If, like me, you woke this morning with a twisted, acidic, contempt-filled knot in your stomach and a head that feels like it’s caught in a vice, don’t panic. It’s called common sense. You obviously have the foresight to recognize what we’re in for, for at least the next four years, if not much, much longer. If, on the other hand, you woke feeling euphoric, with a false sense of the security and prosperity you think you’re about to experience just around the corner, this letter is for you.

I barely got any sleep last night. It wasn’t because the outcome of this election made me realize how many morons populate this country, I already knew that. It’s that trying to come to grips with the fact that a good portion of you, the people I know and like and respect, some of whom I even love, and whom I consider of above average intelligence, just shocked the shit out of me. Bottom line, I had no idea you were that selfish. No idea you were/are that stubborn, obtuse and so apathetic you’d happily play a part in sacrificing what’s left of our respect for each other, and our nation, just to prove a point. I’m literally speechless.

Unlike elections past, there’s nothing to feel good about today, as more than a few of you, my friends and relatives, cast your vote for a man who’s made clear his first order of business is to kick half his country’s citizens to the curb. This was not a win based on “Democrat” or “Republican.” This was a win based on hatred, discrimination and division. You just helped put in the highest office in the land, a man who’s been endorsed by members of the KKK, a man who’s demonstrated every trait we’ve been taught to despise since kindergarten ― lying, cheating, hatefulness, pettiness, name-calling, selfishness, bigotry, bravado, etc., etc. ― and a man who cares about nothing but himself. Basically, the exact opposite of what we’re taught a president should be, let alone a human being.

You just helped to put in the highest office in the land a man who’s been endorsed by members of the KKK...

And, why? For my part, the only conclusion I can draw, when you get right down to it, is you, too, only care about yourselves. You only care about your taxes being lowered and/or your business saving a few bucks on health insurance ― if that’s even going to be possible at this point. What other reason is there?

Believe me, I’m no fan of Hillary, either. I, too, feel that 90 percent of our current politicians/leaders are corrupt and/or incompetent ― just look at what a power-hungry dipshit James Comey turned out to be, and this guy runs one of the most powerful agencies on earth. I get it. But, if you think your voting for Trump did anything to improve your quality of life, or, more importantly, your children’s quality of life, going forward, I feel sorry for you.

Do you really think that by casting your vote for Trump you’ve made anything better? Aren’t you the least bit concerned you just helped elect a man to the Presidency, whom, aside from being void of basic class and decency, seeks to abolish a woman’s right to choose? Maybe you don’t give a shit about gay/lesbian rights, either? Perhaps you’re willing to look the other way when it comes to civil rights and the rights of naturalized citizens? Maybe you have no interest in the preservation of our planet and its lands? How about a desire to move away from fossil fuels and towards clean/green natural resources? Do you not believe in climate change and global warming?

Are you seriously ― and it’s horrific if you are ― looking forward to another ”Scalia” sitting on the Supreme Court? Do you agree with Citizens United and corporations being treated as individuals? Do you support putting more guns in the hands of out-of-control psychopaths? Do you believe that spending $80 billion dollars on a few more F-15’s is how to defeat an ideology as determined as ISIS? Do you not think that that money would be better spent strengthening our schools? Do you want your children to grow up in a country that considers every person of color a “suspect?” Well, you must. Because, if you have any concept of what a Republican president ― especially this guy ― with a republican-controlled House and Senate means in this day and age, you just signed your name - and mine - to a contract there’s no going back on. And for what? Lower taxes?

If you think voting for Trump did anything to improve your quality of life, or better still, your children’s quality of life, I feel sorry for you.

These are not the days of the Reagan republicans. There’s about as much chance of the Reagan-era republican making a comeback as Elvis. The last thing republicans represent these days is you and me. Rather, they seek simply to maintain the status quo on behalf of industry while proudly wearing the moniker of spiteful, back-stabbing, hypocritical, petty infants who would rather see this country involved in another civil war than be a part of real change. If you think otherwise, why are we even friends?

My friends know the difference between right and wrong. They have the capacity to reason. They know facts when they see them. They definitely don’t believe in using The Bible as an excuse to exclude and discriminate. And, unlike our new president, they believe in helping their fellow man, not kicking him when he’s down. If you’re willing to ignore all this, and look the other way, simply for the mere possibility of increasing your portfolio, again, why are we friends? It’s amazing the difference one day makes.

And, FYI, for those of you who cast your vote for Trump because you wanted to “send a message,” because you believe our current leaders don’t give a shit about me or you, I hope you see the irony in electing the one guy whose sense of self-importance and ego dwarfs that of even the most selfish politicians. You really believe a guy who buys things for himself, using money taken from his own charity, is going to do something for you? I’m sorry, but that’s just laughable.

Trust me, I want to shake up the system as badly as you. But at what cost? We just handed The Philistines the keys to the kingdom. The inevitable trade-offs and setbacks we’re now going to be forced to suffer as a nation, in so many sensitive areas and on so many critical fronts, just to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the way things are, is epically disproportionate to the reward.

Unless you’re currently a white, ultra-conservative multi-millionaire, you just fucked yourself, along with the rest of us, for some time to come.

Granted, we’ve been through plenty of tough times as a nation; The Civil War, Vietnam, etc. But, correct me if I’m wrong, we’ve never seen anything like what we’re currently experiencing. Abroad (and here), religious zealots seek to wreak havoc on us at any expense. And, if the last fifteen years has taught us anything, it’s that more bombs won’t solve the problem. Yet, our new president thinks it will. Our new President thinks closing our borders and expelling undesirables, will stop terrorism. And, what about here?

At home, our streets, shopping malls and schools are filled, not with Islamist extremists, but with thousands of despondent, disgruntled citizens, so bent on ending their own miserable suffering, and causing as much chaos in the process, they have no problem opening fire on a group of children. Our new President thinks more guns is the answer. Do you?

But, okay, fine. It’s done. Now, you say, we need to “come together” and “heal” this utterly divided nation, blah, blah, blah, etc. etc. But, here’s the $99k Question: How, exactly, do we do that?

Speaking just for myself, my respect for those around me has now dropped to an all-time low, and I’m not sure how to get it back. It’s quite possible you feel the same towards me? How will we react towards each other going forward if respect for those we actually know is all but gone? Magnify this feeling a few hundred million times and perhaps you see the problem. Maybe it will dissipate with time? I hope it does. For, if it gets worse, we’re really in for it.

United We Stand... is not just a catchy saying. When we are this far apart in our beliefs/ideologies, we lose and our enemies win. It’s exactly what they hoped for, and, with each passing day, we seem to be more and more hell bent on handing it to them on a silver platter.

We are heading further and further down the rabbit hole, folks, and the only ones we have to blame are ourselves. So, congratulations. Unless you’re currently a white, ultra-conservative multi-millionaire, you just fucked yourself, along with the rest of us, for some time to come.

We now have a megalomaniacal reality show star as president. Life is about to imitate art right before our eyes, and we ― correction, you ― asked for it.