[Velika]

Appropriate poem for this election, this thread, this forum, and life in general.

Kindness
Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

[Phoenix]

Thank you for your eloquence, GBM. It is clear that we will remain a country divided unless there is a coming together on the issues of human rights (which include LGBTQ rights), the environment/global warming, etc., because an immovable force has been activated. Organizations like the Anti-Defemation League, the ACLU, Environmental Organizations and others have seen a ground swell like never before with millions of dollars and record breaking memberships since the election. Actions like that will ultimately be the country's mandate--driven by the people. 25% of eligible voters (and a far lower percentage if all Americans are included) is not a mandate. So time will tell, but my confidence is with the majority of people in this country who will find a way through, not because of people like Trump, but in spite of them.

Good to see you on the forum, GBM. I hope your healing is continuing. And thank you for the good thoughts to be strong. I can promise you I am in this for the duration and am very busy (in RL) working to defend and support what I believe are the best aspects of this country and its people.

Beautiful Velika.

Phoenix

[calamity]

I'm trying to understand this election.  A major loss to all has been the ability of the 4th estate to provide the checks and balances of democracy.  Truth has been replaced by 'truthiness'; facts are invented.  Trump has been allowed to accuse and blame with nothing but the weakest of challenges.  If immigration is curtailed the jobs will return?  From where?  Are we talking about making steel or cleaning rooms?*  The press has 'balanced coverage' as in sexual assault vs. use of an email server--how is this equally important?  Why are we discussing the existence of global warming when 99%+ of scientists regard it as a given?  It's absurd.  I have to say the decline of any real reporting predates Trump by decades--maybe he is the result.  I believe a huge percentage of Americans get their news from Fox--an organization that should have no credibility.

*Note:  Canada has a long history of importing talent rather than training our tradesmen and professionals so no, I don't mean immigrants only work in housekeeping jobs--here an immigrant from India is as likely to be an engineer as a cleaner].

I posted before I read the last two.  That poem deserves a careful read.

Phoenix, what I will do is, think globally and act locally.  Emphasis on the act.
 

[Finding Hope]

Thundarr,

I didn't vote for Trump but, he's going to be my President. I don't agree with much of what he's said. But, I do hope that he keeps his promises to make this country better. If he fails, we all fail. The one thing that I do like about Trump is that he's not in anyone's pocket. What has made me sad is what has happened on this site.

I've been a Hero's family member for 5 years. I came here to find comfort and guidance. Although there were plenty of times that I felt that I wasn't doing it "right" and I was taking too long to understand the process. It was only after that I decided to take what worked for me and leave the rest. At times I felt it was "do it my way because that's the way it's suppose to be done".

It seems like if you go against what others think, it's you that has the problem. Tearing Trump apart, is that what's going to make this country better. I watch the news, see all the protests. Do they really think it's going to change a thing? Don't get that mentality.

It is very disheartening to hear the people that I admired and trusted to get me through MLC bash others for their opinions about the election. The election is over, so do we try to move on and do the best we can, come together and unite as a country or do we do the same crap we've been doing, keep this country divided because that doesn't seem to be working.

FH

[OldPilot]

I have to say the decline of any real reporting predates Trump by decades--maybe he is the result. 
I believe a huge percentage of Americans get their news from Fox--an organization that should have no credibility.

I totally agree with this.
Our journalism is horrible and I say that after watching both sides of this.
Main stream Media does NOT have fair and unbiased reporting.
This was a huge revelation to me in this election.
FOX is not better or worse that CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, NY Times, Washington Post or many other publications.
It all really boils down to what LIE are you going to believe.
I can tell you that I do not believe I am part of the deplorables that HRC and
others on this board have lumped me into.
However I can tell you I am tired of being lied to.
So maybe because of my experience here for the last few years
I decided to change things up.
DO I think Trump is a saint, NO.
Maybe just more of the same.
I do think that we need to have a drastic change in the way things are reported.
Politics needs to be out of journalism part of the NEWS.

Trump - zeroed in on many of these feelings of the American population.
Drain the Swamp being one of them.
I do think that a smaller Federal government might be more efficient,
and bring about small amounts of change.

So did anyone see HRC's picture of her walking her dog in the woods after the election and coming upon a supporter for a selfie, taken by WJC?
Turns out that was staged too.
And you want to know why I dislike her and think she lies?

[Slow Fade]

Goodness, I was not attacking your husband, I was stating an opinion.

Sorry Stayed, this is a cop out at best. Kind of like when someone says "I'm sorry you took what I said the wrong way." It was most definitely an attack and not worth of a mentor on HS.

Leave our husbands out of this Stayed. Its not your place and it speaks to your character.

[Slow Fade]

Trump - zeroed in on many of these feelings of the American population.
Drain the Swamp being one of them.
I do think that a smaller Federal government might be more efficient,
and bring about small amounts of change.

So did anyone see HRC's picture of her walking her dog in the woods after the election and coming upon a supporter for a selfie, taken by WJC?
Turns out that was staged too.
And you want to know why I dislike her and think she lies?

Well said OP.

[Thunder]

FH,I don't think the protesters think they can change anything, their just frustrated with our system and just want their voices heard, as long as they keep it peaceful, I think it's a good thing. Thank God we live in a country where people can protest without getting killed or imprisoned for it.

I think when most votes goes to one person and the election goes for the other person, it makes no sense and people are enraged.
How is that "the will of the people?"

Well that won't change anytime soon.   

Thundarr how is giving the states the power back to be as racist or as bigoted as they want a good thing for America?
I personally think it sets us back years.  Gay marriage is here to stay.  Whether you or anyone else likes it or not.  In the eyes of the law we are all equal, not just some of us.

[Slow Fade]

Thundarr how is giving the states the power back to be as racist or as bigoted as they want a good thing for America?

  Its not about power to "be as racist or as bigoted as they want". Its about the Constitution. I don't believe that the States would automatically defer to racism or bigotry. The Federal government is overreaching into our personal lives on every level and in every way. We the People of THESE UNITED STATES......not A Few of the People of the Federal Government.

[Roma]

Happened to stumble across an interview w/ Bill DeBlasio, Mayor of NYC the other night and it comforted me.

He said he met w/ Trump to clarify a few things. First of all,  900 members  of the NYC police force are Muslim. So when I also keep hearing this bigoted statement of a Muslim ban or registration I wonder, will the cops also be policed the same way? Will they really be deporting them for their religion?

DeBlasio went on to say that much of the bigotry of what Trump campaigned on is handled by state government, not Federal government and what can happen is that there be a Federal recommendation, yet it would be up to individual states for the final decision.

I found this comforting that this country might not turn into the type of Government I feared it would when I saw that Trump won. I don't live in a state where blatant bigotry of gender, religion, race  etc. exists as much.