As I write this to you today (with kind of a
heavy heart), it would appear that no we are not (one nation), and yes we are
(divisible). I am not writing because I am unhappy with the results of the
election (I’m not), or because I feel my voice didn’t matter (it did). I am
writing to you because of the reactions I am seeing and hearing; because of how
a group of purported intelligent, well-informed 21st century people, from the greatest
country on Earth are responding. There are times in my
adult life where I feel like we have come so far – as a nation, as a species,
as a culture. And then, there are times like today where I feel like not nearly
enough ground has been made. Collectively, we should be disappointed in
ourselves. Not because we elected President Obama to a second term. Not because
Mitt Romney didn’t quite eek out the win many wanted and expected. Not because
of our stances on the economy or foreign policy or religion or women’s rights
or gay marriage. But because our true colors have come out and we show
ourselves as a bunch of small-minded, fear-obsessed Yetis with no filters and
too much hatred for our own good.

Yesterday, the people of the United
States made their voices heard. They exercised their right to vote in record
numbers. Happy with the results or not, we elected a President in a way that we
should be grateful for; without bloodshed or fear of retribution. Lest we
forget, this is a tremendous privilege, one we fought long and hard for as a
nation, and one much of the world is not afforded.  Somewhere along the line, we have forgotten
what the name of this country symbolizes.

THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Instead we have become a nation of 300
million people pitching their tent in a specific camp. Two countries nestled,
yet divided, in this land that is supposed to be united. Divisive. Venomous.
Rabid.  If I have said it once, I have
said it a million times: if we want anything to change, WE have to change. I
don’t mean change what you believe in – I mean change how you project your
beliefs. Calling our current president a nigger does not make an eloquent or
educated point. It makes most sane people realize you are a total ignoramus and they want nothing to do with you (well,
and it also makes you a racist, which is completely uncool). I personally believe there is a special place in hell for people with that kind of hate in their hearts. Ranting about the
“Goddamn Liberals” when you live in the state of Massachusetts is kind of
silly. If you hate the Goddamn Liberals and find them so insufferable, there
are plenty of “red states” that I am sure would welcome you with open arms. Or,
maybe you could try a radically different approach and get to know a Goddamn
Liberal and actually take the time to learn why they have the opinions and
beliefs that they do. You may still disagree, but at least you have taken the
time to inquire and make an educated, informed decision. Going on a social
media diatribe about the popular vote (which is completely irrelevant in an
election and which Obama also ultimately won, by the way) makes it abundantly
clear that you do not understand Elections 101 and you need to go back and
retake that 7^th grade Civics class (here is a very simple post that
should make it easy for everyone to understand: http://pbskids.org/zoom/fromyou/elections/elections101.html).  The results are the results. It is now time
to stand united behind the winner and move on. You’ll have another chance to
make your voice heard in four more years.

Here are some of my ideas on how we can
be a better nation, a more united nation, and a more educated nation moving
forward. These suggestions won’t solve all of our problems, but they will give
us one helluva head start!!

