I made a decision to keep quiet. I made a decision early on not to write about Donald Trump and his boorish behavior, unprofessionalism and complete ineptitude to be the leader of our country.
I stopped listening to the pundits, I stopped listening to the big news stations and I blocked the haters on social media that post only vitriolic, name calling and uninformed posts. I chose to read the news instead of listen to it. I tried to be responsible while not getting sucked in to the intense negativity and fear based bullshit being thrown around online.
I also decided I would do my very best to NOT judge people I know who are choosing to vote for Trump. We live in a fabulous, GREAT country and we GET to choose our candidates. But. It’s gotten harder for me not to judge. I am still working on it. I swear.
BUT. After today, I can’t keep quiet, I can’t not write. “Grab them by the pussy.” He said “Grab them by the pussy.” He was 59 years old when he said that. WHO says that at 59 years old? Who says that? I KNOW ABOUT LOCKER ROOM TALK. I GET THAT IT’S COMMON. I really do. But just because it’s common, does not mean it’s o.k. NO, it really doesn’t. Let’s not forget Billy Bush either. He egged him on and encouraged the locker room talk. Trump was talking to a reporter and they spoke like stereotypical locker room boys instead of the professionals they claim to be.
Trump demeans women. He insults the disabled. He encourages violence and bigotry. He doesn’t take accountability for his actions unless somehow they shine a positive light on him. His behavior is deplorable.
And guess what? If President Obama said anything even remotely resembling Trump’s remarks? The media and the country would have a field day, call for impeachment and be relentless in their hatred, their name calling and blaming.
His behavior is unacceptable. He is unqualified to be a leader, our leader, the president. I have a son and a daughter and I cannot believe I will be discussing with them the fact that the Republican candidate for president essentially says “Because I’m a star, I can do anything.” Rape culture, boys will be boys…our presidential candidate? Come on people.
I know some of you that want to elect him. You are my neighbors, I work with you, you are parents of my kid’s classmates. You have daughters! You have daughters! You have boys you are raising to be good young men. How can you support Donald Trump and still claim you are raising young men with character and young strong women with strong identities? It doesn’t compute. I don’t understand.
I’m not angry. I’m in a continued state of shock and a mild state of despair. Voting for Trump is not voting for someone who “tells it like it is.” Voting for Trump is voting from a place inside of you that is fearful. Voting for Trump is dangerous. Voting for Trump is voting for hate, voting for me vs. them and voting for someone who behaves without character.
I broke my silence on Trump. Before I started typing I thought long and hard about why it was time to write, to say something. At first I thought it was despair and didn’t want to write from that place. The more I sat with my feelings, my thoughts and the facts though, I decided I would write about my despair and my frustration and shock because if I feel like this, maybe you do too. Maybe if all of us remaining quiet, and staying our own course spoke up, we could change the course of the next weeks, the course of the election.
I want to hear what you have to say. Even if you don’t agree with me, please be kind. I ask for conversation, not name calling. We’ve had enough of that already.
Never miss a You Know Neen post again! Just type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
You Know Neen 