It’s gotten to be a scary world out there. Hard enough without group violence, or group hatespeech in the streets and twitter-verse of America. We are one nation!

I, myself … I don’t get using violence, or hatespeech, to protest or stand up for anything.

But, I get the reason for peaceful protest and the marches today. There are things and people that need standing up for.

My friends that are married, want to stay married. We all deserve protection of our rights. If we cannot keep our children safe in a certain school, we find one that can, or find ways to promote change, or homeschool, etc.; yet, I believe in our teachers. My last two contacts to the police (in 7yrs), were personally more harmful than helpful, I feel, not handled professionally, yet I believe in our police and first responders. It’s not an easy world to navigate for some of us. But we keep going.

People say, believing this “will all be ok”, might apply only to the privileged. Those not affected by the potential for damage ahead.

On the other hand, I am privileged. I am privileged that I have love and good humans in my life. I am privileged to own my home – that I worked my ass off for. I am privileged to be a voting, tax paying, noncriminal, nongunowning (but I can shoot), white female, partially college-educated, worked since I was twelve to support my family, great-granddaughter of immigrants, mother of grown sons, who has lived with a partially disabling condition for the last several years. I am privileged to have worked hard in my lifetime and paid into disability, so that I receive a small monthly allowance.

Make no mistake, I seek no sympathy/charity, rather, simply state as fact, that I am not able to afford all my medication, and co pays, and therapies my husband’s insurer deems not covered – because an insurance company knows better than all of my doctors combined; yet we still pay $500/mo in premiums, so I can keep my doctors. He works a blue collar job, coming up on thirty years. First time he ever voted, was for Obama. I’ve voted all my life.

My point: I still encourage folks, “it will be ok”. No matter which side of the election you were on.

Those who are happy with the new administration, deserve respect, yet need to have as much patience as they’d ask from the rest of us; we are all responsible for “it” to be ok.

Those who feel marginalized, or threatened, it will be ok by getting involved, encouraging folks to get involved, learn the facts – from legitimate sources, and be the constant voice of the constituency, by calling and writing /emailing your elected officials, on the regular. With today’s technology, it is faster and easier than ever. And they listen.

Complacency should never be the norm again. That is partially how we had the election we did. Not just the outcome, but the whole big picture.

Complacency is over. That is what I believe these marches put forth anew today. Mr. Trump is president. That’s what is. Rest assured, the protests are not to change that, but to change and ensure the future. We are still one nation. Our collective voices in our elected officials lives are what will make U.S. stronger, safer, better; I hope. So that “it will be ok”.

I really get everyone’s side. Except the side with the violence and hate speech, which supports no one and nothing. {{{hugs}}}