America is just not that into you
I opted out on election night to watch Netflix and avoid social media. I felt that as a black man I was going to get abused regardless of the outcome. The abuse was going to be blatant or behind closed doors but whichever way I was going to have to point to the chart with social services and tell them where I was touched inappropriately.
I awoke the next morning and begrudgingly turned on CNN and saw that Donald Trump was our president elect. I had a visceral reaction of almost wanting to void the soup and sandwich I had consumed the night before. The political commentators had a back and forth banter of what happened and how so many folks got it wrong. But as I looked at the map of predominantly red states it became a screaming visual clue that at it relates to blacks, Latinos, LGBT, women and other marginalized groups that sadly the message is: America is just not that into you.
I watched the next morning as political pundits began to attempt to analyze the situation. They blamed the deplorable, the uneducated, folks who were anti Hillary and a host of other reasons. It was really exhausting to process. It’s just like when you sit there with the friend who makes you listen for the fourteenth time, to the same message, to analyze the “real” meaning , of a basically benign message left by their boo about chilling later. I think that is how many folks felt the day after the election as they sat metaphorically crossed legged, on the bed, across from their friend, America; and asked what does this really mean?
Stop!
The ugly truth is America is just not that into you. There are no educational credentials, level of assimilation, body reconstruction, weave, Real Housewives of Orange County watching or mainstream identification that will allow you to have a balanced, healthy relationship with some folks in this country. They are just not wired for a “relationship” with you. Do I believe that this is the mindset of everyone who voted for Trump, no. But this election for many was less about not liking Hilary but more about folks mobilizing to keep mainstream privilege in place, period.
And folks can try and blame Donald Trump for what went wrong in the relationship. Don’t hate the side chick! Truth be told your relationship with your boo America, was on the rocks way before Trump made his way to the scene. Trump just helped you unpack all that historical unresolved baggage you both brought to the table.
There are so many messages that have been made clear during this election. You can be unqualified, reckless, racist, misogynistic, homophobic and divisive and still be a winner if you come from a place of privilege. We live in a country where folks would vote against their own self-interest as long as it kept “them” and ‘the other” from being represented and preserved the status quo. Failing to comprehend or care that unless you are part of that privilege group you too will be disposable as well.
But do you we let those now jilted lovers lick their wounds in peace, no we then ask everyone to come together and forget the almost yearlong cycle of abusive behavior.
Eat the cake, Anna Mae!
You can’t shake a can of soda for a year pop the top, explosion ensues and then go whoops my bad. You have stoked those embers and now have to deal with the ashes of fear and hatred left smoldering as a result.
We thought we were evolved; we thought we were better; we thought we were united but what those election numbers told us that we are very much divided. And enough with the disingenuous pleas for us to come together and heal because this battle was brutal and we have some serious wounded. We were assassinating people of color in epidemic numbers under a Black president so excuse me for giving pause to my chances under a President elect and his followers who won off of a perceived threat to this countries historical seat of privilege.
Sadly it will be business as usual. Political ads and exchanges will be replaced with twerking videos, men in wigs and the latest mannequin or challenge of the week. No more cruising by your spot, drunk messages or cyber stalking; we do not have to continue this Ike and Tina dysfunctional relationship. We can be adult, polite and even socially cordial at parties but we get it; America is just that not that into us.