Making America Great Again: A How-To Manual

I am not a political person.  My only credentials on the subject come from the fact that I minored in history in college, which consisted of only one government course.  Therefore, this is not a political post; this is a people post.

Donald Trump has promised to make America great again. While, to me, his plan for doing so has always been a tad unclear, one thing has always stood out about it; it includes a blatant disrespect and lack of regard and understanding for several groups of people. These groups include, but certainly are not limited to, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, those with disabilities, the LGBTQ community, and a host of many others. While I hate to be blunt, it must be said: if you are not a white male, it is very likely that you may feel Donald Trump does not have your best interests at heart. Can you be blamed? No. Because so far, he’s done very little to show that he does. (Note: I am aware that some members of the communities I listed above support Mr. Trump. To each his own.)

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election and inauguration, there has been a massive wave of resistance coming from the groups that feel threatened by him and his ideology. It has come in the form of protests, riots, boycotts, and marches. The resistance has sadly been met with the following types of responses from Trump supporters: “get over it!” “move on!” “it’s time to support and respect our country’s decision!” “let’s unite!” and, my absolute favorite (hello, sarcasm), “liberal tears.”

Admittedly, there are issues with both sides of this current tug of war.  Do I condone riots and protests? No. Do I understand rioters’ and protesters’ reasoning behind their actions?  Absolutely. Especially being a black woman, a combination of two of the hardest things to be in this country: black and a woman.

I also have no issue with people sharing their disapproval for riots and protests. I agree that there are more sensible ways to show your disgust. But you know what I do have an issue with? Dismissive attitudes. People who label those upset with Trump’s election crybabies, idiots, stupid, and silly. People who call these people those things without even caring to understand where they are coming from. People who don’t show empathy.

It’s beyond strange to me that these same people preach about “moving forward” and “uniting” and “making America great again,” yet ignore the pain and feelings shared by a large part of their fellow American citizens. This raises the question, “How do we make America great again if we’re the most divided we’ve been in years?”

We cannot even begin to make America great again until we begin to care about one another!

So you want to make America great again?  Try this: the next time you go on a social media rant about the “morons” and “thugs” showing their resistance against Mr. Trump, stop. Stop and take the time to really think about it. How would you feel if you felt like the country you’ve felt loved and accepted in suddenly turned its back on you? That you don’t belong anymore? That your rights as a human being are being threatened? That people don’t really want you here? Take the time to really care for people who are not like you. Take the time to try and understand. Trust me, the “liberal tears” you laugh at are coming from people who have a genuine fear for their future. You may not understand this now, but it’s never too late to try to.

You want peace and unity and you want to be great? Well, so do I. But I understand that it will not come until empathy, love, and understanding are shown. It’s really not that hard, y’all. Stop being dismissive and listen.

X’s and O’s,

JF