Profile of a Trump Supporter

I was going to do a cheeky post on Taylor Swift or something, but…I just couldn’t. As much as I realllly didn’t want to write about the election, ignoring the state of our nation right now just didn’t sit well with me.

Scrolling through social media and watching the news today, there was definitely a tone. An overwhelming consensus of, almost arrogant disbelief in our country that manifested in highly divisive and passive aggressive comments.

A few highlights:ย writtenย byย my friendsย on Facebookย or sent directly to me:

Trump supporters areย “dumb, uneducated, delusional idiots pushing for change, regardless of what disaster may entail. This country is breeding ignorance.”

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“If you voted for Trump, explain to me why your female, black, latino/a, LGBTQ+, and Muslim friends don’t matter to you.”

“Trump Supporters: racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, misogynist clowns with an affinity for orange spray tans.”

“Wow. There are racist and ignorant idiots all over this country.”

Reading these comments, it hurt. Personally. Why?

Because they wereย about me.

Yes, I voted for Donald Trump.

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Now before you “X” out of this post, I invite you to just read to the end.

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If you’ve read any of my posts before, I think you will know that I am none of those things. I am not someย filled-with-hateย monster that myย friendsย are tweeting about.

I am a young Christian woman, college educated, who is friends with nearly all immigrants and ethnically diverse millennials in NYC. I am an artist withย tonsย of LGBT friends.ย ย I have been sexually assaulted. And I have been working – yes, professional acting brings in a pay check – since the age of 7.

And my heart is full of tremendous love.

I’m not here to judge anyone. And I’m notย going to sit here and tell you to think like I do.ย I wanted to just share why I voted for this “unconscionable”ย candidate.

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First of all,ย this was a difficult election for me.ย 

Neither candidate was a beacon of morality. I had to look past theย individualย and vote on what they stood for. Or rather, what they stoodย against.

Donald Trump, (much like Bernie Sanders, honestly) was the candidate that was taking a stand against the corruption of far left, liberal, big government, and its mainstream media accomplice, trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

Honestly, I don’t blame my friends for tweeting these ill-informed things out. The mainstream media has been crafting the Trump narrative, painting him in as corrupt light as possible (some of which, he definitelyย earned), and failing to pay any lip service to Hillary and her criminal activity.

Wanting to have secure borders and supporting legal immigration does not make me a racist or xenophobe.

Wanting to become energy independentย does not make me irrational andย idiotic.

I am allowed to voteย againstย government-funded abortion facilities and healthcare with mandated aborticants.

I am allowed to vote for fiscal responsibility. Getting America back to work. Reducing our national debt.

But mainly, I am allowed to vote in protest to the onslaught by the liberal far left and the agenda they push inย the mainstream media, in newspapers, at public universities, in celebrity/pop culture. That does not make me a bigot.

My vote was a big “middle finger” to the extreme left.

It was me taking back that day when I was a freshman in college and I had to do an oral reportย to my class of 200+, what a “rim job” was. For a grade. At a public, liberal university.

It was me taking back that time a liberal professor spent a semester trying to talk my brother out of his religious beliefs.

It was me standing up for the 8 month baby in the womb, days before delivery, who, under Hillary would have been legally allowed to be killed.

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It was me standing up for our military and the men and women who have risked their lives to protect mine.

It was meย voting to create job opportunities for all Americans.

It was me declaring that there is corruption in Washington, and I won’t have it any more.

It was me taking back America.

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One of the biggest things I heard echoed across social media today was, “What am I going to tell my children?”

You’ve probably seen it too.

How will I tell my children that this country approves and celebrates bullies, rapists, homophobic, racist, sexist, and hateful people? And elected one to run our nation?

Here’s what I’ll say.

I voted forย you. I voted to protect the constitutional rights that our country was founded on. So that when you grow up, you have those unalienable rights that, at the time, were under attack by a corrupt government and slanderously biased media. I voted for the unborn. For the safety of our country. For religious freedom.

I voted for you. Forย yourย future. Forย yourย liberties, that have been slowly eroding by an extreme liberal agendaย that neitherย respects God or the common man.

And I am proud of that vote.

Am I proud that Trump was the one I cast my ballot for? Not especially. He has said and done some incredibly horrendous things, but I had to look past that for the greater good.

And please, let he without sin cast the first stone.

Would I have loved to see a woman break that glass ceiling and become President? Absolutely.

But I refuse to elect a woman thatย reeks of corruption,ย simply because of her anatomy.

That would be the epitome of nasty.

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So that’s the last you’ll hear about the election or politics from me on here.

Back to “programming as usual” on Monday.

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1,275 responses to “Profile of a Trump Supporter”

  1. I love the way you said this. One of my teachers, who voted for Trump, told me that she was not proud of who she voted for but she was proud of what she voted for. And I think she’s right. You must have had a lot of courage to write this post, too. ๐Ÿ˜€ Have a blessed day!

    • Thank you so much for this Isabella. I was so nervous to post this. That’s why I’m a few minutes late today, and so your kind acceptance really means so so much. Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚ yeah. “slim pickins” this election, but i had to follow my conscience. Hugs to you friend xox

  2. I know how you feel, a lot of my friends were posting some of the most hateful stuff and put a general statement onto anyone who would vote for Trump. I just posted basically that people need to stop and think before they make such generalizations on people they disagree with and think that maybe you are putting someone who is a close good friend of yours into that group without even knowing it. They know what kind of person I am, but by saying what they did it felt like a personnel attack on me. I don’t think they meant it that way, but the way it came across it did. I am going to be hopeful for the next 4 years and pray that our country pulls together and not tear itself apart. I have spent 20 years in the military fighting for the ideal of what this country stands for and I hate to think it was a waste of my life and so many more who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we have.

  3. Time to help heal our country. No name calling. No broad, sweeping generalizations. I have sat quietly by this whole election process watching temperaments flare. Now that Trump is our president-elect, I was hoping that mercy and kindness would be the new order. Yet, I watch the news and read social media comments, and I am saddened by the reactions of supporters from โ€œboth sides.โ€ Thank you for this post.

      • Thank you. I have started to post a similar comment paragraph on FB. I thought it would cause an uproar. Surprisingly, it has been quiet – not liked, but not rejected. Hopefully, we can begin to appeal to the rational part of people. Look at President Obama’s and Hillary Clinton’s public statements. They were disappointed but gracious. Whether I agree with their policies or not, I commend them for their example. Just as I commend you for yours.

  4. It’s very brace of you to come out and express your political views like this. You’re correct that the media paints Trump supporters as horrendous people and yet you identify yourself as one anyway. I understand that you wish to see a change in Washington, I do too, but I unlike you was unable to look past Trump’s character. I know that many people could but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. As a pansexual woman of color I just do not see Trump as someone who will honor and protect my rights. What am I going to do now? I’m going to fight for them by myself in my own little way.

    • Thank you so much for this. Yeah, I have hope that he will lead and protect the rights of all people. And fight for those liberties. I do pray for that. Yeah, his character was definitely hard to look past, but I hope that the change he stands for will be good for all. Sending big big hugs to you friend xox

  5. Thank you so much for writing this! You said exactly what I feel, I just didn’t know how to voice it. God bless you for having the courage to say this.

  6. I love this post and puts into words what I’ve been trying to explain myself. It is sad that all of a sudden people are so hateful towards each other! If we all join together and help America we can make a difference and whether Trump is the one to lead us or not I don’t know but what we had wasn’t working either so I’m putting my faith in all of us that we will make things better! I also voted for him and have been called all that you wrote about even by people that know me well. It’s so very sad. But thank you again for writing this and I wish you all the best!!

  7. I am a Trump supporter as well, for the same reasons. People take one look at me (20 something-looking, black male with long loc’d hair and dress in sneakers, sweats and a hoodie) and I’m looked at as if I am supposed to be a Hillary supporter or else gazed at like I am a unicorn…๐Ÿ˜‰

  8. Really powerful and interesting blog. For my wife and I watching on from Australia it has been really hard to understand how people could vote for Trump and why there was so much disdain for Hillary so it was great to hear your perspective, particularly as another Christian.

    • Thank you so much Tim. Wow Australia! That’s so cool. Yeah this election was seriously really difficult. I had to put the candidate personally aside, and vote on the issues. And his prolife stance on abortion was the “biggie” for me that made me vote for him. thanks for stopping by. hugs xox

  9. Well done!! I believe the Lord has His hand on Trump. I am not an American, but if I was, I would have voted alongside you – for change.. I feel we all need to have the grace to lay aside prejudices, stand back, and let the Lord do His work on and through him. If we donโ€™t have that grace, then we need to pray for it.

  10. I also posted more on politics than I ever, ever wanted to. I hear you loud and clear. When I see and hear all of this complete and utter insanity, I have three thoughts in quick succession:
    (1) What on earth has the media done to this country?
    (2) Why on earth do the people listen to them?
    (3) When my friend said, “At least in this country after the election, there will not be bloodshed in the streets,” I could only think, “At least not yet…”

    Love to you! This world is a mess. But take heart, HE has already overcome it!

