I was ten years old when President Bush took office. I watched from the sidelines as we entered two wars, our economy crumbled, and our civil liberties were eroded for the sake of “safety”. As it happened, I don’t think I was fully aware of the weight of what we’d lost, but as I grew to adulthood, I began to understand.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to vote for a man that represented everything I’d hoped the world could be. Like so many of my generation, I wanted peace. I saw what the wars were doing to our soldiers, my countrymen and women. I had friends going into the military; I didn’t want that fate for them. I wanted freedom for those who lived in fear of a government gripped by xenophobia and corruption. I felt like I had the power to make change, as I cast my vote. I remain content with my choice. It hasn’t been perfect, but we’ve gotten far closer to the world I’d hoped we could find.

The past few days have been hard. Fear and uncertainty have weighed on my mind, on all of our minds. We worry that the social progress we’ve made will be snatched away from us as we witness the hatred our current president-elect inspires. We don’t know what the future will hold.

I will, however, say this: I stand with you. I will fight for you. No matter who you are, no matter what you fear about the years to come, there will always be someone on your side.

If you need help, however much or little, I encourage you to reach out. To your friends, to your representatives, to us here at The Political Revolution. All you have to do is ask, and we will be there for you.

If you ever have the opportunity to lend your support and guidance to those who feel helpless, please do so. It makes a difference. It really does. We need to hold each other to the values of kindness and equality that we share. There are many ways to show solidarity. Get involved in your community by joining meetups, say something on facebook, or write about your concerns to your governmental representative. We have a responsibility to help in any way we can.

All of us here at The Political Revolution are doing our best to think about tomorrow, but there are a lot of people who need help right now getting through today. If you can help them, whatever form that may take, I urge you to do so. That, above all else, is what our movement is all about.

Author: Frank Doyle

Volunteer at http://thepoliticalrev.org

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