A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE GONZO TODAY PUBLISHER-
words & art by Clayton Luce
For those of you feeling a punch in your gut that “you are out of touch and living in a bubble,” go with your gut. You were.
For those of you feeling victorious, you are next to be gut-checked, so don’t get too haughty. You are also in a bubble. You will feel the same thing soon unless we the people change the course.
For those of you with the courage to stand up in the face of condemnation from both sides –from those that make up the majority of America, who judge and condemn family and friends over evil political leanings through hypocrisy, and who insist on giving up their Constitutional freedom of choice in order to vote for a corrupt and rigged system — I admire you and suffered with you through the desperation of the times. But you stood up for concepts like refusing to be complacent in evil, for not accepting party politics as usual and for not giving in to sexism, racism, extremism and prejudice.
Because my category of voters suppressed our internal demons, Donald Trump did not sweep the country with the divide that he very well could and would have if we had voted. The fact that the popular vote is still on a slim margin, and because the out-of-touch liberal establishment did not get completely morally defeated (by a margin), there is still balance of power, although it is definitely lop sided. Many people within the Republican party also said no to their internal natures to take a moral stand against Trump and that will also go a long way towards limiting absolute power for our new Administration. We spoke without speaking. We limited his power by not contributing our own fear to the machine. America still has a chance.
Congratulations President Elect Trump. You will have my support. Other fellow Americans have my support also, and I pledge to do all I can to find my place in this world that does not represent me as a sovereign, freethinking and intelligent man in search of real, truthful progress in our journey in this country together. I will do all I can to contribute to the economy, to social stability and to love for the freedoms and liberties that continue to endure great tribulation as the sun once again sets on our Free Republic, only to rise again. I want a better America. For Whites, Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asian and Arabs who are beneficiaries of and who love America.
So it’s time for us to come together and give our new leader a chance to be better than he is, to change fundamental errors in human compassion and moral judgement, and somehow use this incredible opportunity in a way that does not hurt or isolate American Citizens or human progress in this country and which brings out the best in our differences, not the worst.
If we want our leaders to stop engaging in moral evils and corruption, we have to begin with ourselves and our communities. Our politicians are reflections of us. Our reflection won’t look well until we look well.
I didn’t vote this year because all of my convictions on the matter came from or compromised with the dark sides of my human nature. Both candidates spoke to me in very powerful ways, and my justifications for both of them were in fact manifestations of the hideous side of my nature. In the end I am glad that I did not vote my gut instincts of racism, self preservation and personal interests. Sure I got the same candidate I would have gotten, but I would be asking my creator and my neighbor forgiveness for it today, for giving in to my fears and making decisions based on such. Trump won the Fear vote, but only because Hillary ran on Fear also. He was scarier.
I go to bed with a clean conscience and a sense of dignity and hope for tomorrow. I think we all should take that perspective now as we move on to whatever tomorrow brings, regardless of mistakes, moral compromises or things said over the course of this contentious election. We live in a world of lies, corruption and misinformation. We can’t expect ourselves or each other to be perfect. The majority has most often times been wrong throughout human history, regardless of affiliations or parties. So let us now reach out to those we offended, forgive ourselves and each other, and strive to make some serious changes in the fine tradition of American Exceptionalism.
Our destiny is ours. Let this be a year of Endings and New Beginnings for the better.
Together.
Clayton L. Luce is publisher of GonzoToday.com. His political opinions do not represent the official position of GonzoToday or its staff.