  11. You said this perfectly. As a college educated, Christian, white woman – who has also been sexually assaulted – I am so sick of the terrible things the liberals are saying and doing. So many people like us are so afraid to express their views and how they feel right now for fear of the backlash from the left. All I can say is, we have God on our side, and we will hold our heads higj and will be ok. ๐Ÿ’ž

    • thank you so much for this. Yeah, this election has brought out too much hatred across the country. it makes me sad. yes. God is in control and He will make everything work together for good. I do believe that. Thanks again xox

  12. Ive been apprehended to write about this topic on social media or blog also because this topic has caused so much division. I just pray we move forward. I love your boldness and honesty. As I stated to my family as well I did not vote for a person I believe that was predestined but on my behalf I voted for The Bible and I voted for my childrens future. Like you I am proud of that as well.

    • thank you so much. Yeah, division is right! i pray too. We need to heal as a country and i just pray that it comes sooner rather than later. thank you for your kind and supportive words. Hugs to you xo

  13. Iโ€™m Canadian so I donโ€™t have any say in USA politics but we will be affected by them nonetheless. I appreciate what you wrote and I would defend your right to say it. I’m glad you voted.
    Ultimately,we are foolishness to trust and hope in any human king/queen to be our โ€œsaviourโ€ as they are flawed, generally self-centred, and will pretty much say and do anything for popular approval. There is no real vision for hope just lots of angry words; democratic and republicans are non-identical twins from the same worldly womb. Thatโ€™s why things are not going to get better by human devising; there is no utopian ideal just around the corner that we will be led into by anyone. Biblically, the only answer and hope we have is in Christ’s return and our resurrection and rescue.
    Why I am really concerned about what has happened in the USA is because I have stood in Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum. I stood there and I studied the events, rhetoric and the othering that took place; what set the stage for those horrible, hateful, actions. Iโ€™ve seen what appealed to the people, how it was presented, and how others just went along with it. We donโ€™t learn from the past.

    • Thank you so much Brad. I appreciate your kind and encouraging words. You’re right…we are ALL flawed. but God uses flawed people. And i just pray for him, and for our nation (and Canada too! ๐Ÿ™‚ ) Yes, Christ is the answer. Wow, what a powerful experience you had at that museum. So tragic. Sending hugs x

      • The heartbreaking part from that museum was seeing how the church supported the hate. I’m Seventh-day Adventist and I am very sad to say that many in our church at that time in that country called the popular leader a noble man because they felt he supported their ideals in certain areas.

      • One more thing that was really profound to me at Yad Vashem. I was walking through with a friend, it was all very emotional, and then we came to those who gave their lives to help the victims get out of the country (the others). I was telling my friend about Schindler’s List and then we came around a corner and there it was, the list. I stopped and tried to say, “This is it,” but the words choked in my throat and I had to walk away in tears.

  14. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I’m so proud of you for being brave enough to share your reasons for your vote in such a wonderful and understandable way, with no harshness or hatefulness. And you’re young! And you live in NYC!!! ๐Ÿ™‚ I agree with everything you said so well. I’m praying that our country can settle down now and that we can truly unite around the man that God has allowed to be our next President. Young adults like you are such an encouragement!! Blessings to you!

    • Thank you so much ๐Ÿ™‚ I really appreciate your kind and encouraging words. ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes! NYC! yes, we all must pray for healing as a nation and for our new leader ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs to you xox

  15. Thank you for your honesty. This was most interesting. I would only note that 80% of what we read and hear from the media comes from the five major corporations that own the media. They are not “liberal” by any stretch of the imagination, and they have given Trump more than his fair share of media attention and (one might argue) may well have given him the attention he needed to win the election.

  16. That’s right, stand for what you believe. Holdfast to your convictions. Believe that Jesus is and will return one day for you and every true believer. Stand firm and reject the technology of the Mark which is already here but not yet mandated. Be proud of your courage, for you are courageous. NOW, after reading all I’ve written, still continue reading my post. The Lord is coming soon enough. I agree with you too. ๐Ÿ™‚ Be blest in the name of Jesus, Amen!

    On Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 5:31 PM, BeautyBeyondBones wrote:

    > beautybeyondbones posted: “I was going to do a cheeky post on Taylor Swift > or something, but…I just couldn’t. As much as I realllly didn’t want to > write about the election, ignoring the state of our nation right now just > didn’t sit well with me. Scrolling through social media an” >

  17. Well said. I think many people are just tried of the career politicians. Was he my first choice? No but my choice was not in the final two. Would I have loved to seen a female become president? Yes but not her. He won story over, I say let’s see what he can do and if we don’t like it in 4 years we can try again.

    • Thank you for this. I think you’re right, we should give him a chance and do our best to come together as a nation and heal from this deeply divisive political season. Big hugs to you xox

  18. As a Canadian I was initially shocked to learn of Mr. Trump’s successful bid for Presidency. I confess that I was uneducated about the issues and was aware only of the sensationalism of the election campaign, and let’s face it, Hillary handled herself better in public than Donald. Many of my friends voted for Trump and they described it as voting for the Lesser of Two Evils and that is just plain scary. Thanks for sharing your reasons for voting For Trump. He has some tough challenges ahead of him and I sincerely wish him luck. May we all exist peacefully.

    • Hi Diane, yeah this was definitely an unprecedented election, that’s for sure! Yeah, lesser of the two evils is right. and scary! Yes! I pray for a united, peaceful existence as well. Big hugs to you, friend. Thank you for reading ๐Ÿ™‚ xox

  19. I don’t do Facebook, nothing against it. To much information going out for me. I never discuss politics. However will say here in your post you have echoed the exact reason that most that voted for President Trump feel. At least mine. Ditto all the way. Well said.
    Blessings to you Tom

  20. I salute your honesty and integrity for standing up for your vote! I did not vote. As I am not a citizen, I am not allowed to. Doing your civic duty by voting is something that is one of my most important values (and have been since I started being politically engaged at the age of 15, three years before I was even old enough to vote) because I believe it is a responsibility for everyone who has the advantage and luxury of living in a democracy. Having said that, I admit that I was relieved that I am not able to register to vote because it would have been the hardest vote I did in my life!

    I believe that many others who voted for Trump, chose him for many of the reasons you have listed, or even because they did not want to vote for the other candidate. IMHO, the two-party system is completely out-dated and incredibly corrupt, especially the way it is working, where “the one with most money wins” the nomination to represent each party. Unfortunately, “not voting” for one, means voting for the other one and in this case that is far from ideal – not necessarily because of what he stands for but how he delivers it… Although I disagree with a lot of his “what’s” too, just like you.

    But no, that does not at all make you a bigot. At least not in my eyes… Kudos for speaking up and sharing your thoughts here! Personally, I have been itching to but I don’t have your courage. I don’t even have the courage to share my honest view with my 100 closest friends on my closed FB feed, because I don’t need all the hate and animosity it would results in – even from close friends. And that makes me sadder than anything because that is an infringement in the feeling of being safe to exercise your freedom of speech. A slippery slope to say the least…..

    Thank you for your post.

  21. Thank you so much for this post. Just like you, I’ve seen a lot of anger about Trump winning as if he somehow cheated the system.

    “Would I have loved to see a woman break that glass ceiling and become President? Absolutely. But I refuse to elect a woman that reeks of corruption, simply because of her anatomy. That would be the epitome of nasty.” I agree with this one hundred percent. If a woman becomes President, it should be because of what she stands for and what she hopes to accomplish. Not just because she happens to be the only woman candidate.

  22. Again wise insight and brace words. I agree with your insights although I did not choose to vote for either of the major candidates. You are a wonderful witness to making a Godly stand in a world where everything but Christianity is held up as valid. Even more impressive was your tone came through as your being proud of your views rather than the defiance I often hear. Great blog, insightful writer – as always. John

    • Thank you so much John! you’re so kind to say that ๐Ÿ™‚ yeah, it was a difficult decision, but I had to vote for the candidate that stood by the issues that were the most important to me. Glad this struck a chord with you ๐Ÿ™‚ big big hugs xox

  23. Caralyn, I liked your post because of your candor. You did not have to share your vote. The safe thing to do would be to keep quiet and not risk offending some of your your blog followers.

    I found both candidates utterly distasteful, but it was interesting to hear your rationale. We’re going to have to listen to each other and care about what we hear, if we’re going to move forward.

    • Thank you so much for this Vanessa. You’re so right, we have to come together, listen to one another and what is important to each other, and then work together to rebuild our divided nation and heal. I appreciate your encouragement. Big big hugs xox

  24. YASS!!! ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
    Thank you! This was well said and brilliant! #makeamericagreatagain

  25. Is there a way that you and I can get in touch with one another? You follow me as well and I would like to talk to you more about this in a more private venue.

