Thursday 10 November 2016

Love Trumps Hate

The American people have spoken and I'm gutted at their choice for the 45th President of the United States of America.  While Trump and his values are a complete and utter anathema to me, the American people have exercised their democratic right, we have to respect that right.  History will show how right or wrong that democratically elected choice was.



As darkness and despair, hopelessness and anger, lick at our souls, now is the time for us to shine the fire of love and hope more brightly than ever. We must turn away from those who will spread hatred and fear. We have to focus on the light within ourselves. We have to fight to keep that light of hope shining in the face of despair and darkness and the evil that men do - especially the little evils in our day-to-day lives, those that we justify and rationalise away, because our fears are fed by salacious headlines and egotistical, meglomaniacs who actively incite people to live down to their lowest, darkest potential.
Our world has leaders such as Trump, Putin, Kim Jong-un, Mugabe, Malema (a Trump-in-waiting), Zuma, Bashar al-Assad and other modern day tyrants who have taken, or are taking, us back into the dark ages, rather than forward into a new future where all sentient beings can live in peace and safety and abundance, including our animals - Trump's sons come to South Africa and, for fun, shoot animals already threatened with extinction. 

To overcome the loss of great leaders such as the late President Mandela, the late Ghandi, the ailing Archbishop Tutu, and FW De Klerk, the outgoing Obamas and Hillary Clinton, each one of us has to act, in both small and large ways, to ensure that Love will trump hate. 

But how do we change this world, so full of fear and prejudice in even the most decent of ordinary folk, too trusting - or perhaps too fearful of an unknown, insecure future -  to see the insidious danger that lies in the silver-tongued words of these false leaders and demagogues? 

We're moving into an age in the historical timeline of humankind's evolution where we must lead by example. We must inspire people by our own right actions. We must heal the shadows in our own hearts first, before trying to heal others (which is when we usually end up merely projecting our own darkness onto those whom we profess to help). 

In this way, person by person, we can keep hope alive, even as the world darkens around us. Our inner light - expressed through small kindnesses, through consciously choosing right action over wrong action in our day-to-day ordinary lives - can be the beacon that calls to other souls who also believe that this world can be a better place for all. And, as the light continues to flicker in the storms and tempests of this world, perhaps we can inspire others to choose the light of hope over the darkness of fear and hatred that so easily divides us from our compassionate humanity.

If we can change ourselves, if we can look inward and defeat the secret enemies that lie in the wounded shadows of our hearts then, and only then, can we love our neighbours as we love ourselves. Our inner peace will spread from our single self, to our family to our friends, our communities, ever outward into the greater world until, finally, Love trumps hate. 
Buy your copy of "a stranger in a strange land"
And, because love always trumps hate, here is Hillary Clinton showing us how to behave with dignity, grace and courage in the face of defeat: 

5 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Absolutely Judy ... Hillary Clinton did a fine job in her concessionary speech. I hope to goodness it's not as bad as it was appearing to be - the trouble is he may be reined in ... but the people.

Let's hope for all ... you have some wise words here: thank you ...

with thoughts for the world - let some new leaders appear ... Hilary

A Cuban In London said...

I have hope but as a realist I also have to prepare for the worst. As a black immigrant in a country that just voted to leave the EU (although, that is not what Brexit was about) I don't feel safe. As a humanist I feel let down by my fellow humans even if I respect their decision (and you said as much in your excellent post). I also have to accept that, as you correctly said, democracy has won. Not Trump, but democracy. There was an election and he won it. Simple as.

However, dark times lie ahead and they will be darker for the likes of me.

Greetings from London.

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

HILARY: Yes, indeed, we do need a whole new crop of world leaders who can come up with a completely new vision of a world in union, rather than the same old, same old divided world. Let's hope they arise soon - but I don't have much confidence in that and suspect we'll have to learn to live according to Camus's words "Do not follow for I may not lead, Do not lead, for I may not follow - walk beside me, so we can walk together"

CUBAN: Yes, agree with you on Brexit not being about leaving the EU. Both Brexit/Trump was about clinging to the known old ways (even though they don't work & did so much harm!) rather than embracing the new. As far as your faith in humanity taking a blow, well, I've always preferred animals to humans (maybe I shouldn't say that on an open forum?) but in the end - no matter how dark the reality of our world, evil and darkness only wins when we lose hope in a future that does allow for humans (some, at least) to live up to their highest potential. Despite these two horrible setbacks to the progress of our evolution as a species towards good, I do still believe that in generations to come, equality and tolerance and love will, eventually, trump hate. We may not live to see it, but if we can just work at planting the seeds of hope and tolerance and love, eventually we will emerge from this modern day dark age. (((HUGS)))

CA Heaven said...

It was quite a shock when I turned on the news Wednesday morning and heard that Trump had actually won the election. I hope the government administration will work as a safety net and prevent him from realizing some of the most crazy ideas.

I have read some interesting articles about why the US election ended the way t did. Apparently the political elite has ignored the working class and lower middle class for years, and now it backfires. The rich have taken all the increase in prosperity last 20 years. I wish Bernie Sanders were 20 years younger

Cold As Heaven

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

COLD: yes, I've been reading quite a few of the articles analysing the whys and wherefores, but it is what it is! Your point about Bernie Sanders is spot - on; before these results and the endless articles on WHY it happened, I coudln't understand his appeal as he always looked so frail - but he was, in a more positive and evolved way, as anti-establishment as Trump. The Democrats went for Hillary (deeply entrenched in the political establishment) and that, I think, was the core problem - the era of the elitist (in all areas of life) is over (about time too!) But ... oh! the damage that Trump is going to do to the world in his four years in the White House hardly bears thinking about.