The damage is done

I have been studiously apolitical on my Facebook page and in my blog.  As a school leader, I have intentionally avoided using social media as a soapbox to proclaim or forward my personal biases or agendas.

I'm about to express a political opinion.  See, two things have changed.  First, I am not currently employed or affiliated with any organization.  I do understand that I will be again in the future, and that the internet is permanent (if only everyone understood that reality!).  I'm OK with that.  Second, we as a nation, in the United States, have forwarded entrepreneur and reality star Donald Trump as a major party candidate (Republican, as it were, even though Trump's historic stances do not align with that party's platform).

Opinions, in support of or in opposition to, that particular candidate dominate the Internet right now, and I'm reluctant to add to the volume and enter that (often nonsensical) fray.  Nonetheless, I am compelled to go on record, if you can call this humble blog a record, with a thought about "making America great again."

I cannot believe Trump can win the general election in November.  I believe that in America, ultimately rational critical thinking prevails over vague assertions, hope prevails over despair, and love prevails over fear and hate.  I could be wrong about that, sadly, but let's say I'm right.

Here's the thing.  It doesn't matter.  Trump doesn't matter--he could be any hate and fear mongering demagogue*.  The damage is done, by his supporters, by those that seem to stand by and for racism, sexism, ignorance, bluster, denial and sound bite solutions to complex problems.  The world sees it, our children see it, and as a nation it defines us.

But, we are better than that.  While many are frustrated, while many are disenfranchised, while many are fed up, while many succumb to the appeal of anger, to the appeal of "outsider," enough-is-enough rhetoric, to the appeal of polarized, us vs. them thinking, we are better.  The values we stand for, as a nation are better.

We do, after this campaign, regardless of who we end up electing as president, need to make America great again.  Because the things that have been said, and supported, and celebrated have marred that greatness.

What's next, America?

*it's a bandwagon word these days, and I want to be clear here about exactly what I mean.  I mean demagogue in the modern sense, as defined here, and I want to highlight these methods as aligned with what I've seen of his campaign.