  26. We need peace in our land and not more strife, but I understand the anger many are feeling. I respect you Caralyn but I respectfully disagree. There are some good views with the liberal way of thinking, including more activity helping the poor and helping those that work hard and yet have low incomes. I would hate for all of us to be forcibly Protestant, like the Puritans wanted, or having interracial marriage to be outlawed as it once was. Being progressive and diverse can be very healthy.
    More importantly though a man like Trump, his demeanor his verbal assaults on just about everyone that did not agree with him, his not paying federal income tax…….and then there is assaulting people….sorry but no way should he be president.
    And I like what one blogger said recently. There is no such thing as a pro life president. Hearts need changing first, then laws can be changed. Otherwise people will not vote to change the laws.
    Anyway we must move forward and I love the way our current president, is handling the transition. There is real healing taking 0lace

  27. Thank you! Thank you for this, I feel so much the same way! ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ I voted for Trump and couldn’t be happier that he won! :9 sick of the current admin and ready for a change!

  28. While you said what you voted for you also were ok with a man who will take women’s rights back 30 years. You are ok with a man who bragged he grabbed women by their vagina (I opted for a cleaner version ) I have daughters and this kind of rhetoric demoralizes all women. Planned parenthood also provides cancer screening to those who could not otherwise afford it. Obama care will be gone and while I am a middle class individual who paid over $17 thousand in healthcare last year I believe all Americans deserve health insurance. You are ok with a man who spouts racism and hate towards others, while I will worry that he will force our country into war and my sons lives will be at risk. While you are pleased with the election outcome I am saddened beyond belief that Donald Trump is the leader of the free world.

    • I appreciate you sharing your opinion and feelings. It was definitely hard to vote for this particular man, but I had to look past the candidate and vote for my “top issue” – protecting the unborn. I respect that other people have their own “top issue.” that is the beauty of democracy. My heart goes out to you, your family and all of those who are upset and hurting because of the results of this election. I pray for the healing of our nation. I pray for compassion and love to fill all of our hearts. I pray for a willingness to listen and hearts that seek to understand. I pray for our new leader. And that people will give him a chance to earn their respect through policies that are inclusive and beneficial to ALL people. Thank you for joining the dialogue. Hugs to you friend xox

  29. I really appreciate hearing your thoughts and feelings about this. This election, like most things in life, was not black and white. It was much more complicated than that. I’m glad that you were able to vote your conscious <3

    • Thank you so much Leslie. You’re definitely right – there were so many gray areas during this election. Now all we can do is pray for healing and for our new leader. thanks for stopping by! hugs xo

  30. I stand and applaud your well-reasoned and logical arguments. Such a contrast to the people who have cried for “tolerance” and “coexistence”–just before taking to the streets to riot when the results of the democratic process don’t go the way they want it to. Thank you for having the courage to tell it like it is!

    • thank you so much for this. yeah, i have been so saddened by the outrage and out lash that is being demonstrated recently. It makes me disheartened and sad. Thanks for stopping by. hugs to you xox

  31. Yes, you have every right to your vote. You do not have the right to think I am uninformed. I’m also a Christian but have no political party background. I do have the right to vote for someone who knows the basics of American government and constitutional rights, neither of which Trump understands nor respects as he repeatedly proved during the debates. I also have the right to think that the far left has more compassion and than the conservative right, who have highjacked the Congressional decision making process and Supreme Court for the last eight years and have no compassion whatsoever for the downtrodden, broken-hearted and poor. It is also the conservative right Congress who have made and compounded the deficit problem. Trump has no political background experience to fix the deficit without throwing the entire global banking system into chaos.

    I don’t vote for personality but on works. Clinton made many mistakes, broke no laws, but has spent her entire life protecting the rights of children and women all over the world. Because of her, my challenged child was able to attend a “regular” school. That gets my vote every time, and I would have voted for anyone but Trump. My late fire-breathing Evangelist husband would have cleaned the clock of any man who treated women so disrespectfully.

    Lastly, the Constitution is NOT a Christian manifesto. It gives everyone in this country the freedom OF religion. I have no respect for Tea Party types, which you may not be, who think they have the right to dictate religious beliefs and undermine what this nation is all about. Or used to be. The longterm results of this election is not one this nation will be proud of and will leave our children and grandchildren burdened with a sad and terrible legacy.

    • Thank you so much for this reflection. I hope it did not come across that I felt you were uninformed. That was not my intent or feeling at all. This was a very difficult election. I did not like either candidate, but had to stand by the issues I felt most important to me, personally. Namely, a pro-life agenda. You’re right, Trumps words were disgusting, and all I can do now is pray for the healing and unity of our nation, and for the guidance of our new leader. Hopefully he surrounds himself with good, politically savvy people. Thank you again for sharing your heart. big hugs xox

  32. I voted for Trump and Pence as they’re both Pro-Israel-Yisrael / Pro-Zionism / Pro-Life / Pro-USA!!

    Am Yisrael Chai forevermore Israel-Yisrael and Baruch HaShem Yahweh Yeshua Jesus Christ Adonai Bless you all who Stand with the Holy Land of Israel-Yisrael and our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America!!

    United We Stand with Israel-Yisrael and our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America, Divided We FALL!!

    Please Pray for our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America and Israel-Yisrael Everyday!!! “Pray Without Ceasing.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV )!!

    God Bless all my Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus-Yeshua and our Jewish Sisters and Brothers in HaShem Yahweh Elijah Elohim Jehovah Hosanna and Your Families and Friends!!

    Love Always and Shalom ( Peace ) Everyone, YSIC \o/

    Kristi Ann

  33. Like Tim, I’m from Australia. I appreciate you, Carralyn, taking the time to put your thoughts down about why you voted, even as I (as a progressive Catholic) disagree with many of your points. My main concern is that from the outside looking in, it seems Trump has said anything a number of different groups want to hear, just to be elected. I’ll be waiting to see how much he actually carries out. Especially since my view of pro-life means *more* than just helping mothers carry babies to term – it means protecting their health, education, parents’ jobs, right to freedom from discrimination & a safe home etc. and so on (a la Sister Joan Chittister).
    Also, I am concerned about reports of white extremists celebrating Trump’s win, such as the KKK. John Pavlovitz, a Christian blogger, puts it thus: http://johnpavlovitz.com/2016/11/10/white-christians-who-voted-for-donald-trump-fix-this-now/ While I disagree with how strongly worded he is, he makes some good points. I’m sure you, Carralyn, focusing on love, will be prepared to act if Trump goes through with his anti-life policies around immigration, for example.
    Australia has its own fair share of problems surrounding these issues, so I’m by no means trying to lecture or anything. Just putting my thoughts out there – after all, what’s done is done, now we all just have to make the best of it.

    • Hi friend, thank you so much for this thoughtful response. You’re right, there were lots and LOTS of concerns surrounding Trump, but I had to vote for the issues important to me, not necessarily the person. I will just pray for him and for the state of our nation, and world. Thank you again for this healthy dialogue ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs to you xo

  34. I will say, Caralyn, that your post does not surprise me. Much of the right wing Christian community is right there with you. And yes, I said with you, not us. Personally, I thought neither candidate was worth a warm bucket of spit (a little historical language there ๐Ÿ™‚ I detest both parties for giving us these two horrible choices; we should never have to vote based two such despicable people (although it happens too often). There was probably no better qualified person from an experience standpoint than HRC, but she had way too much baggage. Trump had no experience in government, and had a different type of baggage, but way too much of it too.
    As a Christian, I abhor that the religious right has so completely embraced Trump without saying anything condemning about those things that he stands for that would make Jesus weep. I fear an awful lot of people will judge Christ and His church by the unapologetic enthusiasm with which they embraced Trump.

    Without delving into your positions in depth, I would offer the following challenge to you….find a way to openly support people, support inclusiveness, reject violence and hatred. If “change” was what was desired, then focus on that with respect to employment, health care, infrastructure, economy, defense…. and condemn the subtle and overt hatred that was preached around those topics. I know some of this is just politics. But…too much of it felt it went way beyond what was needed just to strike a position.

    I don’t think I’ll return to blogging as usual after today…I think I have a couple of more that I want to write. But at least this phase is over, and now we can wait, resume life, and see what happens.
    Peace, sister.

    • a warm bucket of spit! haha i’ve never heard that one before, but you’re right, both candidates were pretty terrible. I’m actually a moderate, not super right wing, but I had to vote pro-life. That is the issue that is the most important to me. And I will definitely accept your challenge ๐Ÿ™‚ those things sound like the pathway to healing and unity for our nation. Thanks for this great dialogue. I appreciate it and you ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs xo

      • It was VP John Nance Garner who made the observation that โ€œthe vice presidency is not worth a bucket of warm spit”….which I thought was pretty graphical yet clean ๐Ÿ™‚

  35. Thank you for speaking for me. I’m all in for President-elect Trump. We’ve been given a chance to correct a few things; I hope we don’t flub it. I hope we can hang on to what we build.

