Anger Management, Part II

Two weeks later it seems to me that not only has the 2016 election not solved anything, it has made things worse. That is not the result of who won (at least not directly), because in a country so evenly divided, some were going to be either pleased or relieved and the other half not so much.

I understand that those who either voted for Secretary Clinton (or against Mr. Trump) are disappointed, perhaps even angry, afraid or bitter. That is the way of elections when your side does not win. What has me confused, however, is the anger that continues to emanate from the winning side (although, to his credit, the candidate himself did manage to go a whole week before an outburst of thin-skinned indignation). Nevertheless, judging by the comments on social media and numerous reported incidents in the news, the trumpet section is still angry and bitter themselves. Apparently it was not enough just to win; the losers must also be discounted, degraded, and even eviscerated.

I would suggest that there almost seems to be a revenge element in play here, a desire (need?) to rub salt in the wounds (and I remind once again, as I will continue to do for as long as necessary) of the equal number of people who supported someone else; neither candidate had a majority. Why continue to froth and foam instead of taking the win and moving on? Why is that not enough? I have seen multiple instances of the election-losers being told, “Let it go!” Why can't the winners take that advice, as well? A substantial number of citizens have at least given lip service to taking a wait and see attitude, hoping (in my case, desperately, against hope) that a Trump presidency will succeed for the good of the country. That, plus his supporters, definitely does constitute a majority of the electorate. But that majority will disappear if the trumpet section continues to blare, insisting on not only having all the solos in the piece, but that everyone else play that instrument as well. We need a symphony, not a bugle corps!

It should come as no surprise that there are many people who are expressing concern about the future of the country under Mr. Trump's leadership. However, expressing such concern about the Trump presidency is not a personal attack on those who voted for him. Neither is it a criticism of those voters and their valid reasons for voting the way they did. But if you do not recognize that at least some of those concerns are also legitimate and valid, if perhaps occasionally overwrought, well, I’m not sure why you're reading this, unless you have run out of things to be angry about today. I’ve already written about the futility of teaching pigs to sing, but if you want to continue to worship at Our Lady of the Perpetually Pissed, let me assure you, from personal experience, it is a demanding church that will, eventually, exhaust you.