Driving back home watching the street. The street looked surprisingly normal, even peaceful as if nothing has ever happened at all. People were busy delivering boxes of beer, cleaning the street, and fixing gas pipes. But, day by day, we will have to worry about our daily lives.
I couldn’t ask “How are you?” to anybody today. I couldn’t answer anything positive to that question. The BPS superintendent even sent out emails for the educators worrying students’ emotional status facing the current disaster.
“As educators, we should use this opportunity as a teachable moment to have conversations with our students about the democratic process…”
My manager euthanized her dog on Monday, because she had to. She looked sad. People in the US euthanized democracy yesterday. She looked worse today.
The class had perfect attendance this afternoon. Students flocked to me with questions. “What happens to my friend who has been an illegal resident here?” “Will Donald Trump deport everyone?” “Can’t I bring my wife from Haiti?” “What happens to me if my TPS (Temporary Protection Status) Visa expires?
Sorry, folks. I have no idea what he will actually do. I am stunned as much as you are.
Most of my students came to the US escaping from dictatorship, economical plummeting, murder, various other crimes, drug related problems and all kinds of uncertainties threatening their lives. To find life, to find safety, to find certainty, here they are. Trump’s election proved that this country is yet unknown. Not only to us foreigners, but to the Americans as well. I don’t know who they are, and they don’t know who they really are. It is day time but I see darkness everywhere.
However, I could not help telling my students that the life is still worth living. I could not help using this “opportunity” to motivate my students. I told my students/clients that we need to work on hoping for a better future. For now there is nothing much we can do. They should be the light by themselves in this darkness.
Hillary’s concession was touching, well-organized, and seamless. She was the most graceful loser I’ve ever seen. But, it is nothing but her concession. Will the states like Massachusetts and California be able to concede? Will Trump forgive us? Thousands of Bostonians were quivering with rage all day.
And now is the time to worry about Trump’s retribution. Remember that Nixon ordered to close Charlestown Naval Shipyard as a retribution to Commonwealth which had denounced him during his presidential campaign. Trump can do worse. He can cut federal fundings for higher education institutions, Mass Healthcare, and immigrant education. He can do anything sooner or later. I hope not, but he will do something. How hopeless it is now that hope is the only thing we can rely on.
A few days ago, I said no man is an island. But we are all islands now.
Floating – Without an anchor.
HPHP 