  36. Aweplause to you! Let your voice be heard and I hope people can remember the secret to our country making it is political pendulum changes. Just look at those where it does not!

  37. Thanks for posting. Now we, all of us, must start to work to get back to a place where we can compromise and work together towards the common good. I live in an overwhelmingly blue state and voted for a third party in hopes they could break 5% and force actual open discourse in the future.

    • hi Katherine, you’re so right — we must come together in love, listen to one another, put aside differences, and move forward. Thank you for your thoughtful response. hugs xox

  38. Caralyn:

    Thank you. You are a woman of great courage.

    Initially, I told no one except my wife who I voted for. She outed me within the family and my three kids and wife immediately left for the polls to negate my vote–that’s why Virginia went for Hillary! (None of them planned to vote previously!) Having been outed, you will now find an open letter to Donald Trump on my blog.

    When the Hispanic day workers that I lunch with on Wednesdays asked how I voted, I told them that I voted republican because Trump was the only candidate who cared about the 80 percent of Americans who have seen no increase (or a decline) in living standards over the past 30 years. (Yes, I am still a recovering economist). If he actually focuses on the economy and does what he says, he will benefit all the economically sensitive groups–young people, Hispanics, minorities, and women–more than other candidates who have systematically ignored their plight, but pretended to represent their interests.

    Mainstream candidates espouse the theologies and philosphies of the 20 percent of Americans, mostly professionals and the rich, who have done well the past 30 years. But most American do not have adequate healthcare, a healthy diet, a new car, and a mortgage paid for. Many must work two jobs just to make ends meet. Kids these days have trouble with “household formation”; children born out of wedlock are at an historically high level; seniors and young people are both at historically high risk of suicide. The hope that we have in Jesus is simply lost on those who have never known him because our secular society has other priorities, like who can use which bathroom.

    Is Donald Trump the perfect candidate? No. I explained to myself and to my family that it was better to vote for an imperfect candidate going in the right direction than an “expert” going in the wrong direction.

    Excuse my lengthy post. I do occasionally get carried away.

    Thanks again.

    Stephen

    • Thank you so much for this thoughtful reflection. So you were a “hidden Trump vote too!” I told all my friends (all of whom were voting for Hillz) that I was voting for her too. You’ve brought up such great points here. I was voting for the common man. Neither choice was ideal. But i pray that God use the broken vessel that is Donald Trump to heal this country and move forward. Thanks again, Stephen. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs to you xox

  39. As someone who is neither a liberal or conservative I can just take a step back and laugh at everything that’s happened over the last … way too long. Both sides’ beliefs are completely founded on lies told by their respective candidates. It’s just ugly and it’s really sad that these two people were the best candidates our country could hold up. Nobody really won here.

    That said, the only people I loathe for their vote are the people who did it for disgusting reasons (and there are plenty on both sides so I’m not specifically calling out Trump supporters). It’s funny to me how all of the SJWs are saying that this is the “beginning of the end” and they’ve never been more afraid to be a minority in America. Why? Did one man becoming president suddenly make all of us racist? I could be wrong, it’s still early, but I don’t suddenly have the urge to go to Detroit and lynch as many brown people or gays as I can find.

    Many Christians voted for Trump for obvious reasons like his pro-life stance. Can’t fault them there… one of my best friends is one of those people. I think the vast majority of his supporters, though, are simply people who are sick of being made to feel like racists or homophobes just because they don’t drink the kool aid on every bat-shit crazy thing the far left says. You aren’t up to date on all the new gender-neutral pronouns? You hate gays. You don’t believe that you’re a racist simply because you were born white? You hate black people. A vote for Trump was a bitch slap across the face of those people, and although I didn’t vote for Trump, I can get behind that notion.

    Do you. Nobody can hate you for staying true to your beliefs. They may claim to… but they don’t know you.

    • Hi friend, thank you for this. You’re right, both candidates were wayyy less than ideal. I voted the pro-life ticket. I had to look past the disgusting things he’s said, and vote for the issue that was “top” for me. And you’re right, I definitely sympathize and can understand the hurt that people feel who did not vote for trump. But all we can do now is to love one another and pray for our nation’s leader and healing. hugs xo

  40. This is a great post. I had considered Hillary initially but then decided on a third party candidate instead. I am getting tired of people saying Hillary is some sort of role model for my daughter or that she represents what I should find important as a woman.

    • thank you so much Kate. I really appreciate your insight. I totally agree. Yeah, there are a lot more women I would tell my future daughters to look up to. Good for her for having the courage to run, but I just can’t get behind her policies. thank you for this great response! hugs xo

  41. Thank you for expressing so well what many of us felt but could not put into words. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    • haha, no worries! that happens to me too ๐Ÿ™‚ yeah, I know they weren’t intended for me personally (they all thought I was a dem), but it still just hurt. thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

  42. Thank you for posting this! I bet it took courage because I know I feel like I’m surrounded by people who think all Trump supporters are hateful. You wrote what me, and a lot of other people are feeling! Beautiful said, thanks again. Love all your posts!

  43. Great post. Expresses a lot of what I think and feel as I too am a Christian. Thank you for writing this.

  44. Bravo! Well said! Thank you BBB for addressing this! My great concern today is for our girls – for the women and girls of our Great Country who are now being hysterically told and convinced that Donald Trump is now going to cause them great harm by inciting sexual misbehavior and sexism everywhere. You know, our women are so much smarter than that, so much stronger than that! Mothers, please teach your girls to not buy into that fearful rhetoric from our media’s misguided tantrum from their candidate not winning. BBB, will you address this issue? You are amazing <3

    • Thank you so much for this kind reflection. Yeah, i feel for them too. We need to come together in love and heal. and move forward. and focus on the good. I will definitely try! hugs to you friend. xox

  45. Can we get a round of applause for this woman right here?

    Seriously though, thank you. I voted for Trump myself, and this post right here is just about everything I’ve been going through today and yesterday myself.

    I’ll just say that going forward, I’ll be praying I made the right choice, and particularly I’ll be praying for Trump himself. I mean, I think we all know St. Paul’s background, am I right? I believe God has a plan.

    • haha thank you so much R. That seriously means so much. yeah, we’ve got to pray for our nation’s healing, and pray for our new leader. yes. God will work everything for good. hugs xo

  46. Amazing post as usual! Thank you for sharing…and for giving so many others a voice. I hate so much that you had to go through those insults and assaults and it is VERY TELLING of their own heart, their nature beneath it all, and what they believe to be right. It is rampant, unnecessary and vile. Prayers for you, sweetheart!

  47. Thank you! I wish I could have written this, but it would have been with less eloquence or compassion (that’s something God is still working on in me. . .).

    I logged out of Facebook the day before the election and I haven’t been back on because I’m choosing to remove myself from the negativity. When did we get to the point as a nation that we can’t even discuss issues without calling names and getting deeply offended?

    I’m choosing to believe that those who are upset by the election are going through the stages of grief and are choosing to publicly share their journey. ๐Ÿ˜œ

    • thank you so much ๐Ÿ™‚ haha oh gosh, it would have been in your own voice, which is beautiful and powerful! ๐Ÿ™‚ seriously though, thank you. yeah, contemplating logging out of Facebook myself too. too negative. Thanks for the encouragement. hugs ox

      • Wow, talk about a quick response! Thanks. Know you probably get this ALOT, but… if you get just a minute, check out my new piece, “An open letter to President-elect Trump” over at honestpreacher. Any advice would be HUGELY appreciated as I’m still really inexperienced on this whole blogging thing. If you don’t have time though, I completely understand. Thanks again!

      • โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธthanks! Haha yeah I’m just sitting at my computer doing some work and have the opportunity to reply! Definitely! I look forward to checking out your piece! Sounds interesting! Hugs and love xox

  48. Unfortunately, your vote was “a big middle finger” to the environment and defenseless animals, fish, and other wildlife, too. See http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58237121e4b0e80b02ce7ab7 and http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/11/09/trump_s_pick_to_lead_epa_transition_team_is_a_proud_climate_skeptic.html and http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/11/trump_expected_to_weaken_energ.html Some future the kids will have.

    • Hi friend, thank you for this response. To clarify, when I mentioned “for religious freedom” what I was referring to was the attack on Catholic and Christian businesses and organizations (for example, Hobby Lobby and the Little Sisters of the Poor) having to adhere to the Obamacare abortion mandate, even though it completely contradicts their religious beliefs. That was the religious freedom I was specifically referring to. Hope that clears it up. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and for seeking to understand and listen. That is so needed for the healing of our deeply divided and hurting nation. That is my deepest prayer. Hugs to you ox

      • I beg to differ with your viewpoint but will always respect the freedom of a civil discourse. What I am afraid of is that once the genie is let out of the bottle, it would be very hard to put it back. The nastiness of this campaign was really sickening. You can not laugh it off as just politics. What concerns me is some recent happening in schools and colleges near us where ugliness on both sides have reared their heads just after the election results were declared. These are our future that we are talking of.

