This Week, This Year, This Century

It’s been demonstrated that when a woman sets her ambitions on becoming powerful, society fights her with impunity. She is attacked and demonized. Once she achieves power, society comes round. I’m encouraged that Hillary is climbing back up on her own merits.

I believe we’ll learn later that Comey conspired with Republicans in Congress because they saw the House and possibly the Senate going blue and they took desperate measures to save themselves from the debacle Trump created for the Republican party. Comey has been strongly criticized by federal prosecutors from both sides for his interference in the election. His vague, odd letter broke her stride but she’s running fierce regardless and edging to a lead outside the margin of error.

I hope Trump is defeated by the people he hurt most — women, Latinos, blacks, the disabled, Muslims, parents who lost children at war…and on and on. And I pray we heal from this onslaught of abuse we’ve all endured — and dished out. I couldn’t help but imagine that either Melania was issuing a cry for help — or gas lighting America. I think it’s the former.

However, I intend to keep my focus on the excitement of electing our first woman president. Even the fact of her campaign has brought women forward. A century ago, Susan B. Anthony was arrested and beaten by police, in the street, just for attempting to vote. It’s taken 240 years for a  woman to dare to stage a major party candidacy for the American presidency.

I think our country needs to get back to basics. We need to look for kindness in one another, bolster each other. I don’t dismiss what’s transpired this year as mere politics. I think it speaks to core values.

But ultimately, we are a spiritual nation. We must return to our spiritual roots and our quest for independence. Right now, most of us only find solace in those that agree with us. We need to challenge ourselves to seek moments of connection and friendship with generous and kind souls…not in a way that compromises our dignity…but in a manner that reminds us of Lincoln’s admonition to be influenced by ‘the better angels of our nature.’

This has been difficult to manifest, especially for people impassioned about the issues. I’ve made no secret of my devotion to feminist priorities. If anything, this year has given me an even greater sense of urgency. I am certain I will feel this for the rest of my days. Maybe it’s the new southern in me, or maybe it’s my years of spiritual pursuits, but more and more I see that the feminine in feminism is what’s needed.

The last few months I’ve been traversing through tragedy, and still am. I’ve felt more vulnerable then I ever thought possible. So many people helped our family…friends and strangers came together in such a miraculous way it brings tears to my eyes just writing these words. So I can’t help but see the world through a more beautiful filter, as a direct result of the tangible magnitude of compassion and grace I’ve experienced.

Michelle Obama coined the expression, “When they go low, we go high.” However, I think there’s more to it. When we go low, only united, will we go high. Ronald Reagan famously said to Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, “Tear down this wall!”

Much has been made of Hillary Clinton being a flawed candidate. Every human being, every candidate is imperfect. Yet we’ve managed to elect 44 such men, just the same. The question we need to ask is why our culture wants the unicorn, the Don Quixote of presidents, when it comes to a woman. America, let’s change our world once and for all this week.

Our politicians won’t save us. Ultimately, we have to save our country together, using the best part of our selves and our souls to do so. Good luck America.