• Act
  as if you are 100% responsible for your life. Because,
  whether you like it or not, you are! Personal responsibility is one of
  the hardest things to implement — someone else made you too fat, too
  sheltered, too oppressed, too poor, and too destitute, right? It is a whole
  heck of a lot easier to place blame for all of your problems because it negates
  you looking in the mirror, but it is not effective. In the blame game, no one
  wins.  Ever. Be the master of YOU and
  don’t relinquish that power by placing blame. Good, bad or indifferent, you are
  the creator of your own destiny. Remember that.
• Be
  true to your beliefs, with dignity and respect for others.
  I wholeheartedly believe in standing up for what you believe in. I unabashedly
  take a stand on my beliefs, my core values, and the principles I instill in
  myself, my children, and in the people I help. During this election, I voted in
  a way that made the most sense for me; a very middle class entrepreneurial
  woman with two small businesses, two daughters, and the core belief that ALL
  people should be treated equally regardless of ethnicity, religious beliefs,
  economic status, and sexual orientation. Based on the results, at least 49% of
  you disagree with me. Regardless, I stood up for my beliefs and made my voice
  heard. However, there is a HUGE
  difference between me simply standing up for my beliefs and me condemning those
  that do not share in them. Learn the difference. Act in dignity.
• Walk
  a mile in someone else’s shoes before you cast judgment.
  I have heard so much bitching about how the President didn’t do this, didn’t do
  that, didn’t deliver. Again, I will refer to the Civics 101 comment. Educate
  yourself about politics a bit more. Learn the role of the Senate and Congress.
  And then take a step (or 50) back for a second and put this all into
  perspective. You cannot effectively criticize the job the president is doing unless you have done that job yourself. You cannot speak for the plight of the middle class if you are a billionaire. You cannot comment about small business if you are not a small business owner. And you sure as shit can’t talk about women’s issues and rights if you are a 70 year-old man. Think about it for a second: we are a nation of about 300 million
  people. Would you, COULD you, want to be responsible for the well being of
  those 300 million people and take on the role of president? To make difficult economic choices and take a stand
  knowing that there would be some opposition somewhere? Do you think you could
  please everyone? Would you be able to make decisions and create policies that
  were fair and equitable? Do you know what fair and equitable is?  
• Be
  the change. If the answers to the above questions
  were a resounding yes, then I would love to see you on the ballot in four
  years. You’ve got some time now to get involved. Volunteer. Take action. DO
  SOMETHING. Because if you don’t, you have no right to complain. You are either part
  of the solution, or part of the problem.
• Less
  fear, more faith. If you think the world is going to end
  just because President Obama was re-elected; if you think that everyone is
  going to lose his or her jobs and the country is going to implode – read this.
  Your negative, fear-based thoughts are doing one thing, and one thing only –
  creating more fear and loss in your life and the lives of those around you. You
  get what you give. Everything you put out there comes back ten-fold. Don’t
  believe me? Try an experiment. If you are all doom and gloom all the time, try
  thinking positive, empowering thoughts for one month straight (and turn off Fox
  News and reality tv). No exceptions! I guarantee your life, and your mindset, will
  be significantly improved. When you remove fear and loss from your life, all
  you are left with is love – perhaps the greatest motivator of all! But, if you
  keep feeding your mind all this garbage, the garbage will keep pouring out of
  you and piling up on your front lawn.Make a commitment to sequester yourself from hatred, negativity, and fear-based thoughts.
  
• Come
  up with a Plan B. If the above suggestion doesn’t work
  for you and you still think the world is going to end and 300 million people
  are going to be out of work, it’s time you got off your ass and came up with a
  Plan B isn’t it? I have a newsflash for you – there is a possibility you HAVE
  become expendable at your cushy little corporate gig – but that’s between you and the ineffective middle-management in Corporate America. But, if you find a way to
  serve people doing something you love, you will never have to blame
  Washington for another thing in your entire life. Regardless of what anyone tells you, everyone could be self-employed if they wanted to
  be…but it IS a lot of responsibility and a lot of hard work.  Those two things alone tend to scare a lot of
  people off, right off the bat.
• Empower
  yourself by empowering others. I am not making
  light of things. People are hurting. Many people have lost faith. One of the
  best ways to restore your faith in America and the situation at hand is to
  reach your hand out in peace and help someone, anyone. I’ve watched us open our
  hearts, minds, and wallets, and rally around our brothers and sisters when
  disaster strikes. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and terrorists have a way of uniting
  all of us. Why can’t we be like that every single day? Why does it take unfathomable
  tragedy, Mother Nature’s wrath, and devastating loss to bring us together? We need to change that! Like,
  yesterday. 

In closing, please be cognizant of your
role in the state of global affairs today. Hate is not a legacy you can be
proud of. There is no “us” and there is no “them.” There are only 300 million “we.” And, remember the words of our Pledge: “one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” It’s not just the politicians’ job to uphold that
Pledge – it is the job of every single person who lives on this soil.  We can get there. It will take time, but I have
faith.

“We are only as
strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” ~Albus
Dumbledore

“You
have made earnest efforts to live up to that great hope and trust
placed in you by the American public. I believe you have been reelected
now in recognition of that effort.” -His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in response to Obama’s reelection

With much, much love and an optimistic hope for the future,
Jenn
XOXO

Other awesome blogs on this topic:
http://www.cc-chapman.com/2012/wednesday-morning-in-america/
http://susanpiver.com/2012/11/03/only-us/