by Samantha Stone
FACT: There are smart, educated, caring Americans who voted for Trump, millions of them. For the record, I was not one of them. There were tens of thousands who have hate in their hearts who also voted Trump.
FACT: If you are shocked by the results it's because you weren't paying attention to the signals around us. The polls have been wrong for the entire campaign.
FACT: Independent supporters did not lose the campaign for Clinton. You only have to look at Senate and House races to know the campaign was simply lost.
FACT: America should be scared, not because Trump won, but because hate in so many forms, thinks they were elected tonight.
FACT: Telling our children and our friends not to be afraid makes us feel better but does nothing to prepare them for the real hate that exists at home and abroad.
Those are the facts. Now it's time to act on them.
Stand by your neighbors. Reassure them our community is open and accepting even if you feel like a lone voice.
Reject hate wherever you see it and do it with respect and honor. Move America forward as a nation by paying close attention to local elections.
Hold our elected officials accountable to administrate with dignity. Stop sharing the memes, nasty tweets and divisive commentary. Set an example for our elected leaders and media to follow.
Be open to compromise. The election is over but governing has just begun. We set the tone. Each and every one of us.
Created: November 9, 2016 one hour after hearing the final results of the election
Age: 45
State: Massachusetts
As a child Samantha Stone was a nomad, living on three different continents and experiencing the world as an American living overseas. She returned to living in the United Status full time while attending college. Her experiences give her a unique appreciation for the peaceful transition of power, our judicial branch and M&Ms which are hard to come by in many countries! Today, she resides in MA where she runs her own marketing consulting practice and has raised four boys with her husband of twenty years.