We Stand Together

Dumbfounded

Distraught

Depressed

And a little bit pissed off.

Since the election, I've definitely been reeling with emotion and trying to make sense of our national nightmare.

I've read countless articles that rehash the outcome and attempt to determine what this result means:

Americans want a change.

The working class has been ignored too long.

Rural Americans have been ignored too long. 

Racism/sexism/misogynism is far more common that anyone knew.

Pollsters suck.

Any or all of those explanations may be true and while the introspection is interesting, these facts don't really concern me.

And when I'm not wrapped up in U.S. elections, I've tried my hand at Malaysian politics. Here I am at an Election Day rally in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Probably the wildest night of my life. 

Because I know that many Americans are as shocked and sickened as I am, and together, we are taking a stand.

We stand for hope.

We stand for decency, and we will show kindness to everyone we meet.

We stand for the vulnerable, and we will protect people at risk.

We stand for the hurting, and we will reach out to their broken hearts with compassion.

We stand for diversity, and we will embrace people who are different from us.

Some of us stand for Jesus, and we strive to live as he did, with mercy and compassion, honesty and grace. 

The election did not turn out as the Kelantanese hoped, but they too stand together. 

We stand for American ideals, and we will always believe in our nation's capacity for greatness. 

We stand for truth and justice. 

And most of all, we stand together for love.