The great American representative democracy experiment is as key to our nation as the very ground we stand upon.

At the center of our values is the vote, the recognition that we, as a people, respect each other enough to identify the peaceful transition of power as a fundamental principal.

Therefore, though as many Americans voted against President Trump as voted for him, our system of elections has given Donald J. Trump the office of President of the United States. He is our president.

As Americans, we must all hope that President Trump rises to the incredible challenge to represent our people honorably and ably.

Nevertheless, our promise to respect our system, and our heartfelt desire for our president to represent us, does not mean we will be blind to the limitations in character, conduct and demeanor that President-elect Trump has shown to be part of what he brings to this most high office.

At his core, Donald Trump does not represent many of the values of America that have made this nation a beacon to the free world. Trump is now president of more than White Americans, though his campaign for office became a sad reminder that race bias is far from in our past.

Black Americans deserve fair and equal justice before the law and in contact with the police. Trump, as a candidate, seemed unable or unwilling to acknowledge that fundamental truth.

Hispanic Americans are also now the constitutions of the president, and Trump must never again stereotype Hispanic Americans as rapists and murderers. Nor can this new president set aside compassion for those who have contributed to America for many years while not being able to become citizens. This American president cannot deem it responsible to cast out young Hispanics who have known no other home than America, who have served in our armed forces, and who work daily beside all of us.

Nor can Trump allow himself to speak out against the constitution by suggesting a religious test designed to deny access to the United States by virtue of being Muslim. Muslim Americans are just as much American as the Trump family, and discriminating against them discriminates against all of us.

Trump now also must stand beside the freedoms and protections the Supreme Court has only recently granted our LGBT community. He must fight to ensure that every state, and every community comply with the laws to protect their rights and freedoms from discrimination.

Candidate Trump suggested curtailing the free speech of our media with stricter libel laws. Trump must now recognize that the free, uninhibited speech of the press is one of the great protectors of this nation. He must now be certain America knows he respects the First Amendment wholeheartedly.

Trump comes to office with less knowledge of foreign affairs and less knowledge of our military than any president in the last 70 years. Unfortunately, Trump has shown little curiosity in studying these topics, reads little, and has suggested he knows more than our generals. These attitudes will not serve the president well as the American leader and commander in chief.

Trump must also recognize that being honored by the worlds’ murderous dictators, like the Russian President, is no honor. Our nation requires a strong response to those who would invade Crimea, shoot down a passenger plane over Ukraine, and bomb civilians intentionally in Aleppo.

We must all hope the new American president meets and exceeds the challenges he will face. And, we must all hold to account this president, who campaigned all too often in opposition to our laws and customs. He must now represent all of us, our constitution, our culture, and, most importantly, our diversity.

 

Jim Crawford is a retired educator and political enthusiast living here in the Tri-State.