Why Has Election Day Made Me So Angry?

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Find out what it means to me

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Take care, TCB"

Like so many of us, I've been thinking long and hard about this recent election and I'm just still angry as hell. So angry in fact, that I've barely been able to even discuss this even among friends. Although like many of us who have been trying to figure out what happened, the question I've been focusing on is this: where is this deep seated, visceral, and overwhelming anger inside of me coming from? 

Facebook, Twitter, and the 24/7 news cycle has shown me the full spectrum of human emotion this week, and not just from the United States, but from around the world. It's never been more clear that the whole world is watching us. 

 

I think I want to take a giant step back, and really do some soul searching. Instead of getting all political and rehashing everything we already know (and frankly, no one wants to relive) I want to explore my own anger. 

You see, the more I think about it, the more I'm coming to the conclusion that it's not so much coming from the fact we elected Donald Trump as our next president, but rather we elected a horrible, miserable, hateful, revengeful, spiteful, ugly, selfish and disrespectful human being. The most egregious being the disrespectful part. 

What does respect have to do with it? Well, I would argue everything actually. You see, in my book respect, integrity, and character are all that matter. My wife and I raised two beautiful, smart, funny, rambunctious, and strong-willed girls. 

We made plenty of mistakes, however we learned early on that we had to be united, consistent, and fair in laying down some basic rules and guidelines. 

Through trial and error, we came to agree on three rules that were non-negotiable, and everything else was. Here are the three: 1. Health - you will bathe, sleep, eat properly, take your medicine when necessary, and brush your teeth every day. 2. Education - you will go to school; you will do your homework, and you will finish high school (at the minimum). 3. Respect - You will respect yourself and others. Plain and simple. No exceptions.  

It's this third one I want to talk about, because this is the one that Mr. Trump has violated in the most spectacular, outrageous, and egregious way. I never paid any attention to this man until he entered this election, and then I had no choice. 

He forced us to pay attention. What we witnessed over an 18 month period is some of the worst, most childish, most mean spirited, but mostly just disrespectful behavior any of us have ever seen or experienced. He has said and done some of the most hurtful and disrespectful things any public figure - in the history of the world - has ever done. And he made sure it was all captured on camera or audio. 

I wouldn't tolerate this level of disrespect from my children or yours. I wouldn't tolerate it from my family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers. I certainly am not going to tolerate it from the president of the United States either. Neither should you. 

Respect is something you earn. The office of the President of the United States comes with a great deal of respect. The person who occupies that position does not. This person has to earn respect. 

This is why I'm so angry. Of all the monumental challenges Mr. Trump will face in this new position, perhaps earning our respect may be his greatest one.

Mr. Trump, it's your turn.