Listen up, white people: we DO need to build a wall.

So Trump's going to be our next president. Our democracy will survive. So don't panic. 

Except, that's probably much easier to say if, like me, you're white. And if, like me, you were surprised by how racist and mysoginistic this country still is. I didn't realize it because I live in a bubble of educated liberal Seattle whiteness. By the way, people of color don't need to hear how shocked you are. They're not surprised, because they experience racism daily, and our history as a country makes it clear that white people prioritize white supremacy over the safety and opportunity of people of color. And your expression of shock is incredibly frustrating to them. Stop it. 

We elected Trump. By "we," I mean white people. And by "we," I mean white people whether or not you voted for Trump. We on the left have shamed, insulted, and ignored the economic suffering of Trump voters for decades, and it turns out that really disenfranchises people. 

And because we elected him, every minority he said horrible things about is now the target of the open, virulent racism that Trump's campaign and election has stirred up and vindicated, and is now pouring out all over our country like so much unholy lava. 

Here's a collection of racist things said and done in the first 24 hours after Trump was elected. Kids in kindergarten are hurling racist rhetoric at their classmates and taunting them about being deported. 

And here's another. Racist slurs against black people are being spray painted on walls. 

And another. People on Twitter are posing in front of confederate flags. 

And another. Asian Americans are being told to "go back to Asia." 

Which is why white people need to build a wall. A wall of advocacy around people of color, migrants, Muslims, LGBTQ folks, women, and any other group that is now living in fear in the wake of the election. Today, a friend of mine on Facebook who is a person of color posted that she is afraid to go on vacation, because they will be driving through rural areas. She does not want to have fearful thoughts, but she is afraid. For her life. In America. Because she is not white. And this is wrong, wrong, wrong. 

And why should WE (white people) build this wall? Because we need to triage; the fear people are feeling is totally rational, and they were feeling it already before the election. Because we don't suffer from this kind of discrimination, because our voices are more easily heard in so many contexts, and because people of color have been advocating for themselves in this country since the American experiment began, and they are tired. And because they are not safe, and they are afraid, and that means this is not the land of the free. 

So what does this wall look like?

1. Get informed. If you think Hillary voters/liberals/progressives/elites, people of color, etc. are just whining because they lost, remember that this is not just about a shift of political power. This is about people--Americans--feeling unwelcome in their own country because of the way they look. I speak for myself and many other progressives when I say we recognize this as a wakeup call, and we know we need to listen and advocate for the people who voted for Trump because they were suffering. I included a bunch of links above that provide a start to understanding why minorities are so afraid. Please read them. Please pass them on. Please know why you should protect people, and how you can do it. 

2. Speak up. If you see anyone telling a black or brown person they will be deported, or taunting them because Trump won, or making racist comments, don't just let it go. If it's a stranger in public, interrupt. If it's a family member, tell them why it's hurtful to hear them talk that way. If it's on social media, plead for civility and be civil yourself. Commit to being more than angry, uncomfortable, or sad [but silent] when you hear racism or prejudice being perpetuated. 

3. Use your body. Go to protests (Black Lives Matter, DAPL). Volunteer with refugee resettlement agencies. Stand and watch if you see a person of color stopped by law enforcement. Speak with your feet and with your spare time. 

We're going to be ok, America. But some of us are way more ok than others right now. Under the banner of equality and unity, in our beautiful melting pot of a country, let's protect those that need it.