Dear Friends, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Fellow Church Attendees, Jesus Disciples, Atheists, Agnostics…ok everyone,

This week has been tough, and our nation feels more divided than ever. Exactly 48% of us voted for Donald Trump, while another 48% of us voted for Hillary Clinton. In this election, similar to when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore, there was no majority win here, and so, half the country feels like we “lost.”

I know many of us have very practical reasons for why we voted for our now President-Elect, and I don’t vilify anyone for that. There are economic policies we believe in, and social and moral standards we hold dear. I get that. We can agree to disagree on these things, and still break bread together.

But there’s a lack of empathy that is tearing us apart, and we need to talk about it. We can’t dismiss each other’s feelings with a “Jesus is on the throne,” or “We’re not all racists.” I believe both of those statements are true, but they are unhelpful in healing broken hearts and assuaging fears. Instead, we should try to understand the source of each other’s tears.

While we may not hold the same views as President-Elect Trump about Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, and women, if we haven’t come out and publicly (at least to our friends and family) condemned his statements as being hateful, it seems like we are ok with them. We should be sad that young Muslim girls are now asking their mothers if they should wear their hijabs for fear of persecution. We should be comforting our neighbors, co-workers, and kids’ friends who are scared that a loved one will be deported back to Mexico if the DACA Act is annulled. We should be processing the resurfacing of deep wounds for victims of sexual assault. We should be mourning with our black friends that the KKK is holding a parade in North Carolina to celebrate Trump’s victory.

It is hurtful to tell each other to “get over it,” “grow thicker skin,” or “stop being afraid.” Would we say that to our sons or daughters if something happened at school that upset them? Or would we first give them a big hug, wipe their tears, and listen to their story?

You may have noticed that I keep using “us” and “we” instead of “you” or “them.” This is on purpose, and admittedly, a good exercise for me, because how we see each other is the first step to healing. I believe there is a lot that we can find common ground on, regardless of our political views, opinions, and stances. There can be a lot of “we” and “us” to rally around if we start listening, wiping tears, and doling out big hugs with reckless abandon.

Thanks for considering these thoughts, and I hope to talk to you about these things soon.

love, Rachel

[photo source: adamhamilton.org]