Post-Election Thoughts #7

Leaving the Dhamma center yesterday, our friend said "During the meditation I was focusing on spreading lovingkindness and guess who popped into my head? F'ing Donald Trump!" Yes. Of all the people in America who need kindness and compassion and empathy, Trump is near the top of the list. The things he has said and done and the things he has proposed could only come from the mind of someone who is deeply, profoundly troubled, self-loathing and suffering, and doesn't know the skillful ways to deal with it. So it goes to reason that we should look past the vitriolic rhetoric and hateful actions and see the fear and pain and weakness that is causing it, just as we should with ANY bully. After that statement, our friend said "can you imagine if we all did that? If we all wished Donald Trump peace and compassion?" Agreed, and taking it one step further, we can and should counter every thing he and his supporters say and do that is detrimental with something that is nourishing. Election results aside, we are still in the majority, by a long shot. So let's push back with compassion and wisdom, the only true antidotes to their hate and ignorance. If he or his supporters say something awful, let's all say something wonderful. If they dismiss, we listen. If they break down, we build up. If they lash out with fear, we fight back with love. If they are uncaring, we should reach out. We should offer our support not only to those who will suffer at their hands, but to them and the deep pain that is at the root of their anger and hate. It won't change things overnight, but we can prove that hate may have won this temporary battle, but it will not win the war.