TRIGGER WARNING
I've been putting off writing about the election. I thought I'd write about it the week after, then month after, then in the new year. I told myself I needed to heal, to gain perspective, or any one of the same things you thought to yourself as well.
This isn't about a Republican winning. I voted straight Obama, but if John McCain or Mitt Romney won this last election, I'd overall be fine. They are regular guys who are against sexual violence.
But this isn't a regular guy. And America knew it. Donald Trump is a SELF-CONFESSED sexual assault perpetrator. My country just elected a man who said he likes to sexually assault women. His inauguration is tomorrow.
We've elected sexual predators before. With the allegations against Bill Clinton still alive, and the fact that many of our early Presidents owned slaves...yes, it is safe to say we've had perpetrators serving in our highest elected office in our country.
But we've never KNOWINGLY elected a SELF-CONFESSED sexual assault perpetrator as our President before. There is a tape of Trump BRAGGING about it. He released an apology, that really was no apology. Apologies are full of repentance. Apologies are humble. Apologies are not: "But this other guy is worse than me!"
Listening to the men and women of the group Celebration Recovery at my church, confessing sins and ways they hurt people, we who hear can tell what's a real apology.
Victims/Survivors didn't believe Trump's non-apology. And the
American electorate showed that they value perpetrators over innocent victims. Even as an educator, I feel betrayed. This isn't political whining, this is real life anger and sadness.
I will continue to speak out against Trump and his supporters. I wish I could preach unity and hope now that the election is over. It is much more important to stick up and speak out for victims/survivors, however. To speak truth and not gloss over crime. To reject evil. To de-normalize violence. Silence will help no one. Lowering our standards is not the American way.
I hope you'll join me.
I've been putting off writing about the election. I thought I'd write about it the week after, then month after, then in the new year. I told myself I needed to heal, to gain perspective, or any one of the same things you thought to yourself as well.
This isn't about a Republican winning. I voted straight Obama, but if John McCain or Mitt Romney won this last election, I'd overall be fine. They are regular guys who are against sexual violence.
But this isn't a regular guy. And America knew it. Donald Trump is a SELF-CONFESSED sexual assault perpetrator. My country just elected a man who said he likes to sexually assault women. His inauguration is tomorrow.
We've elected sexual predators before. With the allegations against Bill Clinton still alive, and the fact that many of our early Presidents owned slaves...yes, it is safe to say we've had perpetrators serving in our highest elected office in our country.
But we've never KNOWINGLY elected a SELF-CONFESSED sexual assault perpetrator as our President before. There is a tape of Trump BRAGGING about it. He released an apology, that really was no apology. Apologies are full of repentance. Apologies are humble. Apologies are not: "But this other guy is worse than me!"
Listening to the men and women of the group Celebration Recovery at my church, confessing sins and ways they hurt people, we who hear can tell what's a real apology.
Victims/Survivors didn't believe Trump's non-apology. And the
American electorate showed that they value perpetrators over innocent victims. Even as an educator, I feel betrayed. This isn't political whining, this is real life anger and sadness.
I will continue to speak out against Trump and his supporters. I wish I could preach unity and hope now that the election is over. It is much more important to stick up and speak out for victims/survivors, however. To speak truth and not gloss over crime. To reject evil. To de-normalize violence. Silence will help no one. Lowering our standards is not the American way.
I hope you'll join me.