The Silver Linings of a Selfish America

Many years ago, I was supposed to spend time with this one woman after I got out of work. We had agreed that after she finished her shift, I would wait for her in the parking lot for some dinner and maybe some drinks. She didn’t have a phone at the time, so there was no way to actually communicate. I arrived a little early before her scheduled out time. Half an hour passed. Nothing. An hour passed. Nothing. I asked other co-workers leaving the building if they had seen her, but nobody really had a concrete answer. I should have left, but I’m a person of my word and didn’t want to stand her up. 90 minutes passed. Nearly 2 hours, way after she should have left, a bit after pretty much every co-worker had already gone home, I finally left the parking lot.

Turns out, she had the option to leave earlier and took it. She left about 20 minutes before I had arrived. Fully knowing I would be waiting, she went home. Fully knowing I would be waiting, she didn’t wait for me at the parking lot. It was an ugly moment, and it was an ugly realization about how selfish people can be. Now, the reason for this story is simple: she took the opportunity to improve her evening by leaving the job, but sacrificed me in the process. It was a selfish move. This election is a grandiose version of that night: half the country knew who they would sacrifice when they voted him in, and decided to go through with it anyway.

The bigotry wasn’t rumor, it wasn’t from questionable sources, it was undeniable the things he had proposed and the things he had said. He even said them during the debates. It was undeniable the type of following he was receiving. That being said, half of America decided to go through regardless, leaving Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, and women in the parking lot, pondering the options throughout the evening. There was even a radio show in which a caller was talking about Election Day. He said his Guatemalan immigrant wife voted for Hillary, while he voted for Trump. So even though Trump has a brutal history with Hispanics in the past several decades and has also stereotyped them into the same category and claims they are the problem, he stuck with Trump.

You would think the husband of a woman whose country of origin went through a staggering 36-year civil war a generation ago (with an American-supported genocide that gets swept under the historical rug) would be more willing to listen to her and heed the warnings of a government that is being run on hate. I'm wondering if he still be okay with his decision after his wife gets harassed at a grocery store for speaking Spanish. There is no other way to describe supporting Trump besides it being a very selfish move. I don’t care if his words and claims appealed to you---there were still walls of racism, sexism, and xenophobia attached.



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Side Note: Americans, I advise you to listen to your Hispanics. Most of us came over to the United States to flee governments that became unruly because of people with characteristics similar to Trump. I suggest checking the history of Colombia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Cuba, Argentina, Chile, among others. Like I’ve always said, every Hispanic nation has four things in common: beautiful people, beautiful scenery, wonderful food, ridiculous government.

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It hasn’t really felt real yet. It still feels like a bit of a nightmare. But here we are, facing a 2017 with a Donald Trump as our president. Minorities all over are pretty much gearing up for a fight from the White House to the streets. Hate crimes have already gone up exponentially since Trump was declared the next president, and don’t even get me started about the influx of swastikas we are seeing scattered around the nation like shit all over a farm.

All of this seems like hopeless, and I’ve even heard fears we are witnessing a repeat of when Germany rose under Hitler, and it scares the living hell out of the abandoned minorities. Most of us left terrible warfare and conflict founded on hate and separating everyone. This has been the advantage of the United States, despite our political differences for the most part we don’t get leaders that stir hate with a spoon of false statements and ridiculous rhetoric. Obama tried uniting everybody and fought heavily for equality. Bush, despite his poor decisions, was the biggest influence to shining a healthy new light on the military---one that had gotten dimmed after the Vietnam War. But Trump however, his rise to the top was through a different technique: false facts about Blacks and Hispanics and sheer appeal to whites sick of seeing a progress that hasn’t benefited them as much. Unemployment went down 5% during Obama’s run, but the focus was seeing  to whom the jobs went to.



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Side-Note: You really think we would be protesting this heavily if the victor had been Bush, or Rubio, or Kirsch? I can guarantee you the victory would have been accepted without much yelling. And do you think Trump fans weren’t going to protest Clinton’s win? You are only fooling yourself. This election is basically an entire country upset that we wound up with two subpar choices from a field of candidates that had better options like Kirsch and especially Bernie Sanders. If you believe this issue is simply liberals vs. conservatives, then you are missing the entire point.

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But guess what America, we do have silver linings in the midst of the chaos that has emerged. Hillary Clinton still technically won the popular vote, which makes her the more popular candidate that lost in a rather flawed political system. So my Hispanics and Muslims don’t feel like the entire nation or even the majority of the nation is after you, it’s just about half. Yes half is still bad but that is the difference between Civil War and Holocaust. And it improves chances of 2020 shifting back into the right place.

If the election consisted of millennials and youngsters, then Trump would have only won a couple states, making the map overwhelmingly blue. Nearly half the country didn’t vote, and I assure you if people had indeed come out like they should, then we would have seen Hillary Clinton winning by a landslide. Not saying she is the best candidate out there, but she was definitely much more qualified than Trump. The youngsters for the most part are not drifting towards a hateful rhetoric.

You know who else didn’t vote for hate? Hispanics (I personally am positive the turnout of Hispanic Trump supporters is a lot smaller than what the results claim), Asians, Blacks, Muslims, Jewish, and the educated. The only group Clinton couldn’t win was the white male vote, which was extremely skewered towards Trump---whether it be the elderly, the religious (makes you question our true relationship with Jesus, doesn’t it?), the non-collegegoers (uneducated has a negative taint, I'm technically on that list for not finishing college) or the lower/middle class. So the silver lining here is that the entire nation hasn’t turned on itself, it’s just a couple groups which make up the majority that shifted towards Trump. Perhaps some education into the reign of Rafael Trujillo is needed…

Next silver lining is that most of the larger cities that have become the backbone of America remained away from the hate and stuck with Clinton. So guess what, if you aren’t feeling too safe in your rural turf, there’s always Miami, Orlando, Tampa, New York City, Boston (wait..), Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, and hey let’s not forget Hawaii. And they all have one thing in common: they are successful progressive cities. Miami, New York, and San Francisco however, I would recommend saving a ton of money first…

The biggest silver lining is the protesting we are witnessing. Yes they are misguided, yes some have pushed a bit too far, but the protest is basically America’s way of telling the world that not all of us are on board with the new presidency. And this is important because tourism is essential to the economy, as is the relationships we have with other countries and the image we portray. For those claiming the protests won’t do anything, that’s because they want to see America united towards an unqualified candidate as opposed to seeing what has become a separated nation. Personally, I’d rather take the half/half outlook as opposed to everyone giving up and joining in on the KKK party (which….still is happening….and still hasn’t been dismissed as bad for the nation). So protest away, just don’t become lower than the hate we’ve been combating for the last year.

Sorting through all the nonsense you can find promise for the future. The election has awakened the Hispanic population, so if you think we will be walked on, well, have fun. Between the always-neglected Puerto Ricans, the tough-as-nails Mexicans, the crafty Dominicans, and the hard-working Central Americans you are dealing with an entire population of individuals with a strong culture, strong values, and enough chest-bumping energy to battle back against any nonsense.

The election has awakened the millennial crowd, as arguably the most polarizing candidate between youngsters and oldsters put up a huge fight under a very controversial platform that 10, 15, 20 years ago would have been dead and buried from the very beginning. Bernie Sanders back in 2015 jump-started a political revolution that stagnated after he lost the primaries, but has restarted upon rumors of a 2020 run and upon him publicly vowing to take over the shattered Democratic Party or at the very least declaring political war against Trump. Even though he has some ground to make up for siding with Hillary as opposed to a risky third-party run (and should probably speak out to his supporters about following the revolution the correct way), Sanders has the ability to gain the love back and continue a push towards a very different America and a very different political system. I’m sure he wants those super delegates to be eradicated from the face of this Earth.

The outlook seems quite gloomy, especially if you are a minority. We might be facing the most divided America since Vietnam. We might be facing the worst president since Nixon. We might be seeing the most hate crimes since the 1960s. But at the same time the opposition, our revolutionary numbers are stronger, and the backlash towards anything even remotely unappealing or potentially racist will be excruciatingly strong. Expect Post-Republican America (Mostly White) to be forced to defend themselves and defend the leader that they elected loudly and proudly. Expect White America to have to respond to Trump not exactly draining the swamp with his selection of a White Nationalist becoming his chief policy advisor…





The wall of bigotry is about to go up against a hurricane of opposition. And this storm will last from 2017 to 2020.



Category 5.

Electoral Whiplash

I can’t quite wrap my head around what has been going on. I can’t quite pinpoint what part of the election made me angriest. Was it the arrogant foolish approach from the DNC assuming this was all a lock? Was it the pisspoor turnout from the Hillary supporters that resulted in a whopping 10 million fewer votes than Obama back in 2008? Was it the sheer avoidance of Trump’s sketchy history as women, Christians, and even a slew of minorities voted him in?

Was it the fact that a man with literally no political experience managed to crawl into the top through word-of-mouth instead of immense advertisement spending from the Clinton campaign? Or is it the fact that this incredible shift has occurred because of the previous 8 years of supposed inactivity---which was caused by the same party that just took over the White House?

None of that. What makes me angriest is that the man who could have won, who should have won, and who was without a doubt the top candidate this election season struck out before engaging in a Primary Election debate---and I shall add completely unfairly. Bernie Sanders would have beat Donald Trump, and I state this as a strong opinion without enough knowledge of the political system or much evidence to back this up.

Nonetheless, I will stand by this: Bernie Sanders had the young vote, Bernie caused voter turnout in BOTH primaries to skyrocket (never forget, the rise of Trump and Sanders was simultaneous). Bernie was collecting more money than Trump, spent less than Hillary, and could outperform them both in debates, and in public appearance attendance. Bernie Sanders, and NOT any other third-party candidate was willing to tear down the political system without hate, and unite all parties as he would attempt to mold the government into a service that would allow for Americans to receive more benefits that they deserve while living within the borders.

