If you think things will change since the election
and inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, don’t hold your
breath. Things are really going to get very interesting in some aspect or
another real soon. For some these
changes are just what the doctor ordered, but for the majority of us the
socioeconomic nightmare persists, dreams shattered, limited opportunities, and prejudice
and discrimination continue to be on center stage. If you are feeling this way, I just want to
remind you that this is only the first week of a new administration.
It is one thing to share your side of things, what
you value, political views, background and faith, but it is another thing when
you cite things that are clearly not supported by the facts on the ground or by
photos taken in history. It is truly
remarkable that people will put their reputations on the line to support a
position that is clearly not the truth. And even when being confronted with the truth or facts, they blame others, the
media and insist that what they shared is their observation and “it is the truth.”
No doubt we have learned a lot during this “unprecedented”
election cycle, where a number of things that were “never done” or “known before”
became the new normal. This election
cycle has also shined a “new light” on how far we have come in terms of our civil
discourse and yet how far we have to go.
For many of us, this has opened our eyes to see that there is a lot more
work that needs to be done to close the gaps.
Without a doubt, our way of viewing patriotism, nationalism and respect
for dignity and order is now on the table for debate. It’s just not politics anymore. What is more discerning is that when so much
attention was spent on the elections, a lot of the issues of so many people
were ignored. The clear facts remain;
people are struggling to find affordable housing, livable wage employment,
health care, safe neighborhoods and quality education for their children. Regardless of what people say or to blame
others, the “facts” remain on the ground and they speak the loudest.
