In the Wake of the Election
Nov. 22, 2016
By Ruth Fertig
Last week, I sat in stunned silence with my roommates, as a truly terrifying man was elected to be the next President of the United States. Along with the presidency, the House and the Senate were given Republican majorities. Since then, I have read countless messages and social media posts from friends who are worried for their very lives. My mother told me she feels like the world might fall away at any moment.
As a Jewish queer woman, it is easy for me to feel scared. Donald Trump has promised to overturn laws protecting my rights to basic safety and health. I fear even more for my loved ones who do not have passing privilege of straightness, whiteness or Christianity. Trump has openly attacked many marginalized groups over the course of his campaign; and while it has been more veiled than other prejudices, his speeches have been chock-full of traditional anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Further, he has given a visibility to white supremacists that our nation has not seen in a long time. These racist, queerphobic, misogynist, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic views now have a platform and a legitimacy, which must be taken seriously. Already, buildings have been vandalized with swastikas accompanied by celebratory messages. Already, internalized anti-Semitism has reared its head in the form of self-blame: I have seen posts from liberal Jewish friends saying this happened because our own community didn’t do enough to fight Trump.
As someone who grew up feeling that I am not entirely welcome in this country — in this world — because I am Jewish, this is a scary time for me.
We did what we could to prevent this from happening. Now, we must learn to protect each other in this new reality. Hillary Clinton made it very clear in her concession speech that this is not the time to lose hope. I have been inspired and heartened by the outpouring of mutual support I have seen from my peers and communities. People have been offering their homes, their compassion, whatever they can do to help each other. I have witnessed those with more privilege vow to use it to protect oppressed people going forward, and marginalized people reaching out to each other.
It's time for all of us to offer support to our communities. It's time to give money, time, and/or visibility to organizations that offer health care, that fight discrimination, that provide safe lodgings, food and community. There are still actions we can take, and that is how we will get through the next four years.
Ruth Fertig is a senior at Brandeis University and a former HBI Gilda Slifka summer intern.