Bernie Sanders is not a war-monger, doesn’t have any ridiculous ties to questionable leaders, yet is totally unafraid to go up against the presidents and leaders of the White House. He fought against Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and even Obama. He has the energy of Trump, the experience of Hillary, and the ability to appeal to both fanbases. He can draw the attention of the angriest of Trump supporters and the most passionate of the Black Lives Matter protesters. And I firmly believe that with the obvious momentum he was riding if he had gotten the nomination instead of Hillary through those controversial Super Delegates, he would have crushed Trump and it would have far less poisonous material to sift through on the way to Election Day.

He definitely wasn’t perfect in his strategizing to try to become president, but his message was clear and it was a very refreshing thing. It felt like Obama circa 2008. But the DNC was having none of it, as they were grooming Hillary Clinton since seemingly 2012 for the win.

And what happened? Well, an ugly concoction was brewing. It was the backlash from 8 years of Obama, one of the most daring and unique presidents we’ll ever see. It was a backlash against the LGBT and feminism movement occurring within the last decade. It was the arsenal of drastic changes happening to America that the Bible Belt, the Midwest, and most of the South was not enjoying. It was a backlash against immigration, against Black Lives Matter, against Islam. Trump wasn’t the better candidate at any given point, but he was the answer that half of America was silently-then-vocally seeking.




Hillary Clinton and the DNC overplayed their hand. They assumed they could keep the Obama momentum, which turned out to be a farce. They thought they could claim the young vote in a landslide, which although 53% average from ages of 18-39 isn’t shabby, not getting many millennials to vote really hurt her. They thought the racism coming from the Trump camp would be enough to convince voters that he is unfit. Well, that was wrong too. The DNC picked the wrong candidate to go up against rock star not-a-politician Trump and never ever truly went for the kill, settling for a close race.

They completely fumbled the entire campaign---from the emails to the obviously biased support of Hillary right down to shady voting results in an already-rigged primary system. And with all the ugliness happening voter turnout overall decreased, leaving us with an America that handed more votes to Hillary, but gave more Electoral College votes to Trump. The Senate and the House belongs to the Republicans as well, an extra prize for surviving the storm and sticking to Trump despite having every reason not to.

Giving you every reason to discuss why Trump isn’t the right pick to continue leading the country is absolutely pointless, because it’s already happened. It’s done, there is no do-over here. Basically hang tight, because it’s going to be a ride. It is already revealed that Trump will eliminate the work visas that allowed international students to work for Disney, and we already know that we will be witnessing setbacks to gay rights. He hasn’t been in the White House for a minute and we’ve already seen a couple strikes.

The next four years are going to be ugly. The DNC screwed up representing the dangers of voting such a man into office, so it might be up to the minority crowd to step up to the plate and yell. Obnoxiously. Relentlessly. Endlessly. And with enough firepower to undo the disaster caused by White America on both ends---the Republicans sticking to their man despite a billion warning signs and the Democrats who downplayed the dangers and obviously picked the wrong candidate to represent all of us, especially the people most in need of continuous support.

If you want silver linings from this election, here they are: only half the country is actually ignorant, Hispanic turnout in Florida was fantastic and was nearly enough to eradicate the Confederacy from the Electoral College. The young vote recognized the dangers of Trump, even if they didn’t pop out in Obama 2008/2012 and what would have been Bernie 2016 numbers. Hillary winning over Bernie pretty much sucked the air out of millennial interest in the election. Do remember 50,000 people wound up voting for a dead gorilla.

Today, Hispanics are going to have to rise up and be louder, and loud enough to combat the rise of anti-Hispanic bigotry. From the cultural melting pot of Miami all the way to Los Angeles, we need to step up to the plate. I’m going to have to step up too, for these next four years will be celebrated by the KKK, Nazis, the ignorant, and those that just don’t care about us enough. They want us to be quiet and accept what's coming. They want us to attempt to work together. Nah, not anymore. Time to hit them where it hurts: their pockets and their image. Time to carry that mantle once held by Bernie before it got ripped from his hands because he wasn't part of the election plan of the Democrats. 




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Time for movement. Time for protest. Time to fix the political system that time and time again has ruined us. Time for organized rebuttal of an America that has rejected us. Time to fight even more for equality. Time to fight for what we deserve: affordable health care for everyone, higher taxes for the wealthiest so they can contribute more to a society that has greatly rewarded them, less protection of massive businesses that have stunted growth for the lower and middle class, less emphasis on capitalism and more emphasis on helping fellow neighbors, free college education, affordable education, complete freakin' overhaul of the education system (If I see one more time that the Civil War wasn't about slavery..........), total elimination of profitable prisons, more diversity in Washington, a better system for immigrants and refugees merely seeking a better life in the United States, a greater understanding of the Hispanic community and the culture, less greedy money entering the political system, more money to battle climate change (or at least prevent it from occurring, for those that still don’t believe), and overall a better American culture that has been severely tainted by events happening this millennium----peaking with half of America believing that a man with a terrible track record with Hispanics and Blacks and Middle America in general is still good enough to be president.
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Do I have a plan? Not really, because the screaming hasn't stopped. But if I'm going to remain in an America ruled by Trump, it won't be done calmly.


Alright White America, your voices were heard, and you single-handedly controlled the results of the election in the midst of requesting a great big change at the White House. You won fair and square, that's not a lie. You wanted Trump, and you (miraculously) got Trump.





Now, be ready for the backlash. And it won’t be quiet.

The 2016 Election in Three Acts (With a Special Epilogue)

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Act I: The Unfortunate Rise
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Donald Trump emerging as the top Republican candidate is absolutely not a mistake and not a coincidence---this was years in the making. He had always been the vision of success that Americans strive for, with his reality shows, books, big boy demeanor, and his name being a financial commodity---even back in 1992 when he randomly appeared in Home Alone 2. There had always been murmurs of the man who is never quite satisfied to run or president and keep that branding of Trump going. But Trump hadn’t made as strong a push until he got eviscerated by Obama during the peak of the Birther movement when Obama busted out a video showcasing his birth----which was the opening to Lion King.


Trump got embarrassed right out of the White House. Any talks about Trump making political noise got replaced by Obama mocking and tearing him apart in a span of a few minutes (While referencing 2Pac and B.I.G. for crying out loud, that deserves a million extra points). I personally believe that right then and there, Trump had to run. He had to stick it to the Democrats and those who stopped taking him seriously. He had to have the last laugh, no matter what. His name, his brand got personally attacked and humiliated, and he wanted to earn the respect back.

With the 2016 run, the Republican door was wide open, especially with Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney deciding not to compete. Republican America in the meantime was watching Obama continuously go against their beliefs and their stances with gay marriage (becoming the first president to openly campaign for gay rights), Obama Care, gun control desires, among dozens of other issues. Barack Obama is arguably the most unique president in generations because of his look, because of his swagger, and because of his vocal ability to not only inspire but also destroy. Obama has strong potential in stand-up, especially in the roasting department. And because of his ways, it was polarizing the country in a way we haven’t seen since the Civil War.

Suddenly the KKK was on the rise, neo-Nazis went on the rise, and White Pride became an actual movement through Tea Party, Confederate flags re-emerging again, and a subtle race war hitting unfortunate new levels. The America Republicans know and love is rapidly fading, and they needed someone to blame, they needed a way to stop their mental bleeding. And look, I am not defending any of these actions, this is just explaining why we are where we are, and why the GOP is where its at currently. It boils down to most Republicans struggling to accept America’s changes and the fact that a prideful confident Black man is running the country. He even got criticized for receiving a Nobel peace prize, which is something he didn’t even campaign for. Even his wife, his wonderful wife, gets critiqued for being too involved and for being part of the Beyhive.

Obama was blamed for the struggling economy that he didn’t create but inherited. He was blamed for the rise of ISIS---which started developing during the Bush era (not blaming Bush either entirely, it just happened under his campaign), he was even blamed for the police controversies against Black communities. He doesn’t get enough credit for saving the economy, for helping defeat Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, among other accomplishments. This is because of the growing bitterness of the Obama campaign. I’m not saying the man was perfect, but he did indeed improve the nation as a whole during his 8 years.

Republicans knew that Hillary was around the corner, and the Clinton name would give the Democrats an extremely good chance of winning a 3rd consecutive time for White House supremacy---which hasn’t happened since 1988 when Bush replaced Reagan. After all, the 90s were good to nearly everyone and Bill Clinton remains synonymous with the decade of Seinfeld and prosperity--even if it gave way to a few economic disasters of the 2000s. So instead of gunning for a politician with experience and the strongest voice the Republican community aimed towards the man that sounds the least like a political candidate and instead sounds the most like “one of the boys.” Trump was the answer to their back-to-back losses featuring two men that were strong but simply not strong enough.

Donald Trump campaigning in Midwestern America was the equivalent of a rock star coming into town, and dishing out love and saying all the right things to get Republican America excited. He didn’t sound or look like a politician, he looked like the American Dream, he sounded like a celebrity, he behaved like a rock star, and has the unpredictable demeanor that made him extremely exciting. His campaigning around the Midwest felt like a rock band tour, with avid followers lining up for hours just for the chance to see him. The competition had no chance against a Republican field that was desperate for a win. Rubio was too political, Cruz was too unlikable, Bush was too boring, Carson was nine levels of boring, and Kasish sounded like your boss---who makes sense but you just can’t see yourself having a drink with.

But there’s another reason why Republicans seemed keen on using a man with no political experience and none of the political requirements to be president. And that is because of the meteoric unexpected rise of another man:





Bernie Sanders.






