In her graceful concession speech, Hillary Rodham Clinton reminded us that she still believes that the American Dream is big enough for all of us. If you followed this presidential campaign, and if yo watched in dismay the election’s result, you may find hard to believe that the American Dream is big for all of us. You may still be in shock. I know I am. I haven’t felt this way since the September 11 attacks. I feel this way because the election of Trump as president of the United States dented the American Dream.
Last night was not about the economy, or about class (in the traditional sense of the word), or about lost jobs.
More non-Whites than whites lost their jobs during the recession. Non-whites were hit the hardest by the recession and slow recovery -- yet, they did not support a candidate who preaches hatred of many “Others,” a candidate who fuels every phobia we find despicable, deplorable.
This is about the cultural and racial wars that conservative media has been waging for so long.
This is about the racist backlash after Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008 and his reelection in 2012.
This is about the GOP thinking they could ride the Tea Party’s barely-coded White Nationalism to win the House, and end the Democrats’ majority in the senate in 2010.
This is about the GOP allowing, even encouraging hate and racist speech to undo Obama.
This is not about being against the establishment, at least not against the whole establishment.
This is about the White Conservative Backlash against the Civil Rights Act, Affirmative Action, Gender Equality, Gay Marriage, Immigration, Roe V. Wade, Freedom of Religion, and Separation of State and Church among many other things we hold dear.
Last night, White Nationalist show up in force to drive back whatever little progress we had secured since the 1960s. They showed up to “take their country back” from you, from me. They showed up to tell us we are unwelcome guests, that we need to assimilate or get out. They showed up to tell us to speak English only.
Last night was not about free-trade and neoliberalism, it wasn’t about a rejection of capitalism. Last night was about a White Nationalist backlash. Last night was more culturally and racially driven than economic-inspired. Last night was about dragging the country back.
Trump’s followers did not chant “jobs, jobs, jobs”. They chanted “build the wall,” “lock her up” “Shoot that C**#t”. “Take our country back”. They demonized single mothers, the LGBTQ community, immigrants and non-Whites, they ridiculed the physically challenge.
Last night was about White Nationalist unifying as a class fighting to preserve their commanding status in society- fighting to preserve their political, economic and socio-cultural hegemony. That is what last night was all about- a vote against multiculturalism and equality.
I have been listening to talking heads who now state how wrong we were and one of them mentioned that Obama probably owes Trump an apology for coming out so harshly against Trump during the campaign. Do not heed to this mentality. Obama was right in denouncing Trump’s bigotry and calling him a dangerous man.
WE were right in denouncing and opposing Trump’s bigotry.
Might does not make right. Trump won the electoral vote but that does not mean that him and his followers are right. That does not mean that we must tolerate or accommodate xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, and racism. That does not mean that we must let bigotry and hate define us as a nation. No, not at all.
That hatred and bigotry put Trump in the White House only means that we must double our efforts and continue fighting for what is right. And that is what we will do. We must accept the challenge and work harder so, in the words of Hillary Rodham Clinton, we can have an American Dream big enough for all of us.