In a statement released on election night, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said regardless of the national results, “Seattle will remain a city guided by the values of equality, inclusion, and openness.”
In the days since the election of Donald Trump to the nation’s highest office, he’s reaffirmed Seattle’s commitment to being a sanctuary city, even at the expense of federal dollars, and said the city will do “everything in its power,” to make sure members of the LGBT community don’t “lose the rings that are on our hands.”
These are important words and reassurances. But councilmember Kshama Sawant said it best on Wednesday, when she urged the hundreds gathered for an event at City Hall to take action, saying, “It is so important that we all move forward by building our own mass movements.”
Simply put, if you — like nearly 80 percent of King County voters — do not like the result of the presidential election, that disappointment must now be channeled into action to create a better world.
Those with hatred in their hearts have been emboldened by Trump’s victory. This is not to say that everyone — or even a majority — of those who voted for him are somehow racist, or sexist, or bigoted. However, even if they thought his words were all bluster and no bite, those who voted for him did not find those words to be a disqualifier from the presidency. It’s worth noting that some Republicans running for statewide public office, like Bill Bryant and Chris Vance, disavowed his candidacy, along with former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, and ex-Secretary of State Sam Reed. Conservative values and a vote for Trump were not mutually exclusive.
The stories of people across the nation being told to “go back to their country,” or being subjected to racist or sexist abuse cannot be ignored.
That sentiment must be quickly and unequivocally condemned by all (and as of Monday the President-elect had not truly done so, outside of a half-hearted “stop it,” on 60 Minutes). It has no place in our country, or anywhere. Hatred has no place. Discrimination has no place.
This is not the time to be complacent. Now, more than ever, we must all carry our weight and then some in our communities. You may have but one vote, but every single person has something valuable to provide to the groups striving to create a more equitable and just world: Time.
The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project could use your help. Equal Rights Washington could use your help. Disability Rights Washington could use your help. The Refugee Women’s Alliance could use your help.
The list goes on.
We truly do not know what the next four years have in store for our nation. What is clear is every individual has the power to make positive change in their community. There is no time to be complacent.