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Act II: The Unexpected Split of the Democratic Party
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Hillary was supposed to take the torch immediately after Obama. This was planned since 2012, this was potentially expected since 2008 after she lost a tight race but still got a nice seat under Obama as Secretary of State. Hillary Clinton has the experience, has the popular name, and has the willpower to become the first female president and someone that will play by the Democrats’ game and continue the agenda. But out of nowhere comes a candidate that launches an extremely friendly and attractive campaign that starts breaking records in donations and amount of donations.

Bernie Sanders was the anti-thesis of the political climate. He spoke to millennials, he was the indie underground rock star whose track record can be entirely viewed on YouTube thanks to C-Span. The Bernie Legend was growing the more you dug into his life. He would start campaigning for things long before it became accepted. He fought for civil rights and even wound up in prison fighting for Blacks. He campaigned for gay rights in the 80s, way before it was even considered in the highest offices. In the 90s he fought for the middle class, fought against the ridiculous numbers of Blacks and minorities in jail, and battled against the bailouts of Wall Street and the auto industry.And today he had drastic new ideas, crazy ideas that would borrow from other successful countries. He wasn't war-hungry, he was hungry for more equality and more rewards for being an American citizen.

Bernie Sanders was Hillary’s kryptonite, and was rapidly taking all the independent and millennial votes. And was doing this without insulting anybody, did this while accepting everyone, including the controversial Black Lives Matter movement. He didn’t fight political parties, he fought the 1% entirely, which was totally in line with the disorganized Occupy Wall Street movement started up by the youngsters. He was a millenials’ dream come true as he was the first major candidate to openly criticize the idea that millennials are lazy and they are the blame for the current state of the country. Sanders knew capitalism and big business was the biggest setback in America, not the change in culture.

All of a sudden what was expected to be a surefire victory, what was expected to be a surefire momentum-riding trip to grabbing the Democratic candidate ticket became the biggest fight in Hillary’s career. No way she could lose another primary, and especially against a candidate with a third-party voice and basically no major political backers. Losing two consecutive primaries would have tainted her career to a point of no return. Sanders was strictly riding on the support of celebrities and facebook/Twitter followers, and was shockingly doing well against Hillary’s popular circle of backers. And then during the debates Bernie was winning not because of mud-slinging, but because he remained extremely firm on the issues and wouldn’t back down from any questionable decisions or questionable quotes during his extremely long career. This man told it like it is, but did so with the utmost respect of the competition. Sanders had the charisma and energy that Hillary lacked, and it was showing throughout the entire campaign. Sanders’ followers were far more vocal than that of Hillary’s and even Trumps’. This was going against everything the DNC was planning.

You know the Republican Field saw this as a crack in Hillary’s shield, and saw Bernie as the Democratic Socialist version of Trump (not in policy but in attitude and willingness to shake up everything). The Trump Train would rise at around the same time as the rise of the Bernie Bros., and I firmly believe this is no coincidence. Trump fans saw this race as wide open, and saw this as a chance for a major major upset. And it got much worse as it started looking more and more like the DNC was making it harder for Bernie to win. Not saying it was fully rigged, but it was quite biased. And say what you will about Hillary’s involvement or lack of involvement, it looked disgustingly bad. The Democrats weren't ready for potentially Bernie taking the ticket, and altogether tweaked and stacked the race. It's unfair, but Bernie knew this was happening from the start, which is why he fought for change to the entire process during his quest for the presidency.

Those e-mails being leaked out just made matters worse as they arrived right before Bernie was surrendering his campaign.  It was awkward timing as not only did Bernie have to give up the race (The gutsiest move this entire election season by the way) but he had to find a way to convince all his fans to switch over to Hillary to ensure that Trump’s momentum can finally stop. But his campaign was so successful in making Hillary look bad the transition became murkier and uglier than anticipated. Between Hillary’s questionable tactics, her history being brought up by the Bernie team, her lack of effort to truly squash the Bernie threat, the leaked e-mails, the still-strong love for Bernie, and lastly not using Bernie as vice-president (which despite their differences in policy would have clinched the election easily) Hillary Clinton was suddenly looking less presidential and less like a sure shot. And the Republican field was enjoying every moment of it, and the Trump support only became stronger.

Suddenly third-party candidates started rising, the Republicans started joining forces with Trump, and the race was looking far tighter than it should. Donald Trump actually has a chance, in spite of all the nonsense he has spewed.



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Act III: “You’re Too Late”
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Paraphrasing a story a friend once told me: a guest in Blizzard Beach was in line to go down the tallest slide in the park. 120 feet drop. When it was his turn, he started going but immediately stopped. He put his legs in front and loudly exclaimed that he couldn’t do it, and wants to exit the attraction. The cast member on top of the slide gave the horrifying words: “I can’t save you. You’re too late.” The man had passed the point of no return, and had to finish going down the slide. The Cast Member loudly gave him directions, and down he went. He would survive, but I bet you there was horror in his heart for that split second when he was told that he had no choice but to take on his fear and finish what he started.


That is the Trump Campaign in a nutshell.


The deeper we go towards the election, the uglier it has become trying to be a Trump supporter. Donald Trump was embroiled in a controversy seemingly every single day. He had already attacked Mexicans, Muslims, Veterans, and his opponents. He had already linked Ted Cruz’ father to the JFK assassination. He had already insulted Cruz’ wife. But now there was the potential relationship with Putin. There was the lack of tax returns, there was the revelation he hasn’t paid taxes in two decades, there was the footage of him discussing groping and sexually assaulting women and getting away with it because he can. Then came all the accusations. Then came his lack of Twitter skills, which has ignited feuds against beauty pageant contestants and prominent GOP figures---and apparently Rosie O’Donnell.

Whenever Hillary Clinton looked bad, Trump looked twice as bad. He started going after any Republican that was joining in line with him. He started bullying his way around the Republican field, splitting the GOP into pieces and repeatedly creating scenarios which called for him to drop out of the race. He is bombing the debates because he can’t answer questions and hasn’t developed a true plan. His followers continue becoming more and more racist and ridiculous and he doesn’t fan the racist flames or denounce any of the actions. His numbers are dropping, the former Republican presidents want nothing to do with him, and his most popular surrogates are digging deeper and deeper holes trying to defend him---with Ben Carson and Rudy Guilliani crashing and burning through interviews.

The consistency of his fanbase is cracking under pressure, while the Clinton campaign has remained strong and has stopped losing supporters post-Bernie. Then the digging into his past continuously showcases his racist tendencies, all the way back to the 70s when he refused to rent property to Blacks. Some will argue that he was never accused of being a racist until running for president---but the truth is money trumps personality, and under Wall Street you can be whatever you want to be as long as you can afford it. That subject is for another time…

Trump’s solution has been left field from the very beginning, but it wasn't yielding negative results until he started turning on his own people. He loses Paul Ryan, the highest-standing Republican in current politics, and starts catering to his remaining rowdy followers by announcing the race as being rigged, by suggesting that they should keep an eye out for fraudulent votes, and in a subtle manner suggesting that they need to bully their way to earning the win. The election is an interesting one because any other Democratic candidate would have been leading by at least 25 points (especially Bernie Sanders, whom would have annihilated him in the debates), while on the flip side nearly any other Republican candidate (especially Romney, Ryan, McCain, and Kasish) would have been tied and perhaps even beating Hillary in the current election field. The GOP is in shambles, has realized the mistake, but it’s too late to make any changes.

They have to continue to attempt to support him if they have any shot at Clinton. Some with 2020 plans have already run in the other direction (something I truly thought Ted Cruz would do, until he reluctantly joined Trump), leaving the Republican Field which had gone to the deepest pits of hell to make a deal with the Devil to avoid a third straight loss in pure disbelief. They have no choice anymore. November is right around the corner, Trump is trailing nearly double-digits, and has pretty much lost every Black, Hispanic, Muslim, and educated Woman vote (his reaction to the tapes could not have been worse, he tapped into the sexism/sexual assault culture women have been fighting to eradicate for decades. White Males remains his biggest ally, and even that number is sliding a bit. At least the racists have stuck around.

Hillary Clinton’s victory is within the crosshairs. She can coast, as long as she doesn’t attempt anything too wild or do any majorly stupid moves. Bernie Sanders practically knocked her down several notches, but luckily for her the opponent is self-destructing. But the election has been absolutely ugly from the start, and to this day she still has a strong unfavorable rating which will challenge her the second she sits down on that chair in Washington.

Clinton is going to win, and it might be a massacre, but it should have never gotten this close. Clinton screwed up in several instances and should be praising the heavens for having such a good opponent in the Democrat side to toughen her up and having a blowhard as the main opponent.



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Epilogue: My Final Words
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A funny thing happened during a cruise I was on. The ship was nestled in Cozumel, Mexico. They had a “Mexican” playlist in the buffet area while serving Mexican-influenced breakfast. The playlist consisted of music from Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. They were missing…Mexican music. No ranchero. No Selena. No mariachi. No Vincente Fernandez. No Marco Antonio Solis. Not even some Rodrigo y Gabriela. Of course, knowledge of Mexican music isn’t actually widespread, and the result was instead putting on a Spanish station that was playing mostly Caribbean music. It is a simple mistake, it is a harmless mistake, and it’s not like I am exactly offended by what occurred.

Hispanic culture is an immensely misunderstood culture in the United States of America, arguably the most misunderstood aspect of immigrants in the country. And it has always, always, always been this way. And I will be the first to admit that learning about Hispanic culture and every country under the umbrella cannot be learned in a day, or even a week. It takes some time to understand the language, cultural, and other differences between nations of Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. All three nations for the most part get along, as do the people, but we are not the same. I jokingly talk about how all the Caribbean/Central/South American nations have three things in common: beautiful people, wonderful food, crazy government. Even me though---I’m not fully knowledgeable on all the Spanish nations even though I really would love to someday immerse myself in the countries of Venezuela, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and the often forgotten Uruguay. My dream is to visit all these countries and learn more about the differing cultures of the Americas.



