(My Clovis News Journal column for November 16, 2016)
In the wake of the election, about half of those who continue to play the voting game are pretty upset because the candidate they didn't want to win has been foisted upon them. Or because the one they wanted, lost. This time around it was hard to see the difference in all but a few rabid fans.
Many of you are scared of what America will become during a Trump presidency. You fear a Trump administration the way others feared a Clinton presidency.
Perhaps you believe Trump will be the exception; the one candidate who won't begin breaking campaign promises the instant he takes the oath of office. I believe your fears are unfounded.
Maybe you are worried about a border wall and aggressive anti-immigrant policies being implemented. Maybe you are worried about his support for Soviet-style "stop and frisk" police state tactics. Maybe you fear he'll encourage violations against LGBTQ individuals. Maybe you have other concerns.
Whatever comes I make you this promise: in the event of a worst case scenario, I'll continue to speak out in support of your rightful liberty, just as I have been doing throughout the Obama administration, and the Bush years before that. America is the people; not the government. Government can't lead anyone anywhere they don't agree to go. Government will never inspire me to support violating anyone.
It doesn't matter to me which of your liberties are being violated, or who is doing the violating. It is unacceptable and I will speak out for you against all who seek to violate you, every time.
I don't care if the one violating you is a Republican, Democrat, Beltway Insider, an outsider, or a common criminal; male, female, of whatever "race" or religion.
No matter if it's for safety, "law and order", national security, the children, or "common sense". If you are being violated, those doing it are my enemy, too.
If I see you being violated I will do what I can, physically, to help you. If you are being targeted because of your "race", nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else which harms no one, I will do what I can to defend you. I would do the same had Clinton won.
No matter who is president, this is how decent people behave. Let's continue to look out for one another and make presidents more irrelevant than they already are. Americans will always be better than any government.
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