  49. Great post, and well said! Thank you for voting pro-life and against tyranny. Never give up on faith and truth even in the midst of insults, lies and threats. The Lord will provide the grace we need to be living testimonies of His love and mercy.

    I’ve had my share of liberal college professors who tried to talk me out of my faith and deemed it “inappropriate,” too. Not to mention I’ve been called a “monster” for not supporting the genocide of millions of innocent unborn babies.

    (A monster for wanting to save unborn children? Tell me how that makes sense! *eye roll*)

    But God is good, and teaches us to grow stronger in the faith and stand up for what’s right no matter what. He never leaves His children behind!

    God bless!

    • Thank you so much Vixey, I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement. You’re right, God will work all this together for good, and He never abandons His children. Yeah, that was the top issue for me, and so I had to look past the individual and just vote pro-life. hugs to you xox

    • I’m the veterinary field and recently did some reading about the issue of (…wait for it…) slaughtering horses for meat. Not a pretty topic. It is not a issue people like talking about- one side is against the destruction of horses through this way, the other side sees it as a necessary evil to deal with a large population of unwanted horses that might otherwise be abused and neglected. And maybe another group sees it only as an opportunity to profit.

      People keep trying to pass bills to either make horse slaughter totally illegal, or to pass bills to allow it in the US (currently US horses are shipped to Canada or Mexico). The issue that someone brought up is: why do people want to fight to ban it or allow, but not use money and time to deal with the issue of why we have unwanted horses with nowhere else to go in the first place? This struck me as very similar to the abortion debate.

      And I hope we can devote as much time to reasonable discussion of pregnant mothers and their fetuses as we can unwanted horses.

      • Hi Taylor, thank you for sharing this perspective. Very interesting. I was unaware of this debate about horses. Yes, I pray that the unborn be protected. a culture that no longer values the sanctity and dignity of life, is a dangerous place to be. Thank you for reading and joining the dialogue. hugs xo

  50. As the parent of a transgender child and a gay child, I could not support Trump. While Trump himself is not anti-LGBT, his stance on supporting North Carolina’s rights as a state to create legislation that allows people to discriminate against all minorities including and especially the LGBT community sends a message to other states that they also have to right to create similar legislation. People in those states are not as lucky as I am to live in a state that has no interest in creating such legislation, so I feel fairly confident that my kids will be safe. But I don’t have the confidence that kids and adults in other states will be protected. Comments that many people have made along the lines that they hope Trump will not support or ignore that type of state legislation is a gamble. Although I did not like Clinton, a vote for Trump in my opinion was too big of a gamble for the safety of too many in the LGBT community. And if anything happened to Trump, his VP is a potential threat to the LGBT community.

    I do wonder how you would vote if you thought Trump wouldn’t interfere if a state created legislation that allowed people the right to discriminate against people with eating disorders or mental illness. Or if you thought Pence was openly hostile to that community.

    We all vote for what matters most to us. I respect everyone’s rights to do so. But obviously, I don’t agree with everyone’s choice.

    • Hi Kim, thank you for sharing this. I definitely respect that. Yeah, there was no perfect choice this election. Yeah, I wish that there would just be love between all people. I pray for our nation and for trump, and that he protect all people during his time in office. Hugs to you friend xox

  51. You didn’t vote for me. In my view, you fell for a slick ad campaign and nothing that you want will come to pass. But we’ll see.

    Trump’s companies use illegal workers. The wall is a nonstarter. Comments about banning Muslims have already been removed from his website.

    Neither party is willing to address the fundamental issues suppressing the US economy. (Bernie stood alone on that.) So there will be no job growth, unless Trump opts to legalize prostitution. That would be consistent with his views of women.

    Smaller government. No, that means solving problems so that agencies can be disbanded. Not going to happen. Government contractors don’t solve problems. It means their pay ends. That’s what “privatization” means.

    Kill Obamacare? That’s the Affordable Care Act, and 9 million people will lose healthcare, some of whom will die, and their blood is on your hands. The logic of Obamacare was to give everyone access to preventive medicine, to reduce the rate of serious illness and reduce overall health costs across the nation. Taking it away takes us back to a situation in which people get diagnosed late, get more expensive treatment and die. And your health insurance costs will double.

    Trump was a quick fix for people who don’t want to try to understand the complexity of what needs to be done. But you voted for him, so you get to live with it. Just don’t say you voted for me.

    In fact, a majority of the country disagreed with you. (Yes, Clinton appears to have won the popular vote.)

    • Thank you for sharing your position, Vic. I appreciate the dialogue. I just want to clarify that when I said “I voted for *you*,” the “you” I was referring to is my future child. But I appreciate and respect your opinion. And I pray that people who feel upset and hurt by the outcome of this election will give DT a chance to earn their respect by using his time in office to stand up for the disenfranchised and neglected. I pray for the healing of our nation and for the hearts of everyone to be filled with compassion and a willingness to listen and understand. Thank you for taking the time to read and respond. Hugs to you friend xo

  52. Thank-you; this was such a huge breath of fresh air. (and I was also waiting for something along these lines from you today *gasp* you’re getting a little predictable ๐Ÿ˜‰ but this was so much better than anything I was imagining)

    I say breath of fresh air – the media stink from all the way down there has made it’s way up here; let’s just say I’ve seen a lot of ignorant posts from Canadians in the last few days and I am very disappointed.

    I’ve been holding myself back trying to wait till I could give a level-headed, somewhat-wise response to everything going on (IF I ever make an official response) but this takes the cake in my book and I am so proud and amazed again to see the wisdom and patience and grace and compassion Father gives you; it’s so awesome and so reassuring in this messy time.

    As I’ve been saying over the last couple days, let’s just wait and see what God has in mind (:

    And of course, we’ll keep loving, because love wins.

    • Hey Carson! Oh no! Not predictability! *Facepalm ๐Ÿ™‚ hehe but thank you so much for this reflection. You’re so right, there is A LOT of media stink out there and it makes me so sad to see the violence and hatred on tv. I pray for the healing of our nation. we need love right now. and thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. You are always a breath of fresh air to ME with your friendship and positivity. God is good, and I pray that He will use the broken vessel of DT for good and to fulfill His will. Yes, let’s wait and see. and in the mean time, we’ll PRAY! ๐Ÿ™‚ and LOVE! big big hugs xox

  53. As one who served and signed up to defend our flag, to see these protesters defacing my flag because they didn’t get their way is disgraceful to me and the men who served along side. Like it or not trump is our president elect. Other countries would not allow these people to act like this against the president elect, prison and death, just saying. He’s a racist, but its ok that u impede traffic, protest, riot, fight etc? That’s how classy Hillary supporters are? Hmmm makes my vote that much easier. http://illnessadaptation.com

    • Hi Stetson, first of all, thank you so much for your service to our country. You gave the ultimate sacrifice and I so so appreciate it. You’re right, you fought for our right to vote and we need to act with the proper gratitude. Yeah it makes me really sad. My heart goes out to those that are upset and hurting about the results, but violence and hatred, and threats of death is NOT the answer. We need love. we need to heal. we need understanding and compassion .Thanks again. hugs xo

      • I hear you. The ultimate sacrifice is those fallen soilders who did not return home, but thanks for that. I’ve been thinking alot about my brothers from the Vietnam era today, they got spit on when they returned. Not cool. These people have no right to spit on our troops when they didn’t serve. We fight for their rights but not the right to spit and attack us on our own soil. In other news. “Want to stop all the riots? Play the national anthem, they’ll all sit down.”
        A little joke, hehe.

      • Thanks again Stetson. You’re right – service to country is nothing to be mocked — or spit!! — at. It is an act of bravery and sacrifice. haha, oh gosh, sad but true! I know, I’m needing a little lift to the mood too ๐Ÿ™‚ how about this one….what do you call fake spaghetti?? AN IM-PASTA!! ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ alright, have a great night, friend xox

      • HAHA you Dork! Not sure if I laughed because it was funny, or because you are a dork for saying it? Haha. Take care BBB. Hugs*

  54. Everyone in the country had a choice when they stepped into the booth. That choice was deciding what they could live with as a negative vs benefits of voting the way they did.

    Trump voters decided his history of deplorable actions\statements, promotion and instigation of hatred, myopic view of the world, being his own special interest group, and business success despite his best attempts to do it wrong were completely acceptable as long as what he sold (questionable considering multiple fact checks) promised the ideal of a โ€œbetterโ€ America (better as in white America). In other words – hate, racism, ignorance, and misogamy is completely acceptable as long as your savings account looks better.

    Hillary voters decided questionable judgement, the email issue, and firmly rooted in establishment wasnโ€™t enough to overshadow experience, preparation, and clearly outlined plans and the accusations of dishonesty was preferable to moral atrocities associated with Trump.

    3rd party voters put their ideals above all else, that voting for someone they knew had no chance of winning would allow them to sleep at night even knowing that they could be a factor in either one of the two they didn’t like being elected. Or, they decided they didn’t want to decide but wanted to say they voted anyway.