This lack of Hispanic knowledge in America is understandable, can still be improved upon, and up to this point hasn’t been much of a threat to our livelihood.



Enter: Donald Trump.



Since the emergence of the Orange Savior for the White American crowd, Hispanic tolerance has taken a heavy hit. Suddenly Neo-Nazis, KKK members, and other White Supremacists groups under his banner are not accepting of Spanish-speakers, suddenly chants of Trump and “Build a Wall” has been occurring when white schools take on Hispanic-dominated schools in athletic events. Mexico has been blamed for providing most of the rape/drug/violent crimes happening in the country (even though America has been darn good at killing each other sin nuestra ayuda). Mexico has been blamed for drugs overall, taking jobs from American citizens, and apparently also thriving off of free stuff apparently offered in this country. Whatever. The wall has been the most-mentioned step in his racist tirade of a campaign.

When the blaming started I didn’t take it too seriously because I thought America on the Red Team would be smarter than to accept the words of a politically inexperienced businessman that has spent years doing shady activities under the watch of New York business---which has proven many times that as long as there is enough money they are willing to look the other direction. New York City is great for many things, controlling money of the 1% and Big Business is not on that category. I didn’t see it as a big deal because I thought things would even out and the Republicans would choose someone and we can all move on with our lives.



Didn’t happen.



Not only did it not happen, not only did Trump win by a ridiculous amount, but now he is still within reach of Hillary Clinton. This is no longer a red/blue issue. This is a civil rights issue. This is a historical problem as for the first time in my life I personally feel threatened by a specific presidential candidate and his bloodthirsty followers. For the first time I feel like my culture is under attack for being different from the American norm. For the first time I have heard of friends, colleagues, and others being victimized by supporters, being told to “speak English,” to “go back to Mexico,” to “Behave more American,” etc. And guess what, some of them are actual Americans and some of them aren’t even Mexican! Those poor student-athletes being taunted with Trump chants are for the most part just as American as the hicks chanting the disgusting epithet.

What is happening is that Spanish-speaking is being rounded up as being “Mexican”, even though we have Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Venezuelans, Cubans, Colombians, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, Chileans, Argentineans, and even Spaniards living in America, each with its own culture, own brand of Spanish, and its own flavor. And the #1 piece of evidence as to what his mindset is and the mindset of his followers came from a simple Tweet in Cinco De Mayo.

It was a picture of Donald Trump with a massive taco salad on the top floor of his building. He says Happy Cinco De Mayo, and mentions how he loves Hispanics. This is one of those photos where there is so much wrong, you couldn’t even know where to start. But, I’ll give it a shot:



1) Mexicans don’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo---it’s an American excuse to get drunk on tequila. Which is acceptable in any other instance except for when it comes from a presidential candidate declaring war on “illegals.”

2) Taco Salad is definitely not a Mexican delicacy to even eat on a day that hardly embraces Mexican culture

3) He didn’t even get it from a Mexican restaurant, adding to the inner screaming I engaged in upon seeing the photo

4) He mentions he loves Hispanics on Cinco de Mayo, pretty much rounding up all Hispanics under the same group of Mexican while mentioning his supposed love for a culture he has spent his campaign blaming for America’s supposed issues---on a day that DOESN’T CELEBRATE A SINGLE SHRED OF INDEPENDENCE.

5) THERE ARE NO HISPANICS ON THIS PHOTO. NOT ONEEEEEEEEE.



This is everything wrong with this current election. Hispanics have been grouped together and suddenly has taken the blame for what is happening to America. Puerto Rico’s downfall has been blamed on Puerto Ricans---when it was the United States that had the biggest hand in messing things up in that beautiful island (Another reason Bernie was my pick, he wanted to save the country and spend money fixing it). The War on Drugs have been blamed on Mexicans---even though the NRA has done a great job profiting off it, as well as every area except for Mexico itself. Illegal Immigrants (which according to him are only Mexicans) have been accused of making life harder for Americans through welfare system, “paying less taxes,” and having a stranglehold on underground jobs that take away from hard-working Americans.

Hispanics are being accused of “refusing to conform to America” by speaking a different language and by not necessarily changing our cultural ways to resemble “American culture” better. And upon this, Trump has taken the mantle to not only attempt to rid the country of all the illegal immigrants (as opposed to trying to make the actual process easier to become American), but also somehow pin Mexico to follow along with his racist plan and help pay for some wall that will somehow keep out the bad ol’ Mexicans…

Blaming others for their own downfalls is embedded in modern American culture. Obama has been blamed for literally everything in the past 8 years (he may have been blamed for Batman vs. Superman, who knows…), and now that the president is on his way out the focus has shifted into Mexico. Even though Mexican immigration has actually gone down, even though more Mexicans have moved back, and even though Obama’s administration has actually deported a grandiose amount of Hispanics over the years (one of the less favorable things happening under his administration), the target remains on our back. And it’s wrong, and utterly disgusting.

This is why Trump has to lose, and by a wide, wide margin---his thoughts are dangerous and continues to attract quite deplorable people from the sneaky racists, to the systematic racists, all the way to the outright full-grown racists spending their days telling people that look Spanish to go back to Mexico. This has to stop, immediately. This has to cease, immediately. We need to not only make sure that Trump gets roadkilled in the election, but we need much stronger education about other cultures, about other countries, about other types of people so we can avoid racist campaigns and can avoid people like Trump ridiculously gaining power.

My history with my culture and American culture has been a convoluted one because I’ve become too Dominican to become American, yet too American to be fully Dominican---and this comes after I wasn’t taught to write/speak/read Spanish post-1st grade for whatever reason. Still remains a mystery to this day because I was too young to acknowledge what was happening. Heritage is an extremely important and vital asset to your upbringing and who you are in Spanish culture. This is why although we leave our Spanish country, the Spanish country never fully leaves us. This is why we still wear the flags. This is why we still speak the Spanish, and our kind of Spanish as well. We can’t shake off the Spanish. Nor do we ever really want to, because our culture is absolutely beautiful. And up until this election season I had never felt threatened by being a Hispanic-American.

I feel threatened now. I feel under attack. And it’s a disgusting feeling six ways to Sunday. Whenever I see those Godforsaken red hats being worn at my work location, I ponder how they view me, as I speak Spanish to the guests in front of them. I never felt that with Romney hats in 2012, with McCain hats in 2008, with Hillary stickers, with Green Party buttons, etc. But under the Trump merchandise there’s a layer of hate I can’t help but notice---even if the person wearing it doesn’t notice.

The wave of hate has to stop. And yes, this means voting for Hillary Clinton. And trust me, it’s not my favorite option but the most necessary one up to this point. I was a Bernie fan from start to the bitter finish, and my opinion on him has not swayed in the least bit just because he withdrew and handed his support to Hillary.



(And if you need more support to vote Hillary, or feel disgusted by voting Hillary, call me up. That day I will buy you a shot, two shots if necessary. I’m voting and taking a swig of rum, because I’m disappointed that politics reached this point. But between the man that spews hate and the woman that will do whatever it takes to become president, I will take the accomplished woman any day of the week. But I’m still drinking heavily to it)



And its not just the Hispanics, I pointed that out specifically because it personally affects me. He’s gone after Blacks and Muslims as well. He has always lived a racist sexist life, and that should never ever be rewarded with a trip to the presidency. That is dangerous and will destroy everything America has worked towards in the past century. He needs to go. He needs to be embarrassed just like on that fateful night to the hands of Obama. People are using this election to try to nullify the current process by going third party or not voting at all. I understand your frustration, I seriously do. As a Bernie fan I personally felt cheated by the process, whether Hillary knew about the rigging or not. But now is not the time for drastic change, now is the time to make sure racism and White America Bigotry doesn’t win---by any means necessary. Besides, Gary Johnson is most definitely not the answer.

I want him not defeated, I want him destroyed. In spite of his awkward amount of support, The United States of America and all its (sane) citizens deserves much better than this election, but we deserve far far far far better than the prospect of Trump winning. That is not an opinion that is a fact.

Vote Hillary. This isn’t the ideal choice, and yes her past is a bit scattered, but this year it’s the wisest choice to prevent the nation from going backwards and ensuring Trump doesn’t get the chance to rise to this level ever again. 2020 I predict will be the year third-parties will have a stronger voice and we will have more political revolutions to the level of Bernie Sanders, but as of now, we just need to prevent the country from going out of control.

A vote for Trump means this: you accept that he is a racist, sexist, bigoted, xenophobic, sexual assaulting un-Christian-like pig that has thought of himself and only himself during this entire campaign. A vote for him means you fully accept the fact that he has attacked and gone after specific groups of Americans in favor of keeping his feverish fanbase happy. You vote for him, you are basically willing to ignore everything he has done and said simply because you don't like the other candidate--even though she is obviously more prepared and much more experienced to be president. A vote Trump is a vote to send this country to hit the reset button against all the equality we have been trying to achieve for the last century. A vote for him basically means that you are willing to flip the country upside-down just because you believe it doesn't affect you. I'm done trying to convince you, because the evidence is everywhere you look. You aren't swayed by now, I'm disappointed in you, end of story. Hillary isn't the best choice, but in this election has become the only choice to make sure America at least stays above water.



Please vote for Hillary. Por favor. 




End this mess, once and for all. 

*drinks shot of rum*

P.S. If Hillary wins, Bernie gets control of the Senate. In case you needed more convincing.

*drinks another shot*

Breaktime

On a mental break until October 1st, 2016.


Hope you are all doing well.

Bad Moms: 8/10

Ghostbusters was slaughtered and fed to the wolves in terms of box office because the feminist twang to the franchise was not well-received in the least bit. Some complained it was pointless, some complained it was just milking a franchise that is heavy in nostalgia, and others complained that it was pandering to the female-driven audience as opposed to the fanbase that had supported the franchise in the first place. Despite the good critic reviews, it became a major loss for Sony, and killed any hopes for a sequel.

