A year ago today, the United States received a karmic wake up call from the cosmos.
After purporting to spread democracy around the globe for decades, our presidential election reminded us that entrenched racism, bigotry, and white supremacy remain active ingredients in the American experiment; variables that have only been changed in brand, rather than substance, throughout our history.
The glaring insufficiency of the nominees from both major parties substantiated that our two party system no longer serves the collective aspirations of the American people. Instead, money, special interests, and oligarchs' privilege continue to hold away.
The U.S. is experiencing a taste of its own medicine. Our nation has peddled imperialism and capitalistic dominance as a mainstay of its foreign policy as the beacon of the "free world." Now, with an increasingly fascist administration in our own backyard, we understand exactly how precious true freedom, human rights, and the rule of law are for any democracy.
In these days, our energy must be harnessed by focusing on the nation we want – one that respects the inherent human dignity of all citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity, affirms the possibilities of love and safeguards the value of men and women of every sexual orientation or gender identity, celebrates and empowers the talents, drive, and ambitions of women as well as men, and welcomes the contributions of all who wish to call the United States home, whatever their religious creed may be.
We are capable of embodying so much more power than we can imagine. We are all divine expressions of humanity. It is in our hands to create a vision for the nation of love, justice, and freedom we desire.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committee citizens can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead.
For my thoughts on election night in the U.S. this time last year, see the previous Wild Reed post, Out and About – Autumn 2016.
See also the following posts in the lead-up to election night 2016:
• Something to Think About – February 4, 2016
• Quote of the Day – February 17, 2016
• Super Tuesday Thoughts on Bernie Sanders
• Hope, History and Bernie Sanders
• Progressive Perspectives on Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton
• Quote of the Day – June 9, 2016
• Progressive Perspectives on the Rise of Donald Trump
• Carrying It On
• Election Eve Thoughts
• Quote of the Day – November 9, 2016
• Progressive Perspectives on the Election of Donald Trump as U.S. President
For more of Phillip Clark's writings at The Wild Reed, see:
• In the Wake of Trump's "Catastrophic" Election, Phillip Clark on the Spiritual Truths That Will Carry Us Forward
• Heartening
Recommended Off-site Links for THIS Year's Election Night:
"Tsunami" of Progressive Victories Delivers Massive Repudiation of Trumpism – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, November 8, 2017).
Democratic Socialists Win Big in Nearly a Dozen Races – Anton Woronczuk (Revere Press, November 8, 2017).
Socialists Just Showed the Democratic Party How to Win Across the U.S. – Miles Kampf-Lassin (In These Times, November 8, 2017).
How a Socialist Beat One of Virginia’s Most Powerful Republicans – Graham Vyse (New Republic, November 8, 2017).
Republicans Suddenly Fear Disastrous 2018 – Katie Gluec (Tribune News Service, November 8, 2017).
The Trump Administration’s Looming Political Crisis – Steve Coll (The New Yorker, November 13, 2017).
Election Night Brings Historic Wins for Minority and LGBT Candidates – Madison Park (CNN, November 8, 2017).
"I'm Everything Trump Hates," Says the New Mayor of Hoboken – John Nichols (The Nation, November 8, 2017).
Four Somali-Americans Win Local Elections – Bartamaha.com (November 8, 2017).
New Jersey Official Who Mocked Women's March Defeated by Candidate He Inspired to Run – Jacqueline Thomsen (The Hill, November 8, 2017).
Black Lives Matter Activist in Viral Photo Overwhelmingly Wins Charlotte City Council Seat – David Edwards (Raw Story, November 8, 2017).
St. Paul Elects Its First African-American Mayor – Brandon Carter (The Hill, November 8, 2017).
Transgender Democrat Danica Roem Makes History, Defeats Notorious Anti-LGBTQ Incumbent – Mark Joseph Stern (Slate, November 8, 2017).
Meet Andrea Jenkins, the First Openly Transgender Black Woman Elected to Public Office in the U.S. – Marwa Eltagouri (The Washington Post, November 8, 2017).
Minneapolis Will Soon Have Two Transgender City Council Members – Melissa Turtinen (Go MN, November 8, 2017).
A Trans Man Has Also Been Elected to the Minneapolis City Council – Neal Broverman (The Advocate, November 8, 2017).
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