I don’t want to live in THIS country!

• I don’t want to live in a country where racism is okay. Where we assume people are terrorists and cannot be trusted because of their religion.
• I don’t want to live in a country where women should be beautiful or stay out of the way. A country where a strong and powerful woman is considered “nasty.’
• I don’t want to live in a country where we don’t believe in facts or science. A country where the facts discovered by people much smarter than us are discounted as a false religion or a hoax. A country where people smarter than me are looked down upon.
• I don’t want to live in a country where we have no regard for the planet’s future or for nature. A country where we put fast profits and easy living ahead of the environment and our future.
• I don’t want to live in a country where the rich are handed more benefits while the rest get less. A country where 16 million people suddenly lose their health insurance.
• I don’t want to live in a country where a Presidential candidate gets more votes but loses.

But this is MY home. This is MY country.

So I’m going to channel all my despair and anxiety and I’m going to fight!

To my Muslim friends I say, I will fight for your rights. I will denounce those that pass judgement on you for your religion rather than getting to know you as a person. I will stand between the bully and you and take my lumps if it comes to that.

To my LBGTQ friends, I support you. I don’t fear you, I embrace you. I will fight for your rights. I will stand up to those that try to deny you fair and equal treatment. I will stand between the bully and you and take my lumps if it comes to that.

To my friends of color, I love you. I will fight for your right to be treated fairly and provided with the same opportunities I have had. I will stand between the bully and you and take my lumps if it comes to that.

To my children, I will not give up. I will fight for a better country and a better planet. I will fight to reduce global climate change. I will fight with all my heart to insure you have clean water and a safe environment in which to live and bring up your own children some day.

I don’t want to live in THIS country, but I sure as Hell am not letting a bunch of bullies chase me from my home. I chose to stay and fight!

I want to change the country for the better. I am not giving up. Electing a racist, misogynist, bullying low-life as the President is not the end of this. My fight is just beginning!

THIS is my country and I refuse to let a fifth of the population perpetuate a country where hate, disregard for facts, and destruction of the environment for profit is the way we do things.

I am angry. I am ready to fight.