Bad Moms on the other hand is the little summer film that could, taking a $20 million budget and already matching that amount after the first weekend. And with strong word-of-mouth and good reviews it continues to make decent money in a crowded summer schedule. This film also has a heavy feminism touch, yet hasn’t received the male-bashing you’ve been seeing from Ghostbusters. And that’s because the film from the ground up was made for moms, made for female millennials, and doesn’t hold anything back and keeps the focus on the ladies.

Led by the screenwriting duo that penned the clever original Hangover flick, Bad Moms is a cinematic stress ball for mothers around the world. It follows a trio of ladies fed up with their stressful lives and start rebelling against the norm. It starts a revolution amongst the community which counters the strict clockwork ways of the PTA---leading to a culture clash against its leader. The plot isn’t anything drastically revolutionary, but it has a lot to say about modern society’s difficult expectations for mothers.

With the plot being slightly thin, it gives plenty of room for the main cast to go vulgar, go nuts, go raw, before ultimately getting the point across. And Kunis, Kristin Bell, and especially Kathryn Hahn knocks it out of the park with timing, delivery, and a good range of emotions to boot. Mila Kunis’ character rises from humble soccer mom into a wild force of nature that results in crazy parties, rebellion against her children and deadbeat husband, and even nachos for breakfast (my hero). Step aside men as most of the focus was on the relationships between mother and child, with men popping in only once in a while. Then toss several funny scenarios, a wild cheap wine scene, and a couple fun cameos, and you’ll be seldom bored at the chaos that emerges once the second act rolls in.

This movie definitely isn’t perfect. The tone gets slightly uneven, the soundtrack is overindulgent, and the final moments doesn’t quite match the comedic wrecking ball of the second half, but if you are a mother this is your guilty pleasure. The cast is too fun, the movie doesn’t slow down, and it gets unapologetically vulgar and uncut and doesn’t let go.

Mothers: Bad Moms tailors to you, speaks to you, represents you, and challenges societal beliefs held against you. And prepare for the final scene once the credits roll in---it wraps up the motherhood themes perfectly. You can’t just switch genders on a film and try to staple a feminism theme and expect it to work---you need to fully commit to your audience and also explain what your 21st century movement is all about. Otherwise it feels like a gimmick. Ghostbusters was simply trying to ride the wave of feminism. Bad Moms actually has something to say, which is why ultimately amongst the flaws and hard-R rating it actually works.

The 11 Greatest Musical Moments in Disney History

With Moana coming out in the next few months, Disney is stepping up its music game by inviting Lin-Manuel Miranda to contribute to the soundtrack. And judging by the man’s track record, it will be phenomenal music that will accompany a hopefully entertaining movie. With Zootopia being a spectacular film, and previous films winning Oscars and breaking records, I’m not worried at all about this upcoming flick. And let’s not forget: The Rock improves nearly everything he is in (Couldn’t save Doom though…)

So, I am going to take a look back and bring out what I believe are the 11 best musical moments in the history of Disney. And this isn’t just about the song, it’s about the way the sequence was filmed and directed and how well it ties to the rest of the movie---as well as how deep it digs into your conscience. So yes, a variety of your favorites will be left out, for there are too many great music moments in Disney; the history is quite deep.

Before we start the list, honorable mentions:

1) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’s “Winnie the Pooh” (Beautiful opening sequence that immediately sets the harmless and charming tone of the movie)


2) Tarzan’s “Strangers Like Me” (Best scene of the movie, which shows Tarzan’s growing intelligence, growing curiosity, slow and sad separation from the gorillas, and subtle rising affection for Jane----all in a couple minutes)

3) Nightmare Before Christmas “Jack’s Lament” (Soundtrack is far, far, far stronger than the movie, but Jack revealing his personal demons in front of a lit sky is a nice sequence)


4) Lion King’s “Circle of Life” (Because I have to…)

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#11:
Song: I’ll Make a Man Out of You
Movie: Mulan

Hercules had a training montage, but Mulan ups it with a superior song and far superior scene. Mulan and the boys have to be whipped into shape before heading out to war, and Li Shang was having none of it. He takes off his shirt, and shows off how awesome they can be within the first couple lyrics. And it looks bad, in the midst of his clamoring that he will improve them. At one point Mulan is kicked out, but she proves that despite gender, she can still be just as brave, just as strong as the best soldiers out there. By the end of the song they are motivated, and we as viewers are just as moved and motivated.

#10:
Song: Friends on the Other Side
Movie: Princess and the Frog

This definitely isn’t as recognized or as memorable or as loved as other Disney classics, but contains one of the best villain entrances in the history of film. Immediately takes over the movie with his swagger and what winds up becoming the best song in the film. The color palate changes, the music gets eerie, and the dark side of New Orleans comes into play with trickery, voodoo, witchcraft, and curses galore. Dr. Facilier winds up being the best character in the movie with his wordplay, delivery, and energetic presence---and his song is the definitive evidence as to why.

#9:
Song: Bella Notte
Movie: Lady and the Tramp

Alright, the love montage is a very clichéd and very cheesy concept----but way back in the 50s you just didn’t see it as often. Lady and the Tramp, already a very charming movie, delivers one of the most popular kisses in cinema, and then follows it up with a nice romantic song as you see the lead dogs frolic in multiple locations through the course of the beautiful night. Animation is gorgeous, the pacing is relaxed, and you just can’t find a flaw within the 3 minutes of Bella Notte. This would become the modern template for a romantic scene.

#8:
Song: Belle
Movie: Beauty and the Beast

This is how you start a movie. Immediately displaying Belle’s character and mannerisms, as well as her unique placement in the small town, Belle is arguably my all-time favorite opening song to any movie. We get to see the fun cast of villagers, see Belle in her bookworm ways, and immediately get introduced to the egotistical and narcissistic Gaston----who winds up becoming the lead villain in the second half. The song is spotless, and showcases why we are watching more than a film, but something seemingly straight out of the best of Broadway.

#7:
Song: When Somebody Loved Me
Movie: Toy Story 2

Pixar is known for heartbreak, utter disastrous heartbreak. But the first time we were truly emotionally disintegrated was Jessie’s montage about her history with Emily----which ended with her being abandoned in a box. Thanks to Hall of Fame Tearjerker Sarah McLachlan, the song is perfect, the transition from being best friend to footnote feels all too real, and Toy Story 2 emerges from kids movie to a film that touches every viewer regardless of age. It spoke layers about the themes of the film itself, all in a couple of minutes. It’s a beautiful sequence, despite the tragedy.

#6:
Song: Friend Like Me
Movie: Aladdin

I could have picked the beautiful Whole New World, but no, the best scene in Aladdin has got to be the appearance of the Genie. Robin Williams would change the film industry forever by applying a gallon of energy into his performance and into the movie itself. Friend Like Me feels like it was written for Williams, and the zany song brings out the best animated sequence in Aladdin, as its speedy, creative, and sometimes outwardly abstract. Aladdin was already very entertaining before the halfway point, and once the Genie was thrown into the picture you couldn’t predict how the rest of it is going to go. Friend Like Me wasn’t just a great song in a great scene, it would launch Aladdin in an entirely new direction and a higher stratosphere of quality.
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#5:
Song: Feed the Birds
Movie: Mary Poppins



Religion is hardly discussed in Disney movies, but Mary Poppins wasn’t your typical Disney flick. Feed the Birds is Disney’s first true jump into religious imagery and combine that with a hauntingly beautiful Julie Andrews performance and you have a scene that stands out not only in Disney, but in cinema history. The importance of the scene meanders through the rest of Mary Poppins, and the soul of the entire company was represented in those three minutes. Mary Poppins was a generally happy film, but took some time off to deliver a powerful message about charity and being good to everyone—which is quintessential Disney.
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#4:
Song: Let it Go
Movie: Frozen



Truth: Let it Go would never have been such a big song is the sequence hadn’t been so visually stimulating. The song is phenomenal (I know, overplayed and probably ruined by 21^st century Disney marketing), but the scene where she lets go of her fears and starts using her powers is simply, quiet powerful. As the song intensifies, the castle starts forming around her in an impressive long take and brings Disney back to 90s level Broadway aesthetics. It was right here when Disney shed its dependence on Pixar and started rediscovering its voice in the animation industry. Let it Go was the beginning of Disney’s rise towards the top of the animation world, sharing it with once-unbeatable Pixar. And, hands-down the best scene in the movie. And yes, Frozen is better than Tangled.
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#3:
Song: Hellfire
Movie: Hunchback of Notre Dame



Hellfire is hands-down the greatest villain song in Disney’s entire history. Hellfire is Frollo going up to God and engaging in an inner struggle of Biblical proportions, and of course ends with him declaring war or anything that stands in his path as he tries to find Esmeralda. This song is toned down (literally) to avoid the PG rating (box office poison back in the day), as the crazy mix of imagery, harsh lyrics, intense religious themes was not only too much for kids, but even adults were struggling back when it first came out. Frollo came into the scene as a simple foil to Quasimodo, and left the scene as a frighteningly powerful villain. Dark, gritty, masterful, and Tony Jay is absolutely perfect as Frollo verbally and when he sings. Best scene in Hunchback, and if the movie had stayed in this course we would have seen a much better movie.

