I'm Ashamed to Live in a Country That Could Elect a Pedophile

I’m ashamed to live in a country that could elect a pedophile. This is a country that willingly handed over power to the most deplorable person anyone can imagine.It was no secret. We could all see that he was deplorable. Even the people who support him know that he’s deplorable.He screams insults at people.He has been found guilty of sexual misconduct.He has been found guilty of fraud.Yet, rather than hold him accountable, the American people marched forth to defend him.It makes me ashamed.Even though I never supported that repugnant, sorry excuse for a human being, I still feel ashamed. I still feel guilt.I feel guilt because his rise to power is just as much a reflection on me as it is a reflection on all of his supporters. We got here because this is a country that lacks integrity. This is a country that lacks accountability. This is a country that disregards the stories of abuse survivors, and hands over accolades to the monsters who destroy lives.They get power, they get promotions, they get wealth, they get applause. The people they destroy in order to feel better about themselves, get humiliation and shame.This didn’t start on November 5th, 2024. This has been the way of this country since its inception, and it makes me ashamed.I know there are a lot of people out there who are tempted to say, “Well, don’t lump me in with the supporters—I didn’t vote for this!”I think that attitude is a mistake. A lack of accountability is what got us here. Just like anyone else, I feel an internal temptation to stand up and scream, “SEE? SEE? I TOLD YOU SO! WHY DIDN’T YOU LISTEN?”But who does that statement serve? It seems only to defend my own ego. This challenge isn’t about me. This challenge is about helping all the survivors that the wealthy and powerful have always exploited.We must show respect for the survivors, and those that didn’t survive.The way out of this is accountability.The reason we have a deplorable monster and sexual abuser of children behind the levers of power is because this is a nation that does not practice accountability.It’s in our bones.It’s in our ideology.It drives all our actions.We have to surgically remove that inclination from our sense of self. We have to deliberately practice accountability. We have to hold ourselves accountable.We live in this nation.This election gave power to a monster.We’re all responsible no matter who we voted for.Once we accept that, we feel that itch of injustice that motivates us to make the world better. If we insist, “I didn’t vote for that, don’t lump me in” we deprive ourselves of agency. If we sever our connection to the shame, we aren’t compelled to do better.That’s the instinct that got us into this mess.Our children deserve more than that.This is a country that’s run by foul abusers and monsters and exploiters of the human spirit. We can’t sit passively and allow nefarious groups to scream and yell and pull out their hair when we propose teaching the truth of American history at schools.That’s what got us into this mess.We can’t sit passively and do nothing when nefarious groups insist they have the right to force all our children to mumble “under God” at public schools in defiance of separation of church and state.That’s what got us into this mess.We can’t afford to sit passively with our heads in the sand and pretend that injustices like racism and misogyny aren’t still rampant in this nation.That’s what got us into this mess.We have to look into our hearts and recognize that we’re surrounded by abusive people, and even though it’s easier to turn our heads and pretend that’s not the case, we have to find the compulsion to act.We have to hold the abusers accountable. That is our sacred obligation!Do not waste energy on claims that you or anyone shouldn’t be lumped in with the transgressors. We’ve all contributed to the rise of evil in one way or another. Our unconscious lack of action is just as damning as consciously supporting the enablers of evil.I’m ashamed to live in a country that elected a pedophile. On the day that everyone is ashamed, we will have established a protection to ensure it never happens again.But while we deny our own complicity, we leave a crack in the door wide enough for another snake to slither through.You all make this newsletter happen! Thanks for your sponsorship! I have payment tiers starting at as little as twenty dollars a year.Upgrade at 30% offUpgrade at 40% offUpgrade at 50% offUpgrade at 60% offI’m so happy you’re here, and I’m looking forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow.My CoSchedule referral linkHere’s my referral link to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this, it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you).I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe