It was unexpected, but it was vital. Thirty-six hours after learning that a man who pledged to undermine the Constitution of the United States when he takes office would be back in the Oval Office, the gloom was heavy in our household. But we cannot stay down forever. A notecard left by a neighbor on our front step Thursday morning was the first thing that brought a slight smile to my face since an empty void filled me on Election Night. It was an anonymous hug of sorts, an acknowledgment that we who oppose the Trump regime will continue to support one another.
It signaled that our jobs are not over; they just got tougher. We need to take time to recoup, reflect, and reevaluate. But after that time to recover and mourn, we have two years where we must become an overwhelming force to stand up to the shitstorm that we know is coming.
The next two years will be much the same as the first Trump term: an endless barrage of senile tweets and constant trolling by Trump supporters who do not want to govern, but plan to rule. We’ll have daily distress as Republicans propose nihilistic policies and tout non-existent achievements. We’ll cringe when an alert pops up. We’ll suffer endless self-congratulatory posts and ensuing responses from cultists praising him. And worst: years of Trump taking credit for an economy, infrastructure projects and business growth created by the stable system his predecessor put in place. We already know what to expect; we must stand strong.
In my office hangs the famous quote from Teddy Roosevelt about “the man who is actually in the arena,” a reminder that despite the numerous errors, hurdles and setbacks, we must continue to strive to achieve our goals no matter what gets thrown at us. It rings true now more than ever: we got mud kicked in our faces. We’ve been bloodied. We feel beaten down. But we know what we stand for, and what we stand for is a better America than what our opposition wants. We cannot bend to what our opponents plan. We will regain our footing, and we will resist. For me, it started with an anonymous note.