Disruptive. Political. Climate.

February is upon us and we are well into 2017 and yet there is still some unsettling energy in the American air. What is it? Obviously it's our recent election result that has dramatically changed the politic climate in our country.  No sooner have our newly elected president, Donald J. Trump arrival to the White House, executive orders are signed, new inexperienced staff members are in place, and a brash and combative White House Press Secretary takes the podium.

Personally, I have yet to fully recover from the election results; I've gotten over hang overs much more quickly than this situation and still find it still unsettling. With no time to digest these sudden and intrusive political announcements have I had a chance to really recover. It has been clearly disruptive. It's clearly not your politics as usual.  To get my bearings, I begin to try to combat this direct hit to help soothe the pain of political jolt.

I participated in a recent Women's March in San Francisco that drew thousands in the pouring winter rain in the city. But not one person flinched, many carried on in protest to our new President's policy announcement changes. Many marched for various reasons, dissent to resistance to government or specific issues that are at stake affecting their lives. For example, women's health, health funding cuts, gay and lesbian rights, and supreme court rulings that can be reversed like Roe v. Wade, a ruling that has held for decades for women having the right to have an abortion. I participated because of my own dissent, disappointment, and anger in some ways on American civil rights in general.

Women's March - San Francisco, CA
One of many protest signs

Women's March - San Francisco, CA
Started at City Hall, and ended at the Ferry Building

It felt liberating, celebratory, and at the same time civil. Seeing other protesters marching in peace and carrying signs that are thought provoking and resonate clarity of the sign holders thoughts about our new leader in office.


The climate has surely changed for many Americans, somehow though, middle America sees things differently. Living in San Francisco, California is clearly different in social, economic, and job opportunities compared to states say, in Arkansas or South Dakota. I should remind myself that those regions of our country are different and their thoughts and ideas are not as one with Americans to the west or east. I get that, but when I voted for our next President, I honestly had them in mind, and hoped they had the same thoughts, clearly this was not the case.

I'm hopeful that in 2017, we will be able to do a restart, reset, or start a dialogue that allows all Americans to meet in the middle. We need this to happen. Always the optimist. Let's see where we go as we head into spring.  

Stunned. Sad. Setback.

Two days after learning that Hillary Rodham Clinton will not be our 45th American President became a reality. I was stunned.

I went to work stoic, no emotion, it was surreal. I wanted to get through the day in order to just retreat. I immediately took down all of HRC's campaign flyers, buttons anything that would remind me of this unexpected election loss. I was emotionally, socially, and economically invested in the last year in hoping and expecting her to become our President. It saddened me to know this was not the case.

I had no intention of finding out why or what happened. Political TV News was turned off; I continued to remove myself from the energy of the election buzz.

Soon after coming off of the setback, I came out; took my dog for a nice walk around the neighborhood. Outside of our doors, I was not the only one who encountered this surreal experience of an election loss. I walked towards the Castro district and saw hundreds of people gathered on Castro and Market Streets. Sequestered by police officers and traffic officials as people appeared to meet to huddle on what happened. The smell of burning sage was in the air, my guess is to cleanse the election, lit candles as a vigil. The gathering turned out to be one of unity, rejection, and goals of making the decision go in the right. But, with what's been decided, personally, I thought it was moot to try.  

Just off to the side of the rally, or gathering, someone sprayed on the ground, "10% of SF voted for Trump". No need to fact check, but it may be true. Most of the SF bay area was Pro-Clinton supporters.

So this leads me to slowly understand what this means to our LGBT community in terms of rights and services. If what Trump campaign promises holds true, San Francisco city and some of its health and social issues may be cut. I don't know the exact specifics, but I'm sure it will be significant. The recipients of these services will not have any back up plans. For many others, this will be only the beginning.

I've gotten through most of the phases of this election outcome, stunned, sad, and dealt with a setback. But what other phases will I encounter?

Let's hope its positive and an inclusive one.

First. They. Came.

Donald Trump, the leading republican presidential candidate seems to have your attention; what and how he says things is another story.

SOURCE: New York Magazine

His most recent proposal without any specifics entails the following statement; "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on".

There has been other comments or rhetoric that Trump has amp up as more noise, and in most cases generally humorous and ridiculous.

Lately however, I've been sitting on the sidelines quietly disagreeing with this individual. Initially, it didn't bother me because I imagined it was mere entertainment not real politics where our livelihood would be at stake. Now, I've come to realize this is no longer a joke.

I needed to learn more about this individual. I've paid more attention to most all of the news outlets, many liberal or mainstream. At times, I give it some balance by watching other moderate and conservative news stations.

Politics can be a strange process; usually at the end of a candidate's campaign everything makes sense. We move on to the fact that what was decided is set and we adjust, adapt, and move on.

But there is a danger here. We as a society can become very passive and hope things will shake out to our own "safe" expectation. Think twice.

Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.


CREDIT: US Holocaust Memorial Museum

"there was no one left to speak for me" A haunting phrase that clearly resonates with today's current "politician", Donald J. Trump. In my life so far, I've seen remnants of the effects of dangerous rhetoric against Jews, Japanese-Americans, Asians, women, undocumented immigrants, and gays and lesbians. Do I need to go on?

As we close 2015, we should pay close attention to the new election year; reach out to be aware of your choice of candidate that will ensure equality for all. That's an American ideal. Make sure your registered to vote; and vote please. https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

Make your vote and voice count. If not, who will speak for you?