    While I respect your right and opinion, I wonder how you can justify this to your children. Yes, you did almost address that, and possibly this is a generational thing. I remember teaching my children that the guy giving you candy may not be a nice man, that letting your sister watch her show one time doesn’t undo all the times you pulled her hair, called her ugly, and hid her dolls, and that you never, ever lay a hand on a woman without her permission. With all the mean, bigoted, and blatantly oppressive things that has come out of Trump’s mouth over the last two years (and currently waiting to go to trial for fraud and potentially sexual assault), how does the yet unfulfilled promise of prosperity cancel all that out? I can’t wrap my head around it. It’s like watching someone get beat up and decide that since it’s raining, you’d rather stay dry than do the right thing…

    Ultimately, this election has done the opposite of what has been promised – to unite the nation and work together. Instead we have families fighting, children chanting ‘build that wall’ to other children at school, and more. We cannot be united when such selfishness keeps us separate.

    • Hi Scott, thank you for this thoughtful response. A lot of powerful food for thought here. I completely agree: 1) both candidates were far less than ideal. and 2) the hatred and violence that has erupted as a result of this election is heart breaking. Especially in how it is impacting our children.
      For me, I had to look past the individual and vote based on my “top issue” and that is the candidate who is pro-life. That is non-negotiable for me. But I completely respect that other people have different “top issues” and that’s 1000% okay! That’s the beauty of democracy is that we are each entitled to vote for the candidate of our choice. Am I a “fan” of DT as a person? No. But I do respect his stance on Life. And that was enough for me to cast my ballot. What our country needs right now is healing. I pray for that healing. For compassion and a willingness to listen and understand. For guidance for our new president elect. and for people to give DT a chance to earn their respect through policies that are inclusive and seeking peace. Thank you for taking the time to read. healthy dialogue brings healing ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs xox

  55. I am so thankful to have read this. Your perspective is wise and refreshing. I hope there are more people like you that are bold enough to say things like this in a way that demonstrates the character of Christ as you just did!

  56. I had a problem with Donald this election season. Fundamentally it was that I don’t trust him.

    Naturally, I don’t trust Hillary either. Neither of them represented the Jesus I know from the words spewing out of their mouths.

    I read an article earlier today (which annoyingly I can’t find the link to) written by a young lady who grew up in the country, a small town, and moved to the city. I’m not going to try to understand the electoral college, The UK system I grew up with made my head spin and the US version is so much more complex. One thing both have in common is it seems to matter less how you vote than where. In England they called it “Gerrymandering” the districts to ensure an election result where even if one party got more individual votes, they would have fewer seats. Made my head spin.

    The article saw the world from both sides. It suggests – and had the figures to back it up – that “Blue” states tend to be more densely populated. There may be more people in a smaller area. In business that produces the “group-think” phenomena. But the poor in the rural areas were abandoned by Big Government. Where were the aid workers after Katrina in the several hundred square miles that wasn’t Orleans but was destroyed as over $100 billion dollars of damage and hundreds of lost lives?

    I’m a Christian, and a fairly militant one – but I couldn’t have voted for either candidate. Democrats stand on abortion is as unpalatable for me as Republican’s is on pro-life. The decision ultimately must be the individual’s, not the legislature’s..

    If I lived in rural America, with the problems so many of the small-town dwellers are facing I might have considered voting Republican (although third-party is more likely) as a protest vote from sheer frustration.

    Small town America is dying, much like rural England, as the cities cluck about lost teeth and blue-collar work clothes.

    My family (well, half of them) are blue collar. Dad’s family grew up in rural England and worked as a Salvation army family during and after the 1939-1945 war. Mum’s family were townies. Country folk in their own way, but less in the “work the land or don’t eat” way that dad’s were. I remember going blackberry picking (nothing to do with smartphones) when I was a kid. Along the hedgerows by the roadside. Get a couple of pounds of rich, wild fruit (less what went straight into me) to take home and make into a pie to have after a simple supper as a sumptuous pudding. Rich and satisfying.

    But don’t be fooled. Donald hasn’t convinced me by word or action that he is any more a Christian than I am a Ferrari.

    Hats off to your courage in trying to get people to think differently. Along with the other article, this one has calmed me down. Your work has clearly shown you are not someone to be afraid of.

    Thanks for your honesty and the integrity you have and continue to show.

    • Great post. You expressed yourself perfectly.
      I didn’t vote for Trump. I couldn’t get past his comments about minorities and women. As an Hispanic woman, those comments hurt and with hurt comes anger and now look what’s going on out there.
      I don’t feel that all Trump supporters are racists, but he has definitely attracted the ones who are and they’re proud of it too. That is what has everyone upset.
      I’m 54 years old and I’ve never seen so many angry, hurt people after an election. Its sad and more than anything it’s very real.
      Please join me in praying for our nation. Please pray that we become One Nation under God and not two or three.
      Thanks again for your post.

      • What has amazed me, watching from behind a rock here in South Africa, is the number of his supporters filmed out attacking people.

        They won. Didn’t they get the memo?

        It’s like a pressure cooker of pain just got released and the explosion is beginning. Not a good time to be a Democrat, a Republican, Black, White, Latino, LGBT or Homo Sapiens in the world today.

        Nobody has the right to sat “not my circus, not my monkeys” this year. Over the last 30 years since Reaganomics came about we’ve all been guilty of creating the monster we face now. And I mean ALL – Americans, British, Europeans, Antipodeans, Africans, Russians, all of us.

        We made this bed. Now we need to figure out how to live with it.

      • Hi David, thank you for this reflection. Wow South Africa! That’s awesome. But it’s true, we are all in this together. The world is “smaller” than ever and we must collective seek understanding and peace. He hatred being displayed. Deals my heart and I pray that people can fill their hearts instead with compassion and a desire to listen and understand the “other side.” Hugs and love xox

      • It gets smaller, too.

        I’m actually British, but my wife is South African. Both our countries are going to be affected by the US election.

        Frankly at this point it shouldn’t matter who voted which way, but rather what we as a global community can do to help overcome the shortfalls – all leaders have them – and build on the strengths of the incoming individual.

        America needs to be aware that Trump displays the traits of a boss rather than a leader. He will be very quick to accept the accolades when things go well, but it will never be his fault when things go wrong. That, in the long term, could be a problem – and not just for the US but for the world.

        I hope I’m wrong. I hope he will raise his game, despatch the likes of Duke to the pits they belong in and find a way to heal the growing rifts in the country. SA is in turmoil and the present incumbent, Jacob Zuma, seems to be benefitting from it and as a result does nothing. Here the white minority is being increasingly marginalised the way the minorities in the US have been traditionally.

        We need to find a way to unite everyone as humans rather than ethnicities, or rural vs urban. And that can only start at grass roots.

        I thnk there’s a reason Jesus arrived in a manger and recruited fishermen, shepherds and prostitutes to tell the Gospel. Every time in history Christianity has been “institutionalised” there’s been a disastrous result. We need to de-institutionalise Christianity. We desperately need to differentiate Church and State after the supporters pertaining to be Christians stood with Trump became the face of Christianity. They don’t represent my Jesus even remotely.

        It’s a hard four years ahead of us in the Church. Trump may put the Bible back in schools, but the cost could be catastrophic. Overturning Roe could have devastating consequences for rape victims not allowed to abort their rapists spawn because the rapist refused consent.

        There is much work to be done.

        I pray we are all up to the challenge before another crop rots in the field.

      • Powerful thoughts, David. Thanks again. It’s really interesting (and sobering) to hear the interconnectedness of global. I pray we can unite as humans too:) Hugs and love xox

      • Hi Daphne, thank you for this response. yes, i will definitely join you in that prayer. the violence and hatred that has erupted since the election saddens me. my heart goes out to those hurting, but violence is never the answer. we need compassion. love. a willingness to listen. seeking to understand. healing. and i pray for those things. thanks for reading. hugs xo

  57. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS A REPLAY OF THE SAME THING I SAW WHEN REAGAN WAS ELECTED. HE WAS NOTHING BUT A “B” MOVIE ACTOR AND A OUT OF CONTROL COWBOY WHO WAS GOING TO GET US ALL IN A WAR WITH THE USSR. HOWEVER, TODAY THERE IS MUCH MORE IN THE MIX. A POLAR SHIFT IN POWER JUST SWEPT THRU. THE DEMOCROOKS LOST THE ABILITY TO KEEP BLACK AMERICA ON THE PLANTATION BY KEEPING THEM TOTALY DEPENDENT ON GOVERMENT THERE FOR OWNING THEIR VOTE. FOR OVER 50 YEARS THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT. IT IS SO SAD HOW LITTLE OUR PEOPLE KNOW OF OUR OWN HISTORY. A REPUBLICAN PRES FREED THE SLAVES. LBJ HAD TO GO TO A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS TO GET CIVIL RIGHTS PASSED BECAUSE HIS OWN PARTY ( AKA “DIXIE CRATS ” WERE FIGHTING IT.) I AM GLAD I AM ON MY WAY OUT RATHER THAN IN.

