White supremacists storm the capital, and we are ready to move on

All of us true patriots--which I define as people who love and wish to preserve American democracy, the speaking of truth to power, equal treatment of all people, and freedom from violence and oppression -- where horrified yesterday. It certainly felt like the icing on top of the autocratic, conspiracy theory cake from hell we've been forced to consume for the last four years. 

I kept imagining if it was Black or Latino men scaling the ramparts of the capitol and what would have happened to them.  Who made the decision, the intentional choice, to let these white terrorists run amok? Who thought it was good for America and the world to embarrass the oldest democracy on earth?   

Bottom line, we still have a lot of work to do in this country. On both the issue of democracy and the issue of racial bias. Very intertwined but not the exact same.

I’m spending a lot of time reading historical books these days. It’s giving me perspective.  This is all the continuation of a long and hard journey of democracy that is repeatedly tested, and it reaffirms that we must stay engaged and upset and vocal to keep it alive and ever improving.  

It also gives me optimism that we will overcome.  Trump has been a major test of our values, but we have overcome bigger ones. I still love my country very much for all that is good about it, and I can be both patriotic and simultaneously keenly aware of our very grave sins (both current and historical).

I take some comfort knowing that we are part of a long and universal human journey of trying to address prejudice.  Every single nation on earth deals with the problem of humans mistreating each other for racial, ethnic, gender, caste, etc. reasons. At least we are having the hard discussion in an open and honest way and as time goes on increasingly not letting things slide anymore in this country, struggling and striving, and sadly taking a few steps back sometimes. We’ve been in the stepping back phase for a few years, but most of us are not accepting it.

And every human grouping has had to deal with deranged autocrats, but frankly in most of those cases the autocrat wins. When the U.S. Congress continued its work last night, I felt proud. We should have very high standards for American democracy, and we have fallen short recently, but we can also feel proud that our institutions have mostly held in the face of 4 years of having a populist dictator in the highest democratic office.

This nightmare is about to end, and the long hangover to pull out the roots of it is about to begin. Some European friends have remarked that overcoming the Trump era of hate toward our fellow citizens may take a few generations, based on their experiences in striving for equality.  It certainly resonates based on our experience here of a long journey to even get to where we are.  Well all the more reason to start now.  Talk to your kids, your neighbors, your colleagues about these issues.  Let NO racism or sexism (or any other ism) slide anymore, ever.  Help them understand that democracy is imperfect, but facts are facts, and the pillars of democracy are more important than any one issue or person.  Meet people where they are and bring them with you on a journey to see the light.  

 Stay hopeful my friends.  As we turn a dark corner, I’m trying to be. 

Ingrid