Respect and understanding...is it too much to ask for these days?

This is a rant that came about from a Facebook post I sent out this morning...

My post was not about respecting the man but the position he was elected to take. The way we react to it says a lot about our country. While watching the inauguration live on Facebook, some of the things people were saying for the whole world to see were embarrassing. Americans can be better.

I know Trump is already being mocked globally, which just adds to my point. Americans should be maintaining their composure, because when we act the way that so many are it makes us look weak and not unified. Which maybe we are? I don't know, either way whatever change we want to see needs to start with us individually, that I try to have hope for but lately not so much.  All we can do is fix ourselves, our family and community and hope that it all gets fixed from the inside out.

There is not one President/politician who can fix this. We have to fix this. I firmly believe it has to be through understanding, respect and love. When a person is broken how do you fix them, from the inside out, right? That is sort of what I feel for this country. On the inside is you and me and all the other people who work and live. It is the broken ideals and communities that need to be fixed. 

I cannot tell you how that needs to be done as we are all different and we all have our own way of living. I do not think there are any experts who know how this can be fixed as this is new. America has never been here before, and that could be what is at the root of most of the fear and hate we are seeing.  It is up to you to figure out what your values are, whether you are living up to them and how you need to change. Are you teaching/showing examples to your children of these values? Real change does not happen over night, it changes over generations. 

There has been a lot of people wanting peace and acceptance for this group and that group but when they don't get there way there is a lot of hate. This form of dealing with things really is counter productive. The people behaving this way are being exactly what they are opposing.What message does this give to the world and more importantly our children? 

Last night, my daughter came home and mentioned to my husband and I how "tomorrow was going to be a bad day". I asked her why and she said "because it is the day when Trump becomes President". WAIT, WHAT!? She's twelve and as a family we have not discussed a whole lot of politics with her unless she brings it up. Definitely not enough to help her form this opinion. Not sure where she got it from, some where along her day she had heard this and formed this opinion. STOP, WAIT A MINUTE, NOPE!! This is not how WE live. We explained to her that although people are not excited about this new President, we still have to be hopeful and respectful of his position. This is a good example of what I am talking about. What we say and do effects everyone! Its like throwing a pebble in the pond. Here my daughter is, an innocent soul who knows nothing about politics forming opinions on things that she has no idea about because of what she has heard. I often feel like I am having to undo the teachings of our society with my child. What society is teaching her is not the values or changes I hope for our country or for our lives.

It does not matter who I voted for, it does not matter who you voted for. What matters is that ALL AMERICANS maintain their composure and respect each other. Especially the Presidency. Because how we act individually and as a community says a lot more about us than it does whatever we are acting against. End of rant.

Disclaimer: This is my opinion, I do realize that it may not be your opinion. Publicly sharing my opinion is meant to start meaningful conversation, provoking thought or creating an understanding of how one American gal feels about our current political situation.