#2:
Song: Married Life
Movie: Up



The opening 10 minutes of Up will stand as some of the best, strongest, most beautiful, and most heartbreaking filmmaking you’ll ever see animated or not. But it wouldn’t be complete, it wouldn’t fully work or fully be engraved in Disney history without the beautiful instrumental piece that accompanies it. The backend 4 minutes didn’t use a single line of dialogue, yet told everything you needed to know about the characters through music and images. This is peak Pixar, as to this day 7 years later we have yet to see a Pixar film quite as good as Up, and its partially because they haven’t developed a score as memorable as Michael Giacchino’s masterful work here. Not a lyric or word required, just pure cinematic magic. And it hits so close to home, its hard to watch with dry eyes.
------------------------------------------
#1:
Song: Be Our Guest
Movie: Beauty and the Beast


Welcome to the Renaissance. Little Mermaid was the jump-starter, but Be Our Guest is the defining moment which sent Disney from a great animation studio into a powerhouse factory of artistic filmmaking. This was the moment when you realized Disney just wasn’t making a comeback, but was here to stay. Be Our Guest is the best number in the movie, the most fun part of the movie, and visually the most creative and impressive. Combine that with great vocals, tons of Broadway energy, humor, and a level of glee you just don’t find in regular movies, and this adds up to the best musical sequence ever made by Disney. There is no other answer, this scene represents the Disney Renaissance, the Modern-Day Disney in general.

Bernie's Last Stand

Welcome to the fire of 2016.







We are witnessing a very violent era, as mistakes of the past and the present has led to widespread chaos that has resulted in far more lost lives than we could have ever imagined when the New Year rang in. We’ve seen the top tourist spot in America get attacked, we see cops and Black citizens butting heads and exchanging gunfire, we see more mass shootings in the United States than ever before, we see France once again get pummeled with bad news, and let’s not forget the oft-forgotten horrors of the Mexican Drug War (financed by our fine folks at the NRA), Syria, Iraq, and the Israel/Palestine battling. Then we can throw in rising immigration fears happening in the United States and in Europe, electric rise in public racism as opposed to silent and hidden, continued radical racist attacks on a president whose biggest crime is being black, and last but not least a middle class that is shrinking thanks to the richest class scooping in more money while continuing the greed. Even though there is a lot to be thankful and happy about, we’ve reached a rough year. And we have an upcoming election that will force us to switch leaders.





Enter the Bern.





I’ve supported Bernie Sanders the second I researched him. The minute I heard him speak about the problems this nation and world is facing, I was locked in. Bernie wasn’t blaming a party, wasn’t blaming Republicans or Democrats specifically, he was blaming the system and the small group of rich billionaires that was running the entire show. Money was the root of all the issues: from incarceration rates to shrinking middle class to ridiculous spending of the fat cats and how it affects everyone underneath. We are seeing more jobs than ever before being thrown overseas, and we haven’t seen much punishment dished out to the fiscally irresponsible. Bernie also wanted the taxes to truly pay off; which is why he campaigned for free tuition, increase in minimum wage, and a continued health care system that would be even better than ObamaCare. His track record was spotless, as he had been fighting for minorities for decades and long before it became the norm. He is fully against war, and doesn’t want our soldiers scattered in all kinds of conflicts. This was the guy. And I knew it was a major, major long shot, even if he was eating away at Hillary’s lead and was dominating the debates.

I was part of the loud annoying wave of Bernie supporters that challenged the Democratic Party that was so sure Clinton would cruise into the election. I always said I would fight until the end. I said I’d ride the Bernie Train until it stops. And even when it looked grim, I stayed put. During his losing streaks and winning streaks, I battled the Hillary fans on Twitter, shared Sanders wisdom on Facebook, and calmly stated my points to those willing to listen to me talk about a Brooklyn candidate that looks 100 but speaks for the 15-25 crowd.

And the end came, he was inches away from losing, as Hillary was drawing more supporters, more votes, more voters, and more momentum. Her reputation took a vicious hit thanks to Bernie Sanders, but it wouldn’t be enough to appease those already prepared to lock her in as president. She is the Diet Coke Obama: doesn’t deviate too far from the Obama ideals while lacking the speech skills that Barack had displayed over the years. But she was going to become the nominee, whether you liked it or not.

We lost, simple as that. Despite all the screaming, facts, video footage, uplifting moments, delightful little glimpses of faith, our magical run had ended. Now, Sanders had a few upcoming options. Bernie Sanders isn’t an idiot. He knows an independent run would create more noise, and could potentially even produce an upset. He knows how much momentum he had created, and was poised to continue his run to revolutionize American politics and the country in general. He got the youth and the independents more excited than ever before. Politics didn’t just become an adult/old person ballgame, the late teenagers, college students, and millennials were all on-board towards this revolution. Maybe with a few speeches, a few dramatic moments, more victorious debates against the competitors and who knows? The ceiling was high, as we were in unfamiliar territory of being the best-looking third-wheel candidacy since Lincoln.



But then there’s Donald Trump.



Donald Trump also ignited a fire in groups of people relatively quiet: the racists, bigots, and those selfish enough to blame everything on others, not accept the responsibility, and still manage a way to make it all about them. I truly don’t care about your disdain for Hillary Clinton, it should never overshadow the fact that the leading Republican figure has no experience, no set course, no consistency, no mute button, and no reason to attempt to reason with others. He has been part of the Wall Street problem by hiring illegals and pissing them with extremely low wages, outsourcing thousands of jobs elsewhere (including Mexico, by the way), and just not giving any crap about the middle and lower class. Trump is part of the wave of high-end people that has helped craft a variety of the problems facing America. And any man that recommends the bombing of families to combat terrorism is just unfit to hold any position within miles of the White House.

Under Trump’s rise to popularity we see Neo-Nazis rising, the KKK becoming its most powerful since the early 1900s, a rise in disdain towards smaller groups like Muslims and Hispanics, and just this vigorous hatred towards the current America and an awkward desire to be a certain type of America in the past. And we even see the most supposed-Christian of people willing to overlook all the vicious things he has said in order to try to better themselves in society. There is a Twitter account that quotes the Bible (“Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion, your hands for charity, your mind for truth, and your heart for love. Matthew 22:36-40”) and then has the Trump hashtag!!!! Has she not seen what occurs in these rallies? So now we see a majority of White America and Christians (Joel Osteen, come on now…) suddenly waging a silent war against minorities, Muslims, and pretty much the entire community of Democrats. There was even an incident about a truck driver that refused to help a person just because he saw the Bernie Sanders sticker in the back of the vehicle. A nation that is supposed to be united is slipping away.

Now, is every Trump supporter a racist? No, not to start. But they become racist by association because of their affiliation with a man that caters only to a very specific crowd and continues to promote separation as opposed to some type of unity. This is extremely dangerous, and would send America a century backwards while tanking the economy, ruining everything that makes America unique and a more desirable destination, and worst of all would give the platform to the racists and bigots to continue finding ways to torment and attempt to eliminate those that don’t look/sound/act/behave like them. We are already seeing a rise of people being persecuted just because of appearance, and Trump hasn’t even won yet. His numbers are devastatingly high for a man of his caliber and (lack of) experience. Which means, all efforts must be made to ensure he gets slaughtered during Election Day. Not just a defeat, a landslide defeat is required to pretty much save America. The sane must unite to defeat the insane, no matter what the cost.



Even if it means having to cooperate with your competition.



Using a film example, Spider-Man 2 (keep up, hang on, I’ll explain) towards the climax has Harry discovering that the person that killed his father (Green Goblin) was his best friend Peter Parker---a.k.a. Spider-Man. Harry knows the location of the main villain, but is still absolutely furious and in shock that his own friend was responsible for his father’s demise and all the torment that followed. Peter/Spider-Man had a major opportunity to discuss his role, but knows that time is of the essence and New York was in serious danger. He calmly responds to Harry with this:

“There are bigger things happening than me and you”

The Democratic Party has become that quote: they need to set aside their differences, their bickering, their battling, the history, the tough words and statements of the past, and the intense competition to fight the bigger fight, since there is a much larger issue looming in the distance.

Bernie Sanders is choosing the controversial, but required path of unity. He has to take all the support he has gained and find a way to move them towards Hillary territory so she can win and can prevent America from becoming the next unstable country in an already unstable world. Sanders is seeing societies splitting apart, other nations bowing to fears and bigotry (England, how’s that economy coming along?), and seeing warfare fought from all angles, especially the severely-battered Middle East. Although he believes he could run the country better than Clinton, all this must be set aside to fight the larger issue: Trump potentially winning. He couldn’t risk the severe loss by becoming a third wheel and separating the votes and making the race closer than it ever should be---it has to be a two-person race, each person stockpiling on as many important people as possible. And no weapon Trump possesses is as strong as Bernie Sanders and his small yet potent following.

Sanders prolonging the inevitable doesn’t just allow him to build a larger audience to ship into the right path: he’s already changing the Democratic Party with a slew of ideas that have been building steam. Hillary Today is not the Hillary of before, as before Sanders came in with a very attractive (albeit long shot) platform. Bernie Sanders gave it the best long shot fight he could possibly deliver, and did it without stooping low and without attacking on clickbait issues. And now he risked his reputation, all his supporters, and his image in favor of the greater good.

The sacrifice here is underrated honestly. Sanders gave everything up to join Hillary and help fight the cause. He won’t be able to run again, not after these actions (some of the Bernie Bros have already turned on him), and also because of his age. Bernie’s one opportunity as president and making a dramatic move was thrown to the side to support the Democratic Party. If it had been ANY other Republican candidate, be it Herman Cain, Ted Cruz, or even Mitt Romney, the results would have been different. Even if the three previously mentioned candidates aren’t strong choices, there’s at least some sanity and stability in their behavior. We don’t have that with Trump, which scares some, and attracts others.

The world is crumbling, and the United States needs a decent stable candidate to ride the waves and steer the ship. Hillary Clinton is like that boss you don’t like but secretly know their experience and expertise. Clinton is definitely the lesser of two evils, and couldn’t possibly do a quarter of the damage a Trump presidency would accomplish. Bernie Sanders knows this, and that is why in the midst of the madness, he is willing to be a voice of support. And if anyone brings up Jill Stein, I assure you that if Bernie couldn’t beat Hillary/Trump, what on earth makes you think Stein has a smidget of a shot?!!?

