Be Precise

For those who are saying that the election is over and we should "let it go," can you tell me precisely what I should let go of? My rights? My marriage? My children?

What should Muslims let go of? Their religious freedom? Their beliefs? Their identify? Their basic human rights?

What should immigrants let go of? Their homes? Their jobs? Their children? Their hope for a better life?

And what about women? Should we abandon our rights to our own bodies? Let go of the right to say no? Acquiesce to sexual assault & harassment? Let go of our jobs, military careers, right to walk openly in public?

I suppose the disabled should let go of ramps and other accommodations, right? And our POWs and Gold Star families should let go of any respect they have earned for their service/loss? And should people of color let go of their rights to a fair trial, a jury of their peers, voting rights, public accommodations, etc? Should trans folk let go of their identities, their true selves?

And as Americans, what precisely should we let go of? The Bill of Rights? Separation of church and state? A free press? How about checks & balances, should we let those go as well? How about national sovereignty -- might as well hand over all governance to Putin, right? Should we also let go of our history of standing up against fascism & totalitarianism?

You see, when you say "let it go," there are so many things you might be referring to ... so I will need you to be more precise. When you do so, I will carefully consider your exact request and then tell you, precisely, where you can shove said request.

This is my country. It was founded on some basic principles which matter a great deal to me, and I have no intention of letting them go. But this country was also built and rebuilt upon a long history of dissent. Everything we have achieved as a nation came at a great cost, because millions upon millions upon millions of people refused to "let it go."