America Keeps the Status Quo

I’ll warn you right now, this blog post for the month is more of a rant and a reflection of the dark emotions I’ve been dealing with lately.

November 5th was Election Day for America. And unfortunately, the majority decided they wanted to keep the status quo. Not only did we elect a candidate and former president associated with ultra-conservative rhetoric but also a criminal. Trump is the face of right-wing values that greatly restrict others people’s autonomy and values if they disagree. America’s two party system is already flawed, as it limits to two extreme, conservative versus liberal, with little choice in between. But the sad truth is America was founded on white supremacy, colonialism, and capitalism, and many people decided to that they wanted to continue to support that.

I have a fundamental belief that society with never be perfect because it’s hard for a large group of people to agree on how best to live and what rules should govern the majority. But America has a bloodied past that I believe those in power would rather ignore for the sake of power and control rather than provided resources and fairness to most of society, i.e. those who are not in the elite class of the few. But I’ve also felt that American is also synonymous with ignorance and pretentiousness. Many countries view us that way. And some news outlets have reported how other countries were very weary of trump becoming president. And now that fear is going to be a reality in the next four years. A bigger fear is what laws and other changes will happen that can reverberate for decades to come. Project 2025 is something that would change the way this country currently operates. I know that former president Regan did something similar, changing economics in this land that boosts the rich and greatly restricts the poor. I can see the same thing happening again since Trump is more of a businessman and egotistical celebrity than a politician who is trying to serve the people. But America wants a celebrity more than a person who could potentially fix the nation’s problems.

But what stung the most is being reminded how little non-white citizens are regarded. America wasn’t ready for a black woman as president. So much so that people were arguing if she was “black enough”. The same arguments that occurred during Obama’s presidency. And while people will list all the ways in which Obama didn’t fulfill his promises (as most politicians don’t anyway), I remember people celebrating about having a non-white president for the first time, his actual ethnic background be damned. Especially black people. My family celebrated. Many rap songs mentioned it. It made us feel visible, like we had some kind of power in this country after generations of being marginalized, ever since slavery before it was abolished. But the echos of slavery and violent racism still reverberate in this land, and we were all reminded of it November 6th when it was officially announced Trump would take a second term. Forget the fact that he was tried as a criminal. Forget the January 6th insurrection, which was caused by delusional and violent trump-supporters. America wants to keep the status quo. And frankly, I’m tired.

I saw posts on social media talking about loving thy neighbor and not losing hope, but mostly by white women or others who seemed disconnected from their blackness. But then I ventured over to YouTube and saw many supportive videos made by black women creators who were encouraging us to sit back and take care of ourselves. Take care of our community. Don’t give those who don’t value you anymore of your attention. And that’s why what I’m planning to do. Because don’t like to talk about politics even though it’s a reflection of a person’s values. What values do you actually support when the doors close? Because you can smile in my face. But if you vote for candidates and laws that restrict my freedom and resources a black gay man, you are not a friend to me. You are someone who supports the status quo. And this is white supremacy, colonialism, and extreme capitalism that leaves many people struggling to pay for food and a home.

So I’m going to take the advice of the black women I’ve seen on social media. I’m going to take care of myself. I’m going to say no to people who do not value me and my freedom in this country. It’s not worth my time to argue with people or extend my patience to those who will dismiss my concerns. For a while, I only watched content from women or Black creators and unsubscribed from white male creators who didn’t speak out against the status quo. Those white men who barely show sympathy for those struggling in this country. Because there are plenty of white people who do not care about the struggles of black people if it means keeping their sense of control or the promise of more control and spreading their values as law instead of individual choices that they have the freedom to choose to live by. Many of those freedoms are projected to be taken away, especially if Trump's followers and elected officials enact Project 2025.

It’s going to be a harrowing four years with possible lasting repercussions. And while I currently feel nihilistic about society, I’ll try my best to not lose all hope. But I’m only giving my support to people who actively show they support me in return, both in my face and behind closed doors. Not just when it’s convenient or trendy to be socially conscious. I’ll continue to educate myself not only in social changes but also the side of Black history that I was never taught. Because that’s one thing white supremacy cannot take away. And it’s the history of other black people despite their struggles. The more we talk about these stories and achievements apart from the whitewashed versions we were taught in school, the more we can empower those in my culture and community.

This goes for the gays as well. So much of what we see about queerness has been predicated by white gays appealing to the heteronormative. Even when it is bucking against the system, it’s again white gays that get celebrated first. The black gay and trans people get pushed to the side or become an afterthought. Or it’s only celebrated when it’s a spectacle for entertainment, like RuPaul’s Drag Race. And while I think it’s awesome that parts of queerness is become accepted by wider audiences, homophobia is still rampant in this country and will only increase with this ultra-conservative movement.

So again, I’m only focusing on myself because I have no more patience to care for others outside of my community and identity, especially those who support the status quo.

I’ll leave with some positive notions, though. This county’s decisions are not a reflection of who black and queer people are as individuals or as a community. It’s a reflection of the bloodshed and violence that this country both perpetuates and tries to dismiss. Women, Black people, and queer people marched and rioted for change, and that change happened. But there is so much more this country has to change to actually give freedom that the national anthem and constitution mention. Not just to wealthy white Christian conservatives who can influence these laws whenever they want more power and control.