I Love You, but I’m Not Feeling the Love Today

Kathy Morales

Austin, TX

United States

At the close of Colbert’s live show last night, he encouraged Democrats to go hug a Republican. Well, forgive me if I don’t immediately offer a hug if you voted for Trump. It’s going to take me a little time. I love you, but I’m not feeling the love today. This has nothing to do with being a sore loser over a political election. It is much deeper than that.

Trump based his entire campaign on bigotry, racism, and xenophobia. It started on Day One and was the major theme of his entire campaign. The undeniable proof of his racist appeal is the KKK and other white nationalists who support and endorse him.

And that was okay with you.

You saw him mock a man with disabilities.

And that was okay with you.

He bullied people over and over and over again during the campaign – in tweets, at rallies, even in debates.

And that was okay with you.

You heard him “suggest” that people pick up their guns and come after Hillary.

And that was okay with you.

You heard how he spoke to and about women during the campaign. You heard him vulgarly describe how he assaulted women. You know that women have accused him of assault.

And that was okay with you.

He denigrated a prisoner of war – a leader in the Republican Party.

And that was okay with you.

He said that he could commit murder and you wouldn’t care.

And that was okay with you.

How all of this (and this is my short list) is okay with you, someone I value, is incomprehensible to me.

You won’t miss my hugs because you are happy and celebrating and you got a good night’s sleep and you feel secure. There are a lot of people who really need hugs – people who are hurting, who are worried, who are afraid, people who don’t know what the future holds for them. So I’ll be hugging my friends who are despairing over this election. I’ll be hugging my Muslim friends, my immigrant friends, my gay friends, my black and brown and various shades of color friends. They come first right now.

Sure, I’ll give Trump a chance, as you have suggested. But beware of what has been unleashed.