Editorial by Bea Garth, November 10, 2016

I wasn’t going to write anything here on Eos quite  so soon after the election.  But with this new turn of events with Trump as our president elect (plus Republicans still holding a majority in both houses), I feel like I must share my perspective since so many are hurting and feel they are not able to function while full of fear. So here is something I wrote this evening on another blog which I now feel compelled to share: 

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I understand why many are so upset and feel unsafe about Trump becoming our new president, me included. If you are different in any way, the potential to become a target increases many fold. Plus questions of saving the environment go out the window, which just is not acceptable given Global Warming getting worse by the minute.

Empathy by Bea Garth copyright 2014 acrylic on canvas painting

I believe that for many of the people who voted for Trump it isn’t that they are hate mongers even though a vocal minority are.  Instead the vast majority are just not doing well financially in the system as it is. They feel like they have been left behind with their jobs often sent overseas. Even Obamacare is not the panacea they hoped for. Instead their health care costs have often increased instead of decreased–which they simply cannot afford.

Plus a lot of people were afraid of Clinton’s saber rattling, me included. We are all tired of endless wars with too many dead and maimed, both those we know and those hurting overseas.  Its clear to many that Trump was/is less likely to go to war than Clinton even though there are those that doubt that perception due to Trump’s wild man status on just about everything.

I personally feel Trump in good part also got elected due to the fact many on the left and middle stayed home and did not vote. And yes while its true the far right is very organized and has been now for some time—you have to remember that 42% of the electorate  declared themselves as Independents.

Many voters on the left and center were alienated since the DNC and most of the news media simply would not take the Bernie Sanders candidacy seriously. The populace wanted a change, not someone in the pockets of Wall Street like Clinton is. Bernie reached across party lines and included many  Independents as well as several generations whereas Clinton did too little too late in that regard.

In the meantime, Trump was given way too much free air time on the various news media whereas Bernie was often overlooked despite his huge rallies and vast numbers of followers through the Internet.

The fact Clinton was bought and sold by Wall Street did not help any either whereas Trump gleefully says he’s not, and he is enough of a wild card with enough personal money behind him that its likely true. No one can control him or knows what he will do. Even the Republican Party has their serious misgivings of the man since he is so radical. No doubt they are afraid he will do what he can to repeal NAFTA (which honestly in my opinion is not so bad!!). But that of course is part of his appeal.

The powers that be of the DNC and most news outlets including PBS and CNN and who knows who else were playing with fire with their dirty tricks re Sanders, and that is what we got as a result with this election: Fire.

So  despite the fact Trump has said an awful lot of racist, sexist, homophobic, and environmentally obtuse and inappropriate statements that have many fearing him, I believe this new presidency should mobilize the left in a way nothing else has, simply because we have no other choice. We cannot just accept what is otherwise about to come down. We must learn to work together and create new alliances. This also means reaching out even with those we disagree with and learn to truly love rather than hate or fear what we  don’t understand.

We have a chance finally to create something new which I am looking forward to despite all the pain we are likely  to go through.

NOTE: Eos The Creative Context is now actively looking for new submissions again. Please look at the submission guidelines and contact me, Bea Garth. 

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