Please Remember: When They Go Low, We Go High

My Grandma’s words rang true when she said to me: “Trump has unleashed a wave of hate which needs to be overcome with as much goodwill as we can muster. Now we can only hope that Trump will understand the heavy burden placed on his shoulders of being president, and bring healing to this country.”

Right now many people are bitter and many people are fearful. Many people are weary about what to expect in the upcoming four years. Many of my sister’s 2nd grade students in Phoenix are children of mothers and fathers who are not citizens. These little children are terrified of where they are going to go, or if their parents will leave them. Trump has instilled fear and worry into the minds of 8 year olds, of innocent young children.

He, and half of the nation, have made these children feel as though they don’t belong, as though they are not welcome here.

We need to support these children, and all of the children and people who feel as though they are no longer accepted. We need to lean on each other, and heal together. This election has led to so much heart break and disappointment. It has hurt millions of people, leaving many feeling isolated and scared. We have suffered a loss of what could’ve been. A loss of what should’ve been.

Although it feels easy to slide into feelings of hatred and accusations, we must rise above hatred, and focus instead on healing. If we hate too, we are only further igniting the fire. We must overcome hate by spreading as much kindness and as much love as our broken hearts can muster up. We must rise higher, and be bigger and better people, to defy the hate that has temporarily cast a shadow over our country.

We must show these 2nd graders that they are welcome here, that we are not tolerant of discrimination. We need to teach all of our children that they deserve love and respect. We need to tell them that the country is against them because the country is scared – nothing more.

We need them to know that bigotry is not something that we can accept.

Fight back for what you believe in, but fight with dignity and compassion – fight with kind words and meaningful actions. We will not get through this without people speaking up – without people sharing their thoughts and beliefs. We are a democracy first – and this means that we all have voices. Though right now we may feel as though our voices were not heard, we should not sit back for the next 4 years in defeat. We should stand up for what we believe in, and come together with other peace-spreaders and kindhearted people.

We must encourage people to speak up and to stand up for themselves and for each other, against any harmful or hurtful words. We have to remember that silence is not enough. We need to speak up, such that we can show our new president that we are much stronger than the hatred he has unleashed, and much stronger than the divisions he has created.

For the sake of humanity, we must replace fear with love. Love can outweigh everything.

We must teach our new President what love is, through our everyday actions. We cannot sit on the sidelines and hope for the best. Instead, we must be the best. We have to actively accept all people as who they are, and respect them for this. We have to act against discrimination, and speak up when discrimination is present. If we can show what love is, what love feels like, then love has to win.

Love is much lighter than hate. Love is much easier than hate. Love is what this country is built on – and it is our responsibility to show both our leader, and the world, that we are still a country of love.

America is a beautiful melting pot. This America, the America we know and love, is built on diversity.

It is built on acceptance, and on the celebration of difference. This America cannot be lost overnight. It cannot be overthrown. This America is still within all of us, and cannot be taken away, no matter who is president. Because we are greater than this. We are better than this. We are people who love, cherish, and respect one another. Our America is an America worth fighting for.

Stand up for each other and love each other. Let’s come together and overpower the hate.

In the words of Michelle Obama, “When they go low, we go high.”