarian party. Maybe one of those candidates has a different view for our country and they are the one who will advocate for your personal beliefs and will lead this country in a different direction. Or think about who is running for U.S. Senate or other local political positions. These MATTER TOO! They help decide who will advocate for your city, town, and state on a local and national level. That vote is just as important.

Include in this research the fact that major media stations and social media sites are not places to find factual information. ALL media stations are biased; they cover one candidate more than the other, they pick and select information to show, and they run ads for specific political parties. Social media sites create videos that are pieced together to show a candidate in a certain light or that misconstrue a candidates words or intentions. All of these places influence our thoughts and help us lean towards a specific candidate. Even our close family and friends influence our votes. We hear a piece of news from them that they heard from someone else or the media and suddenly we think, "That makes sense," or "Wow. I never knew that candidate was so spiteful or stood for that specific issue". I'm not saying to ignore your family and friends or that they are intentionally lying to you. What I am saying is that your vote should be PERSONAL.

Your vote should be grounded in your personal beliefs. Not only what you think about the "hot topics" (Gun control, Roe v. Wade, Immigration), but also what you think should happen with state and government funding. What you think should happen in the education system, health care, community programs, and advocacy groups. There are so many MORE TOPICS than the ones that candidates like to focus on. We all have opinions about these topics and we need to be vigilant about what we want for ourselves, our families, our friends, and our communities. Think about what direction you think this country should head towards and find the candidate that best fits that concept. Don't become a sheep and vote with the majority (although I think that's exactly what's going to happen with this election); think for yourself. Advocate for the candidate that fits your needs, beliefs, and community. THINK, RESEARCH, REACT.

Also, don't become one of THOSE people who think that the "popular vote" does not count. YOU ARE MAKING A MISTAKE! True, the popular vote does not mean that that person is getting into office. Reference: George Bush in 2000 who lost the popular vote to Al Gore, but won the electoral college and became our president. The electoral college is the body of individuals who are responsible for voting for the president of the United States every four years. But, that body of individuals consist of the members of Congress (those in the House of Representatives and two each for the number of Senators for each state). Those members get to where they are by popular votes...BY OUR VOTES! In fact, we are voting for U.S. Senators this year! Which means that your vote DOES COUNT! If you don't vote in this election, then you are directly influencing the presidential outcome for this year and the next presidential electoral year as well. YOUR VOTE DOES COUNT.

If it didn't count, then why would countless individuals fight, die, and tire themselves out advocating for your right to vote?!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote during this election. And EVERY SINGLE ELECTION AFTER! Local and national elections!

If you don't vote, then YOU ARE MAKING A MISTAKE!