This won’t be Bernie’s best hour, but it’s his final major stand in his political career. He has peaked here, and can never rise this high ever again. So in this platform he is challenging the Republicans, he is challenging Trump, and is fighting for the soul of the United States---and that required losing it all. Bernie Sanders shouldn’t be ridiculed or criticized, as I assure you he didn’t come to this conclusion easy, and I’m sure to this very moment a part of him feels slightly sick. But we have a country to save and preserve, and a presidency in need of someone who isn’t going to flip everything upside down. 2016 has been sheer insanity: under the wrong circumstances it was only going to get much, much worse.





Thank you Bernie Sanders, for everything. Sorry we couldn’t do more. And sorry it’s come to this point. But I know you are doing it for your country.









And if you do run again, I will be there, once again, running alongside you.

The Fog of Nationalism

Yikes.



We have witnessed the United Kingdom literally tank its economy, as it voted to exit the European Union, a group of nations that made trade, employment, and many other factors much easier to maneuver through the continent. Whatever the reason, being immigration, racism, islamophobia, nationalistic pride under the shadows of Trump, or just simply disliking the notion that other countries dictate some of the policies of England, the United Kingdom voted to leave the union, say no to millions of pounds per week, and send the value of its currency on a downward spiral. Similar to Trump supporters it is silly to argue that everyone in favor of exiting are racist or awkwardly nationalist, but the idea was founded on nationalism pride, this supposed stance that England is losing its identity.

The stock market managed to claw back within the same 24 hours, but that was only after investors poured their heart and soul to diminish the bleeding. The damage is done, we’re not sure what happens to England from now on, especially since they won’t be depending on the European Union anymore. They’ve already dipped in the global standings. And a major part of this is because of the fears that the borders have been left too open. And their scenario is far different from the American scenario, but the curious debate about immigration lingers.

Like England and some of the European Union, we’ve seen an influx of immigrants traveling to safer lands in desperate hopes of a better life---and some from within Europe (even within the Union itself) as opposed to the more notorious areas. As the world became smaller, the scattering of refugees has become a major part of the population movement. The Middle East is in shambles, as it continues being a war torn area full of terrorist groups, uncertainty, and struggling economy. The Israel/Palestine conflict seems to become a daily tragedy, Libya is a disaster, and nations like Iraq and Afghanistan cannot go a month without a major attack. And then in a smaller scale, we’ve seen Poland and Spain losing citizens in favor of England. And let’s not forget the issues of Greece.

My curiosity is sparked: how much of this immigration control is race-related? How much of it is entrenched in phobia? And how much of it is legit concern over the well being of the country? Unlike Radical Republican America blaming their current issues on Mexican immigrants (despite it being only 28% of all American immigrants), United Kingdom is seeing millions of people pouring in from different corners because of the Union, because it has the stronger economy, and because of reputation. They might have a point.



However…



Germany receives more people, by a lot too. As a matter of fact the only country that receives more immigrants than Germany is the United States, and sometimes Russia. In 2015, Germany declared itself as an immigration country, openly and politely accepting pretty much anybody willing to move there. If you are part of the EU, then it’s your right to seek employment there. If you aren’t in the EU, as long as you are a skilled worker (university degree/years of experience) or at least working towards becoming a skilled worker you have the opportunity to enter and ultimately become a German citizen.

Now, I might be simplifying things (most likely simplifying things), but this is what I see: similar minimal requirements, same amount of opportunity, same freedom to roam, and an economy that is the strongest in the European Union despite receiving more immigrants than the United Kingdom. I don’t see Germany wanting to drop out of the Union at all. As a matter of fact, Germany has become an even stronger country because of immigration—legal and/or illegal. Opening the borders has given the nation an opportunity for the German name to be a stronger global brand, a stronger global power and presence. AND the German unemployment rate is much smaller (4.2%, 5 points under the European Union average). So what am I missing?

Why is it an issue in England and the United States, when Germany has embraced it and has benefited from the inclusion? Germany has even promised free college education for anyone that enters the country for crying out loud. So what am I missing England? What is the excuse? Why hasn’t it worked for you?

The problem is Nationalism is overcoming and overpowering the desire to limit foreigners from entering and seeking the same opportunities, and it’s disgusting. England has become Republican America by waving its flag and claiming a country that already belongs to them. They exited a profitable and peaceful European Union in favor of being in charge towards what to do with their borders and their country, when it wasn’t an issue 5, 10, 15 years ago---and it might cost them dearly. Their pound has already dropped to its lowest since the 1960s, and won’t get the weekly payout it used to get unless the EU becomes sympathetic.

The United States is at risk of veering down the same path, using their nationistic pride to drown out the bigger issues plaguing the borders within: ridiculous education system, big business damaging the economic structure of the country, a Washington that has recently become even more disruptive because a black man became president, this Civil War-like viewpoint towards the two political parties, a surge in racism, a surge in gun violence (USA is #1 year in and year out on that category), a dumbfounding gender war (with a lax rape culture that feels straight out of the 1800s) and rising living costs. But fine, let’s just blame the Mexicans and claim that we are “losing our country,” as opposed to the hundreds of large businesses throwing their jobs overseas.



We are ignoring screams of help from a conflict that Americans helped create.



Yes, it’s time to go there: The United States and England is partially responsible for the rise of terrorism because they continuously plant their presence and their flag towards unwanted and ungrateful territory. Yes, we have to face the elephant in the room. Not saying all terrorism would be eliminated from this country and from the other nations (because homegrown terrorism exists) but whenever you dig in other lands you create enemies. We are seeing an area that is not enjoying the appearance of other countries (and not in an immigration sense either), and this has been going on since Bush. The Middle East is seeing thousands of its citizens dying in the crosshairs of warfare from America and the rebels that scatter the area.

What did you think would happen when you decided to suddenly invade Afghanistan and Iraq? What did you think would happen once you started throwing bombs left and right to defeat terrorism? You think you won’t get any innocent casualties? You think there won’t be saddened people and towns vowing revenge? ISIS was founded during the Iraq War, taking advantage of shell-shocked citizens watching their homes go up in smoke. And I don’t condone the actions of any terrorist whatsoever, but their origin story is connected to American involvement in the Middle East whether you like it or not. Whether you agreed with the Iraq War or not, it accidentally created the most hated terrorist group in the planet.

So now we see an America that is willing to head out thousands of miles to start crap for years, and then not be willing to accept the victims of their consequences. And the truth is, the United States should be prouder and more open towards the idea of so many people wanting to enter and become American citizens. Let’s be honest, nobody comes into the country with the full intent of becoming illegal and with the intent of changing everything American. If there was an easier system to becoming an official citizen with the ability to vote and qualify for a variety of the American perks then you’d see a total spike in entrants. If the nations America helped destabilize would recover then you wouldn’t see any many battered souls seeking a new life.

You think Mexicans want to leave Mexico? No, it is a beautiful country with layers of culture and personality---but most times they have to go. You think the Middle Eastern families want to fully abandon the only land they know? No, but there’s nothing left. That is the sad reality. The Drug War has secretly murdered tens of thousands of Mexicans with the help of the NRA, the American Drug Trade, and America’s refusal to even attempt to help their neighbors to the south. You think the millions of Puerto Ricans leaving the impoverished island want to flock to Florida? No, but sometimes in life you don’t have a choice. America isn’t their favorite option, it’s their best option. Have you seen Puerto Rico? Outside of its political and economical issues, the place is absolutely gorgeous.

The United States has a responsibility to help those in need, and help those that have been affected by the decisions made in the United States within the past decade. The United States just needs to pull out of the Middle East entirely and focus on defending and improving their soil while simultaneously being more sympathetic towards those in dire need of help. As a supposed-Christian nation, this is what we should be doing, opening our doors to help, embracing the emotionally scarred, and showing why at the end of the day America is one of the better nations to join. You want to be proud of your flag? Then be willing to share this flag with others, period.

The United Kingdom needs to also pay for its colonizing ways. It still has territory all over the world, so it’s rather ironic that they want to close the borders when they’ve invaded the borders of other nations for the past forever. But this isn’t on the great citizens, but they need to duplicate the actions of Germany and find a way to continue to receive immigrants in search of a better life while trying to solve the issues of unemployment and a deteriorating middle class. People coming in with nothing except the clothes on their back cannot be the blame.

Immigration doesn’t link or lead to crime and overall poverty—and Germany is an outstanding example. And if you want another example, let’s use France, Canada and Australia---with a whopping 20% immigration rate on the latter two nations and all 3 ranking among the best in overall economy in the planet. We need to drop the Nationalism and realize that we are lucky nations to not have been fully tainted—unlike Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Libya which need decades of help to try to prosper once again.

Our problems are apparent but not unsolvable. Our issues are existent but not erasable. We need to drop the guns, and open our arms to embrace. Once collectively we start helping others then we can achieve the goals of a safer, more open, and friendlier world that still has so much to offer. Love trumps hate every single time, but under the shadows of Trump, the Trump Supremacy fandom that has gotten far too big, Nationalism, Phobias, and refusals to accept responsibility for some of the larger issues plaguing the continents, we can’t solve anything. Hate will cloud the real problems, and will destroy you in a heartbeat. Look how fast the economy dipped after an emotional vote. And this is just the beginning.



Brexit is an ugly example of what might happen to America. Don’t let this happen.

The Pulse of Orlando

I’m still screaming.





Silently, but definitely screaming.







I still haven’t fully processed everything that has happened in the past 48 hours. We had a nice singer shot dead after her concert (shooter also wasn’t from here), and then had a man shoot up a nightclub (won’t call it a gay club, because that implies exclusivity which it definitely wasn’t) and take out 50 people, injure 50 more, and then damage the lives of an entire community and an entire city. The brave Orlando police quickly engaged the situation and prevented it from being even worse by cornering him for hours and then barging in and taking him out, without even a thought of sending him to court. The man revoked his rights to living once he set out to do what he did. And the act is even worse when you realize some of the details that I will discuss later.

