Going to try to stay away from clichés or bombastic phrases here...
It will take us a while to process what just took place. Yes, it honestly and truly feels scary at the moment. And yet, we cannot afford to disconnect or let anger and cynicism take over us. Too much is at stake.
So I have a few initial thoughts on what we should do:
To my Republican friends (and some Democrats), if you get the call and are asked to serve in this incoming administration, please do consider POSITIVELY DOING SO. The more good and value-based people the new administration will have, the better it might be. In the best-case scenario, President-elect Trump, as he said so himself, went through a very significant personal process during this campaign. In that case, as he settles into his new role, having the best of America around him is better than having the worst of America.
Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he has no pre-set plans nor policies. Nothing has been determined. President-elect Trump is counting on his ability to hire the best people, and manage them. While this carries many risks, it might also carry some opportunities.
In other words, given the opportunity, please consider serving the administration to the best of your abilities.
Fascism is a scary and powerful thing. President-elect Trump's campaign has been supported by and showed vulnerability to fascist elements in our society. At many points it manifested itself in his conduct. It is scary. There is no way to beautify or minimize it. And yet not all is lost. We, as a society, are strong (dare I say stronger together). I believe that at our core we still believe in the full and equal rights of all people. We are heading towards difficult times. And during these times, we must stand tall, strong and principled in front of a wave fascism that is likely going to present itself across different elements of our lives. So while I am calling good people to try to influence and navigate this ship from the inside, I am also calling on all of us (self included) to never compromise on our values.
I am a white privileged male. I will stand to defend and protect the rights and safety of those in our society in case they are targeted: women, Muslims, LGBTQ, immigrants, and any other minority groups. Please always know that our home and our hearts are a safe-zone for you and we will fight for your rights, as your rights and freedoms are ours. We are going to reject and fight fascism.
Many of us are waking up this morning to a significant financial loss of our valuation. This is going to most severely impact the generations that are close-to retirement and those who are in it. Open your hearts and your homes. It is going to be a test and an opportunity to our community to demonstrate compassion and show we can still care for each other. Lets step up to this challenge.
Lastly, our privileged life of taking our system for granted is unfortunately over. The fight to defend our democratic system is just starting with these elections. It will, unfortunately, last a lifetime. And we cannot afford to lose it.
This is not about Republicans vs. Democrats, Conservatives vs. Liberals, or Trump vs. Clinton. It is a fight to defend our democratic system from the threat of fascism.
I know it seems unimaginable, but we might get a glimpse of how quickly it can take over. Own it, accept it, and commit to it!
And yes, let's try to figure out how to do all of the above while still enjoying life, friends and love.