I've been feeling angry, sorrowful, hopeless, helpless, disillusioned, and fearful the past 3 months [View all]

I am fearful for black Americans, Latino Americans, plus Americans who are Jewish, Muslim, or from other minority or marginalized religious groups, poor and working class Americans, immigrants (both documented and undocumented, specifically those from ethnic and racial minorities), women, LGBTQ Americans, Americans with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities...the list goes on. And on. And on.

I am fearful for young people, including myself, my siblings, and my friends and peers. I am fearful for elderly people, including my grandparents. I am fearful for middle-aged people, including my parents. I am fearful for the rest of the world. I am fearful for future generations - assuming, of course, that there will be future generations. I am even fearful for Trump voters - at least, those who I hope sincerely mean well and are simply poorly informed or misguided in their anger, bitterness, and where it's directed - which I admit, is a goddamn hard thing to do.

I hate to be pessimistic or cynical. I really do. But I have come to recognize the sobering truth that there really is no rational reason to believe that things are guaranteed to get better. This is depressing, even horrifying to believe. But I unfortunately, really think it is true.

We've gotta fight, somehow. We can't give up, even when it feels too difficult to keep going. ESPECIALLY if it feels too difficult to keep going. Somehow, in some way, we NEED to find a way to fight for our very lives, our very futures - and those of everyone else, for that matter. Otherwise, what are we here for?