So now we have Marco Rubio and several politicians classify Orlando as the face of the War on Terror. And that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Orlando belongs to nobody except the people, except the citizens, except the locals that help shape Florida into the most unique yet most welcoming and successful state in all the South, and currently one of the most successful states in the entire country. We thrive off of the interactions of people of all kinds and all cultures, otherwise we wouldn’t have 60 million yearly visiting our beautiful city.

You may assume that Orlando is a large city, but that is also far from the truth. We don’t even have a million people living in the city technically. We are a large community, and that is a major difference. Interestingly enough, I used to have a theory that the larger the city, the less likely we get a mass shooting because of our sheer number of options on how to enjoy life, on how to live, and how likely large successful cities are in the end a community of people that respect, appreciate, and enjoy each other. This mass shooting curtails the theory.

Back to the community feeling of Orlando: The entire spectrum of surrounding suburbs hail themselves from Orlando. Disney, 30 minutes from actual Orlando, calls itself Orlando. Even folks from Kissimmee, Windermere, Hunter’s Creek (Large enough to be a small town), the “Winters” Towns of Park and Garden will claim they are from Orlando. And it’s not to make the conversation easier, it’s because the ideals of Orlando belongs to them. We are one of the friendliest cities in the nation, and not just towards your typical American. We are extremely GLAAD friendly, extremely friendly towards immigrants and the Latino crowd (Gone to BVL lately?), and even have a good population hailing from the Middle East, Brazil, and even as far as China.

We receive more Brazilians than any other city in the nation, while also being among the top destinations for Canadians, British, and most Central/South American countries. None of this is an accident. Some can argue that Disney formed Orlando, but the truth is Orlando transformed Disney World from a conservative, clean-cut Midwestern-influenced spot into an extremely liberal and highly open place where people from every corner of the planet to not only visit, but also come to work thanks to the College Program. Facial hair, once a cardinal Disney sin, is allowed on property. Tattoos used to disqualify you automatically from the job, but now as long as you are covered you have a shot at working for the Mouse. That wasn’t even considered back in the 70s. The diversity here is staggering.

So no, we are not the face of terror. We are still Orlando, still a very proud mesh of year-round tourism, college attitude, millenial flair and acceptance, meshed in with Southern hospitality and that Florida edge that makes us proudly weird. We love our gators cooked and larger than dinosaurs. We love our new soccer team that gets screwed over by the refs every week. We love our frustrating Orlando Magic. We love our beautiful scenery overlooking one of several massive malls. We love our Disney World and their overpriced Mickey bars. We love our other theme parks that yearly try to keep up with Disney’s stranglehold on the theme park industry. We love the new face of Orlando known as the Orlando Eye, and the impressive stretch of restaurants and entertainment known as International Drive. We just experienced a very bad day from a bad egg that isn’t from here.

Our type of success breeds enemies. On 9/11 we were a target, and miraculously nothing happened. And now we are presented with what looks like Islamic terrorism, when in actuality it’s probably something very different. The attack didn’t come from within our tight-knit community, it came from a man from outside the Orlando borders, full of rage for seeing how happy we are, and secretly pondering why he couldn’t experience the same thing. Yes Omar Mateen called and claimed he was doing this in the name of ISIS. But here is a small fact that speaks layers about him:

Mateen was a REGULAR in Pulse. He wasn’t there just once, did research, and then went crazy. Apparently he had been there a dozen times. He actually had interacted with others inside the facility. He had been drunk there before, he had danced there before. Mateen wasn’t a stranger to the world of LGBT. The man never lived in Orlando, yet made his way to this very destination several times. Does this sound like a man working for ISIS? Does this sound like a terrorist in a radical group trying to harm America? Sounds quite bizarre that a man so willing to kill them all spent so much time with them. Now, I’m not saying I have the full explanation as to why that fateful night occurred (and to be honest, I might be totally wrong), but it speaks layers that Mateen was in there as often as he was---to a point that other regulars recognize his face. He can yell ISIS but his actions are that of a broken angry man (I shall add this: an American citizen).

Could he have been a closet homosexual? That would explain his unsuccessful relationships and struggles with steroids, families, jobs (worked several of them) and life in general. It could explain his disgust for the open displays of affection from gays (according to his father, it started supposedly after a visit to Miami). He was probably battling a demon within his soul that on his final days became unbearable. Maybe his personality and his dated religious beliefs were at complete odds, and nobody was there to really help him. Maybe it was the steroids, maybe it was the mental illness nobody was willing to confront. None of this justifies his actions, but it might explain why this looks much more like a lone wolf committing a hate crime as opposed to a man following orders from a terrorist organization across the Atlantic. There’s even reports that Mateen denounced his Afghanistan ties to his family.

The attack in Paris was clearly planned. They all had their suicide vests, worked as a team, and attacked different locations during the busiest part of the night. The attack on Orlando was a man with weapons on his possession (and in the car) unleashing an attack at 2:00 A.M., when it was winding down and the bouncers and police would show up to make sure closing goes smoothly. 2:00 a.m. is not an adequate time for an attack, no matter what the death toll is. The man was angry, and it wasn’t the religion telling him to do this. He was connected to Pulse, and for God knows what reason felt like he needed to eliminate its success and its impact.

Disguising this as a simple terrorist attack from an Islamic terrorist group is dangerous, and eliminates the true issue here: the world is not a safe place to be gay, whether you want to admit it or not. Hate crimes against homosexuals exist all over the world, and even in the United States. We still have anti-gay laws that can get you fired just because of your orientation in a whopping 31 states. P.S.: Claiming that Islam is the ONLY religion doing this old-school intolerance is irresponsible. Not labeling this attack as a hate crime is also irresponsible.

Notice it happened on Latin Night. And now that the information is out that the shooter was a frequent visitor is proof that this man was (besides potentially gay or bi himself but unwilling to accept this) anti-gay, anti-Hispanic (which has become a rising concern because of Trump), and at the end of the day, anti-Muslim for his violent outburst. Do not, repeat, do not just add this on a list. We need to dissect this, and continuously prove that there is a reason for Gay Days, the Gay Pride Parades, and finding the right politicians to fight the laws that discriminate. Under Obama, we got gay marriage and gay adoption legalized federally. Love is love, end of story. Do not just file this off as another “Islamic terrorist attack." There were specific targets here, and tons of rage holding the weapon. 

This is where Orlando once again comes into play. Don’t just pray for Orlando, become Orlando. Become friendly towards all. Become accepting to all. Become personally crazy and not give two shits as to what people might think. Orlando doesn’t experience the racism of Arizona, the subtle racism of New York City (gentrification is alive and well in NYC folks ), the homophobia of Georgia, and lastly the violence of a Chicago. Orlando is part of the grand movement of accepting individuality amongst everybody willing to be themselves, and not a single moment is going to fix that. Don’t be on your knees praying for improvement, be part of the movement for improvement.

A lesser city would crumble under the circumstances. But as you see thousands of people from all over Central Florida lining up for hours to donate blood, to help out, and just do whatever it takes to get everyone back on their feet, that’s all the proof in the world displaying that Orlando is already on the road to recovery. The parks are still open, the planes are still flying in, and the parties are still continuing. This should inspire you. We’ve become part of the revolution of the South, and although our neighbors are still very much behind (Piss off South Carolina and Tennessee politicians), we are getting closer to being just as openly engaging as California, Colorado, and New York.

We can discuss gun control, radicalism, the election at any other point next month. But this month should be about a fast recovery. It took 47,000 days of Orlando history before we reached a harrowing attack of this magnitude. And it’s no accident why. Not saying Orlando is perfect (don’t get me started about the 408), but its darn near close. This has been my home for almost all of my life, and I don’t experience the horrors that other minorities and other people in general suffer in other parts of the country. For that I’m grateful. I always classify myself as Dominican-Floridian because I like mentioning the state that has accepted me for who I am without any issue.

I will not blame any group or religion or any law for what occurred that night, and neither should you. It was the actions of one man, and one man alone. He disrespected the sanctity of life, he disrespected his religion, he disrespected a nation, and disrespected a group of people that has shown nothing but love towards everyone around them. Don’t just pray---act, react, contribute, help, and try to better yourselves. One by one if we all become more loving and more accepting, then we will continue to thwart hate and will continue to revolutionize the country. Maybe our care for our neighbors will transform someone from hateful to one of us. It’s not impossible. Fewer walls, more hugs.

We are not the face of terror. We are the face of a prideful city, a prideful community, and the face of some of the best people you’ll ever meet. We’ve survived the tour groups, we’ve survived hurricanes, we’ve survived some of the craziest storms you’ll ever see (Tropical Storm Fay, never forget), we’ve survived the summers year after year, survived Shaq, survived Dwight Howard, survived I-4, survived the construction of Disney Springs, survived Eisner, and we will survive anything that the world will throw at us. This shooting is a tragedy of the highest degree, but it won’t break or define us.

The best way to honor those that vanished from our lives prematurely is to continue living, through love and through tolerance of everybody. Muslims, atheists, gays, lesbians, transgender, Hispanics, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Tourists, Gator fans, you are all welcome here. We don’t believe in borders, we don’t believe in walls keeping people out, and we don’t believe in not helping others despite where they are coming from. This is Orlando, this is who we are. If you have hate or want to spread it, get out, it’s not welcome here (Donald Trump, I am specifically and especially calling you out). I’m still silently screaming, as this tragedy has definitely affected us all, but I remain hopeful that we will be back on our feet very, very soon. And this will be the last time I write about this, because I want it to be a dark distant memory, nothing more. Orlando needs us.





Orlando will rise again. And we will not change or waver to the face of the opposition. We are and shall remain the vocal image of modern America. It’s now up to the rest of you to also step up.