The foundation of the United States of America was laid by racist, religious, misogynistic, white men and that will never change. This is a historical fact that has within it a varying degree of accuracy depending on whom you apply it to. It is also no less true that this foundation is more and more in the past with every second that ticks by. With every rise of the sun this old and decaying foundation is falling deeper and deeper away from the topsoil of the country, becoming less and less relevant. The foundation of fear, xenophobia, religious persecution, inequality across all social sectors, is crumbling. The foundation is crumbling because we have built upon it new and stronger structures. We have been cultivating our land, that is, our minds.
The collapse of that hate-foundation is what caused those who still find footing on it to rise. People who do not like how this country is changing, how it is veering away from the original course and promise of prosperity for a certain group only, is what has caused this rise of hatred, selfishness, and fear. The problem is that it is contagious. Although their establishment is falling apart, their ideas have spread and the result is summed up by the election results.
The United States has not stopped being great because of Obama’s presidency, because of the changes his administration brought about. So when the phrase “make America great again” is thrown around, exactly what is being referenced? We are inevitably going to have different ideas about policies and so on, but to believe that women are inferior and subordinate to men is wrong regardless of race, economic status, cultural inheritance, geographical location, political party, and religion*. To believe that it is okay to hurt people of different sexual orientations is wrong regardless of political opinion. To not want people of different races and cultures around you is wrong regardless of who they are and who you are. Yet it is these things that got Donald Trump elected president of the United States. When people say “make America great again” they are referring to reestablishing those social and governmental structures that would ensure prosperity and superiority for a specific group of people.
This is the America that is falling apart; the America that is racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and hateful. In their crumbling moments, they have gathered together and risen again. They want you to believe that they are strong and eternal, that they will prevail, that they outnumber us and everyone else. These people who are threatening immigrants, LGBTQA persons, and anyone who disagrees with them, have come out of their basements, isolated cabins, internet comments and websites, to make themselves known and present. In a way, this is good because we now know just how far we have to go, just how little we have actually progressed as humanity, and where they are. Now that we know these things we have the power to act.
Although it may feel like all the work and progress we have made is suddenly turned to ashes, despite the hopelessness and fear that may be overwhelming you, you are not powerless. It does not matter if you are an American citizen, in the United States, or beyond; you are not powerless. We now have the knowledge, confirmed by the results of this election, and we can act decisively and effectively. We must not let them rebuild their structures of hate. And even if they do manage to reestablish oppressive societal and governmental structures, these will be weak and tumble because the world has changed. We as a people have changed, the way of hatred and xenophobia is no longer a viable way of life not only because of the new freedoms humanity has found and tightly held onto, but because of the pragmatic necessities of a global economy and society. If these xenophobic people want jobs, want to succeed, they will inevitably have to deal with the rest of the world and their own personal borders will be knocked down by the force of nature itself.
*Some religions do teach that women are inferior to men and can even go as far as to say that women are evil. This to me makes it even more wrong, but that's a whole different discussion. Christianity and Islam teach male supremacy.