Today I cried. I’m crying because I’m angry. I’m angry that so many people I know and care about are scared. I know too many people who feel they are one of the future administration’s “target” populations than do not: non-whites, Muslims, women, LGBTs, poor, mentally ill, etc. In fact, I know few people who feel safe right now, and that makes my heart ache. When large swaths of people are scared for their lives and their livelihoods, is that not a form of terrorism? This doesn’t include all the articles that I’ve seen about children who are terrified that they or someone they know or love will be deported, or the articles about the hate speech and bullying that is happening since the election results—some of it in our own schools by our own children. People are saying, “make America great again.” If fear, bullying and hatred are the road to the greatness of our country—a country in which only a minuscule portion of our population has no immigrant lineage—I’m not only angry, I’m scared too. There was a time when my family was part of a new immigrant population.
I’ve always accepted the outcomes of elections. I’ve always believed that no matter who is in office, that’s with whom we work, and we do the best we can until the next election. I’m registered “decline to state,” so this isn’t about democrat or republican. I’ve always cast my vote in ways that I believe are in the best interest of all of us. But this is about people—our friends, family and neighbors feeling safe, and we will never be “great,” as long as our own people are afraid in the place they call home.
To all of you out there who are scared, know that I love you and you are not alone. There’s safety in numbers, and I’ll stand by you, hold your hand, hug you, listen to you, and if need be, I’ll be on the battle lines with you. I know many others will too. We live in California, a state that despite its imperfections is rich in diversity. And most of the people I know live in Sacramento—one of the nation’s most diverse and inclusive cities in the nation. I’ve never been more proud to be a Sacramentan.