    • Hi Marshall, thank you for this response and for joining the dialogue. I just pray that DT use his time in office to promote policies that protect and are inclusive and beneficial for all people. Neither candidate was ideal, but I pray the people give him a chance to earn their respect through standing up for the disenfranchised and neglected. That is my deepest hope and prayer. Thanks for taking the time to read. big hugs xox

  58. I have only two Master degrees and one Doctorate, so I guess I am still “uneducated and ignorant,” but I am sitting right next to you in the “basket of deplorables.”
    P.S. I also love Harry Potter.

  59. I love this. I continue to pray that Trump’s character will continue to grow and that he will be surrounded by godly influence. I don’t have to have the most godly man as my leader, but I do need his policies to align with what I think is right and Trump does that for me. If people judged me by how I’ve been in my past, not looking at who I am today, I wouldn’t bode so well either. Hopefully Trump will be able to prove the accusations wrong while in office and people will be able to have more peace about this in their hearts.

    • Thank you so much for this respectful reflection Kantharia. I agree, let’s hope and pray that DT does do good things for the people. And I hope that people give him a chance to earn their respect through policies that are inclusive and encourage peace and protection for all people. thanks again for stopping by! hugs and lots of love xox

  60. I apologize for not reading all the comments. I just don’t have that much energy right now.

    I applaud your voting on issues. I did the same. I’ll spare you my views. It’s not a problem that yours are very different from mine, and it’s important that you did not vote based on personalities. I applaud you for that.

    In my case, I voted, but not for either of the two “major” candidates. My particular conscience and too much experience with US politics took me a different way. I’m especially glad for that because “my” side of the two-sided discussion has proved as repugnant as the other side. I found another side to give my vote to.

    I’m about ready to un-follow any of my Facebook “friends” who even mentions politics.

    • Thank you so much Billy. Yeah, given the two choices, I had to just stick to the issues. Thank you for exercising your right to vote — a freedom that many many men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have that privilege. And I’m almost right there with you about Facebook. The passive agressive/hateful rhetoric has just got. to. stop. We need to begin healing as a nation and seeking to understand one another with compassion. Not twisting the knife with hurtful words. Anywho, thank you for your supportive and encouraging words. Big hugs xox

  61. Many of the people who support Trump are the same people who have made it clear to me that my life doesn’t matter. Not only that but he has zero respect for women and nothing about Trump is “christian” or godly… having him as president is an excuse to for many white supremacists who have an issue with progress to take a step back and it won’t be people like you who struggle because of it but people like me. We are terrified.

    • this absolutely breaks my heart, and i pray that that is not the case. Thank you for sharing this issue that is very real to you and many others. I pray for the healing of our nation, and for the protection and inclusion of all people under our new leader. hugs to you, Rere.

  62. Ugh. No. I’m sorry, but no.

    I was going to write all of the logical reasons behind why Trump is a horrible choice – absolutely no political experience, proposals other than “BUILD THAT WALL,” impulse control, steady temperament, etc. But I’ll just say this: If you are able to see a candidate’s racism as a minor character flaw that you can look past, and not a deal-breaker, you are very privileged indeed.

    Trump’s presidency won’t negatively affect you and me because we are white Christian women. His presidency will affect my Latino students mightily. They are literally afraid for their safety. His presidency will affect the Latino community, the black community, the LGBT community, Muslims. I don’t understand how Christians are willing to look past that. It makes me embarrassed.

    • Hi Holly, thank you for sharing this perspective. My heart breaks for all those who are upset and hurting and fearful because of the outcome of this election. no one should be afraid to live in their own country or in their own skin. I pray that people give him a chance to earn their respect through policies that stand up for the disenfranchised and neglected. and i pray that his time in office protects, is inclusive and beneficial to ALL people. thanks for joining the dialogue. hugs x

  63. I also voted for Trump. I prayed about it many times and the bottom line for me was that it was going to be either Hilary or Trump. Hilary stands for everything I’m against. Trump stands for many things I believe in, some of which you mentioned. No he’s not a saint but I love that he is not a politician and cannot be bought. Of course time will tell but obviously many Americans feel as we do and all I can say is I feel hope for our nation for the first time in years. (And there is no way to please everyone!)

  64. I’m sorry, but what you voted for was a man who has taken up a vitriolic Vice President who has used government funding to promote conversion therapy for minors. Literally a man who endorses putting children who think they may be gay in front of a screen to be forced to watch brutal pornography as reverse psychology to “make them straight again.” This is what you voted for.

    It’s easy to say all of this when you aren’t the one who LIVES in fear in your own home, of the people who raised you making it known that they reject you every day of your life. It’s easy to stand by all these things when you have the privilege of saying that the extreme right doesn’t want to be violent against you because of your expression of love; the color of your skin; the country that you came from if not America.

    There is so much more to it than the things in this post, and while I respect you and where you are standing, I just pray that you see that. I hope you are thinking of all the people who now live in fear of their families being torn apart because some were born here and some were not, who are afraid because hatred against them seems to have been sanctioned by that side of this campaign, giving people not only a reason but permission to be hateful, violent and dangerous.

    I pray for this country and all the people who are genuinely scared to live their life here in America. For some of us, this means an American nightmare, not an American Dream.

    • Hi Cait, thank you so much for this response. That truly breaks my heart and sickens my spirit about Pence. Being an active member of the performing arts community, I know and love many many LGBT people and it hurts my heart to think of them being persecuted. Same with families from other nations. Living in NYC, it is truly a melting pot with people from all over the world. I would say that 85-90% of my friends are here on visas or are in the green card application process. I definitely do not want them to fear for their lives in this country. I wholeheartedly respect and feel for those people who are upset at the results of this election. Truly. I pray that we can collectively heal as a nation and I pray for Donald trump to use the office as a catalyst for peace, understanding and unification with a deeply divided and hurting nation. I thank you for this dialogue. I am a moderate when it comes right down to it. Obviously DT is a deeply flawed individual, but then we all are. I have so much dirty laundry in my past, I certainly don’t feel qualified to pass judgement. But God uses broken vessels and I pray that He will work good out of this situation. At the end of the day, I voted for the issues that mean the most to me, which is protecting the unborn child. I know and respect that other people have (and are entitled to) vote according to their own “top issues.” But this was mine. Okay, gotta go to sleep. Waking up in 3 hours for work! Haha big hugs to you my friend. Thank you again for this healthy dialogue. Xox

  65. That…was absolutely fantastic. You spoke what so many of us out here in “flyover country” have felt increasingly these past few years, esp in this election. We are NONE of things the left and their morally bankrupt candidate have portrayed us as. Thank you for articulating what so many of us want to say, to the political, academic, metropolitan and entertainment elites. I, for one, applaud you.

    • Thank you so much for this encouragement. You’re right. I’m from the midwest myself, and my family is all there. they are also none of those things and it makes me mad when the media makes such a gross generalization. Your kind words mean the world. hugs xox

  66. Bbb,

    I found this post after 2 very tearful days both yesterday and today. It got so bad I had to delete the facebook icon from my phone to keep me from seeing and hearing the abject chaos and slander from both sides. My friends and family sent much of the same thing you describe. Yet though none of them knew who i had voted for, they raled against D.T. and all his supporters (of which I was one). It hurt so badly to be called all of those things and i have been stung to the core to see the blind hatred being flung all around. I have been seeking a voice for all of my feelings. You helped liberate a great weight. Your post was a balm for my aching soul. Thank you, thank you. โค

    • Hi RB, thank you so much for this response. I’m so glad that it hit home with you. I too have been saddened by the violence and hate that has erupted since the election. I pray for healing. And compassion. And hearts that seek to understand. And a willingness to listen. I pray for our nation and our new leader. Thank you for sharing your heart on here. Sending a massive hug to you . xox

  67. Thank you for sharing. After reading carefully, I am left with the idea that you are not a raging bigot, but that your are fundamentally uninformed on critical topics. My best guess is that religious bias informs your political views. I’d like to respond to a few of your comments:

    โ€œDonald Trump, (much like Bernie Sanders, honestly) was the candidate that was taking a stand against the corruption of far left, liberal, big government, and its mainstream media accomplice, trying to pull the wool over our eyes.โ€

    Bernie Sanders is about as far from Donald Trump as anyone could possibly be, so this comparison is absurd. While Trump maligned the media at every opportunity, the worst thing they could be accused of doing with regard to his campaign is quoting him. He really said the things they reported. Corruption has been thrown around without context so much now that it has nearly lost all meaning. But, I think a good example of corruption would be trying to bribe politicians, which is something that Trump used as his bona fides for knowing something about politics.

