I typically begin my blog posts with a word and definition. But it’s time for a change. Given our last presidential election, I am compelled to engage with those of you who do not agree with me, and I will love the sh*t out of you while I do it. Friends, I do not care what side you fall on. I will love you. I will love you because the gospel of Jesus Christ tells me so and because you are part of my wild and crazy extended and chosen family, and therefore, while it is so much easier to shut off my computer and disengage. I will not. I will not look for the bad in you, because I know you are good. I will not call you names because words can hurt and name-calling is unnecessary.

As a white woman I have privilege that so many don’t have and I especially feel that now. Am I worried about someone coming after my marriage or treating me differently because I am a lesbian? No. Because those things are always possible. No one can take away the love my wife and I have. No one can take away my sense of self unless I give it to them. No one can silence me unless I stand idly by.

What has caused me to cry hot Claire Danes tears of sorrow and anger is because of the hate that is being spewed from the mouths of our fellow Americans in the wake of this election, and that so many in our country say things like, “give him [Donald Trump] a chance, everyone deserves that,” or “you need to see the good in people,” or “love trumps hate.”

I will not allow you to whitewash this.

I will give him a chance like I would anyone else. Heck, I will pray for him like I have prayed for all the other leaders we have had.

I do see the good in people. But it is so hard when the people that cast their votes for this person are members of the KKK, consider people of color to be second class citizens, refuse to love their immigrant neighbor, or think that women’s bodies belong to anyone other than themselves and now believe that they can act these beliefs out. I can only see the good in people if they are willing to show it. That’s on them, not me.

And love did not trump hate on November 8, 2016. Love was given the backseat to hatred, bigotry, racism, white supremacy, and selfishness. Love can win out, but it did not.

I will not let my own complacency dominate here. I promise to not be silent. So, go ahead, block me or unfriend me on Facebook. Again, that’s on you, not me. Bring on the trolls. I’ll love them too. But I will not let hatred and racism and bigotry win here. I will not.

And I will love you.