This is not my America.

My America was the "home of the free, land of the brave", not the home of the chauvinist, land of the fearful. We were proud of who we were, where we came from, the nation we built.

My America did not close the door on those who sought refuge, slamming denial and hatred down upon those without ivory skin. We welcomed those who came to chase "the dream", the same dream we have so generously been afforded by those who came before us. The same dream our own immigrant families came to seek, to build a better life. Now we deny entrance to those who have come to this land merely to survive. We are all here because someone, some point, was running from something. War, poverty, conflict, abuse, and Lady Liberty welcomed them home. "It's for the good of the nation, for our own safety", but what about theirs? What about Syria, about Aleppo? Aren't we all human, or has the weight of your power-fueled tirades caused you to forget? A part of you, your DNA, your history, was once just like them.

In my America, women had a chance. They had the power to make the choice with what THEY get to do with THEIR own bodies, how unthinkable is that? We had opportunity a short time ago, to prosper, to thrive, to grow. It was not perfect, but we fought for equality. We did not have to fear if we'd keep our jobs, our healthcare, our dignity. We could sleep in peace at night knowing our spirits were safe.

We trusted the system, and trusted those in power to protect us. We had faith in the government, in the politicians, in the police. Black lives matter, blue lives matter, we ALL matter, even when our leader, our dictator, treats us like we don't. Don't you want what's best for the nation, or are you too greed-stricken to care for anything but yourself?

In my America we united in the face of tragedy, "together we stand, divided we fall". We did not allow the bigotry, partisanship, prejudice, of a senseless leader and his followers to tear our souls in two. We did not allow detestation to split our nation in apart. We fought for what we thought was right, and helped cease what we knew was wrong. Countries looked to us for answers, and we stood strong among the rest. We cannot rule with terror when we should not rule at all.

He may be the president, but this is not my America.