    โ€œHonestly, I donโ€™t blame my friends for tweeting these ill-informed things out. The mainstream media has been crafting the Trump narrative, painting him in as corrupt light as possible (some of which, he definitely earned), and failing to pay any lip service to Hillary and her criminal activity.โ€

    The โ€œmain-stream-mediaโ€ gave Trump billions of dollars in free air time over the course of the campaign, and have accurately reported the things he has said and done. If he was painted in a bad light then that was his own doing. And the media spent plenty of time covering the Clinton โ€œscandals,โ€ and incorrectly equating the two candidates so that people could see them as equally flawed. The media might not have actually supported Trump, but their method of coverage โ€“ especially during the primaries โ€“ worked solidly to his advantage.

    โ€œWanting to have secure borders and supporting legal immigration does not make me a racist or xenophobe.โ€

    No, it doesnโ€™t. Your candidate wants mass deportations of Mexicans (identified explicitly) and to ban immigration on the basis of religion. If he is a racist xenophobe, and you vote for him, you canโ€™t really divest yourself of the racism and xenophobia so easily.

    โ€œWanting to become energy independent does not make me irrational and idiotic.โ€

    True. But if you voted for him on this basis then you have not kept informed of the trends toward energy independence over the last eight years, and you are not listening to the experts who say his energy plan will nearly end development of renewable industry and will exponentially increase pollution.

    โ€œI am allowed to vote against government-funded abortion facilities and healthcare with mandated aborticants.โ€

    There are no government funded abortions or healthcare with mandated aborticants. This is pure fantasy.

    โ€œI am allowed to vote for fiscal responsibility. Getting America back to work. Reducing our national debt.โ€

    Top economists in the US and globally say that Trumpโ€™s economic plans will plunge us into recession, increase the national debt, and negatively impact global markets. That isnโ€™t fiscal responsibility. Trump has misrepresented the reasons for loss of manufacturing jobs and his ability to bring them back. The truth is that most were not lost to foreigners, but to machines. Those jobs arenโ€™t coming back. Since he is one of those who makes profit on products made by cheap labor overseas, Trump isnโ€™t going to change the laws to make it less profitable to continue doing so.

    โ€œBut mainly, I am allowed to vote in protest to the onslaught by the liberal far left and the agenda they push in the mainstream media, in newspapers, at public universities, in celebrity/pop culture. That does not make me a bigot.โ€

    It might not make you a bigot, but it displays a deep bias, as the key issues you claim to be voting in protest of are so insipid as to be utterly meaningless. Ultimately, even if you donโ€™t think of yourself as a bigot, you voted for a candidate who made horribly bigoted and divisive statements. Notwithstanding your policy ignorance, voting for a candidate that is anti-LGBTQ, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, anti-black, and anti-woman and then claiming that you werenโ€™t voting for those parts is unconvincing. You voted for all of his positions. You have to own up to that. If the impact is regressive legislation that further disenfranchises minority populations, you voted for it.

    I donโ€™t think you are a horrible person. I do think you didnโ€™t think this through very well.

    • I appreciate you sharing your opinion and feelings. It was definitely hard to vote for this particular man, but I had to look past the candidate and vote for my “top issue” – protecting the unborn. I respect that other people have their own “top issue.” that is the beauty of democracy. My heart goes out to you and all of those who are upset and hurting because of the results of this election. I pray for the healing of our nation. I pray for compassion and love to fill all of our hearts. I pray for a willingness to listen and hearts that seek to understand. I pray for our new leader. And that people will give him a chance to earn their respect through policies that are inclusive and beneficial to ALL people. Policies that stand up for the disenfranchised and neglected. That is my deepest hope and prayer for our country. Thank you for joining the dialogue. Hugs to you friend xox

      • That idea of protecting the unborn really depend on the answer to an un-answerable question: when does the spirit enter the body? I encourage you to study historical ideas about that, especially in Biblical times. You might be in for a big surprise.

  68. One, I’m super proud of the articulate way you supported your candidate. I align with a lot of Trump policy, expect for international relations. His comments in regard to China, NATO, NAFTA, and South Korea sickened me more than anything. That may be weird, but foreign policy is one of my passions and I hate to see America’s role diminished as foreign autocracy’s gain soft and hard power.
    Needless to say, Clinton embodied everything I find revulsive as a young, Christian woman.
    But since I was in a solid, red state, I voted 3rd party. And not for Johnson. ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Anyway, this post is awesome.

    • thank you so much Elizabeth. Way to exercise your right to vote. Yeah, I’m with you, I jut couldn’t vote for Clinton. any who, thanks for your kind words. I appreciate the support! hugs xox

  69. Splendid response! I was slapped with that “explain to your LGBT+ etc friends why they don’t matter” meme too. So I replied, at albertjaynock.wordpress.com. After that I re-published Mike Rowe’s more-genteel take on it all, so my tirade is the second one down.

  70. Thank you for sharing.

    I know that not all who voted Trump are racists or misogynists. To claim so is painting with too broad a brush. Nevertheless, those who do posses such views and sentiments clearly have been emboldened by his candidacy and election. It’s my hope that people like you will stand up to people like that (I have no doubt you will).

    That said, there is so much hate right now on all sides. May God help us.

    • Hi Marie, thank you for this. You’re right, right now we need to come together in love. We need to listen and respect the differences that are dividing our country right now and work to move forward peacefully and together as a unified nation. I appreciate your supportive words. Hugs and love xox

  71. I didn’t vote for Trump (didn’t vote for Hillary either), but all the reasons you listed are exactly why so many of my family, co-workers, and friends voted for him.

    Great post! ๐Ÿ‘

  72. Great post ๐Ÿ™‚ Been a while I know ๐Ÿ™‚ Regardless of whether one is a Trump supporter or not, we should all give him a chance to see what he can do. I know a lot of people who voted for Trump for the same reasons you did and they do not come off as hateful or anything like that. I seem to recall this year that a lot of people did not like either candidate. I heard that some Bernie Sanders supporters voted for Donald Trump to get revenge on Clinton because they did not want another Clinton in office. I can’s speak for all of course. But again, let us all give him a chance. Anyway, keep up the great work as always ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Hey John, thank you so much for your encouragement. Truly, it means a lot ๐Ÿ™‚ I agree. I pray that hearts will be open to give him a chance to earn their respect through policies that stand up for the disenfranchised and neglected. I pray for healing. For those upset and hurting. For compassion and respectful discussion. for a willingness to listen. for seeking to understand. I appreciate your kind words. sending big hugs xox

  73. Thank you! Yours is the first blog of the many I follow that said anything intelligent about the election results.
    I agree with nearly everything you wrote, until I read this post I was beginning to think that common sense had been voted out.

  74. Well said – thank you for sharing! God works in mysterious ways, and if Trump is a part of His plan, we must trust in Him. Clinton is simply the opposite of all things Christian. It’s amazing how this election turned out.

    May we keep fighting the good fight! God bless ๐Ÿ™‚ <3

    • Thank you so much for this! I really appreciate your kind words. Yes, I pray that God work through the broken vessel that is DT. May He work all this together for good. Because you’re right, He works in mysterious mysterious ways. And I also pray for the healing of this deeply divided nation. So glad you stopped by. big hugs xox

  75. The media did not cast him in a bad light, he did that on his own. I understand the positions you write about and I don’t think that all people who voted for Trump are any label. The problem is that he has made it comfortable for those who are racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, misogynistic to assault innocent people verbally and physically. His blatant disregard for American citizens that are not white straight christian males has incited fear from those that are perpetrators and the recipients of discrimination. I respect your beliefs and your right to vote based upon those. I am a Veteran and it is the reason that I served. I also have to say that as a parent of a young child having nightmares because of our new president elect, explaining to him why people hate Muslims and people of color has not been easy…so it’s true I don’t know what to tell him. I understand that Clinton is/was a terrible choice, but I also believe that as people of faith our responsibility goes beyond choosing the lessor of two evils, whoever that may be. We must make decisions that promote the love and grace that we all receive from our God and neither Trump or Clinton embodied that decision. It’s my prayer that God brings healing to our country and guidance to the new President, so that he understands what makes America great is our diversity and our ability to create unity despite the vast differences. We call ourselves the melting pot for a reason. Peace and love to you my friend. May God continue to bless you.

      • I also appreciate Ilyas’ heart felt reflection and willingness to respectfully discus this nationally and globally deeply divisive election. I too pray for healing ๐Ÿ™‚ thanks for stopping by. hugs xox

    • Thank you so much for this reflection Ilyas. First of all, I so appreciate your service to our country. You gave the ultimate sacrifice and put your life on the line to protect ours, and so that we have the freedom to cast our votes. So thank you. And secondly, I will definitely join you in the prayer for the healing of our country. My heart goes out to those who are upset and hurting because of the results. I pray for compassion and healing. I pray that we seek to understand one another and a willingness to listen. And i also pray for our new leader, that God may use the broken vessel that is DT for the good of all people. Thanks again for sharing this powerful perspective. I always enjoy reading your thoughtful words ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs to you friend xox