VOTE or Die

Do y’all remember that whole ‘Vote or Die’ campaign back in the early 2000’s? Who knew just how relevant that would become? Because honestly, people are dying. The Earth is dying. You have to vote. Seriously, if you don’t vote, you don’t get the right to an opinion. Ever.

And if you’re voting for Trump - honestly, I don’t know how to help you. You’re either extremely ignorant and unaware, or you’re a bad person or you’re saying you’re OK with a bad person leading our nation. There’s no excuse to be voting for an openly hateful, sexual predator. Let’s get that out of the way now.

National voter registration day JUST happened - and I hope you are all registered to vote, but if you aren’t, please do so HERE. For information on the last day to register - go HERE.

NOW - on top of voting, you need to educate yourself on what you’re voting for.

Here are some resources for voting:

California Secretary of State

The League of Women Voters Education Fund

Ballotpedia

You can also easily access useful information on polling places, voter guides, etc. on your Secretary of State’s website.

Whatever you do, register to vote - and then do your research and VOTE. Not being informed, not being involved - it’s not okay. You owe it to yourself, your country, and your future to actively engage in the government and how it operates for you and your fellow citizens. If these past four years have taught us anything, it’s that when we allow uneducated people to lead, we all fail.

I also highly suggest volunteering and going door to door even once to contribute to your local drive to get others to register to vote and actually vote. If you can host a polling place or volunteer at one, do it. Being involved in democracy is huge. Bottom line, get involved.

AND VOTE!

America the Remix

Ok - so all sane people can agree the America is a hot mess right now. Like I’m here to celebrate the 4th because America is the greatest nation i the world, but she’s certainly not acting like it.

So while I’m here to say Happy Independence Day, I’m also here to say, let’s be better. That whole “this isn’t what America was founded on” kills me. America was founded to protect white male slave owners. So can we please stop romanticizing our foundation and instead say, if we want America to be this amazing place we dream of, we’ve got work to do.

Where do we start?

Get Honest

Start by being honest with yourself and the people around you. Step one is always admitting there’s a problem. Whether that be acknowledging your own privilege or helping others to see theirs, we have got to admit the issues in front of us. Racism, sexism, sexual assault, the opiod crisis - we’ve got a lot to cover. Also understand that admitting we have these problems is a positive. Nobody (and no nation) is perfect, stop getting defensive and start getting real.

Stay Strong

You’ve got to hold yourself and others accountable. It’s often uncomfortable but it’s really important to keep yourself and those around you in check. Call out your friends, family, and lawmakers when they’re not working towards making America better. We have to speak up and that is not easy. People are going to say you’re too political or you’re too involved or a million other things, but it’s important. Don’t be shamed into complacency.

Stay Informed

I am constantly doing research so that I am informed and aware of the happenings in the world socially and politically. I do the hard work to make sure my opinions are based on carefully gathered knowledge and not headlines or twitter clicks. Do your part and get informed so that the opinions you’re putting out there are based on true information, not fake news.

Get Involved

Loo,, we are all busy. But we also all complain about the state of things. And it’s not going to change until we all get involved. Forget your whole “I’m only one person” BS, that’s just not a good excuse for anything. One person can affect change, just look at the 2018 midterms. A whole lot of everyday Americans got involved and helped us to make changes for the better. It can be small but however you get involved, just do so.

I am a proud American, and that’s why I expect us to be better. That’s why I am so passionate about involvement and awareness and improving on where we started from. I don’t think we have to settle, and I'm refusing to allow us to do so.

Proud Mama

While living in Texas, I met a woman who who would change my life. She has become one of my closest friends and I consider both her and her family, my extended family. They became people that I knew I could turn to in Texas and I’d have a home to go to, which is really important to me. Texas never felt like my home but these people did.

I grew up in California and while my family I would say is more middle of the road in their belief system, Californians by nature are generally more left than right.

My Texas family definitely leans a lot more Republican in every sense of the system. They’re right of the middle.

And yet our differences are the perfect example of how to exist in a happy place of having different political beliefs but agreeing on a lot of the important social issues. More importantly, these are people that I know I can have respectful open discussion with and truly learn from each other.

Before I left Texas, my friend and I made a deal - I would go to her church with her if she promised to vote in 2020. Little did I know, she would begin a journey of committing herself to becoming more informed, educated and aware of the world around her in a way I had never planned on.

I want to make it clear, it is never my goal to change anyone. I think it’s important to have open dialogue in a supportive environment without judgment, but ultimately with the goal of informing, not changing. I don’t have everything figured out, I’ll never pretend to, but I want to share my experiences and views to encourage others to think differently.

That’s what she has done. She is the perfect example of staying committed to her deep faith but understanding that her faith doesn’t give her the right to control others or push that belief on others. She speaks passionately and is an incredible example of her Christian faith without being pushy. I greatly respect her ability to commit to her religion on this journey while expanding her horizons in the political and social space.

Abortion is generally frowned upon in Texas and in Christian religion. She is not a proponent of abortion and never will be. But she has recently come to understand that just because she would not choose that for herself, does not mean she has the right to tell someone else what to do with their own body. And I could cry.

I am a proud mama because she made that decision for herself. She researched, she talked to people, and she said this is what I believe and what works for me but I want to respect other humans in this world.

At work, she’s figuring out ways to be inclusive. Out of work, she’s reaching out to ask my opinion on current events and to clarify things she doesn’t understand. I don’t know the answer every time, but having her trust me enough on this journey means the world.

I write all of this to say, be more like my friend. No matter what “side” you are on, or what your belief system is, we could all stand to be more open to discussion, committed to educating ourselves, and care enough to put ourselves in the shoes of others. She is everything this world needs right now and inspires me to continue to challenge myself to think differently.

Open to More

I have not always been so informed. I have not always been as vocal regarding political and social issues. I admit I have said and thought ignorant things in my life. And I’ll probably misunderstand a few more.

There came a time when I would be in conversation and honestly not know enough to give an opinion. Or I would form an opinion without ever really understanding another viewpoint.

Full transparency, I didn’t get Black Lives Matter and I was opposed to kneeling for the national anthem. I didn’t get it and I was immediately offended by both of these things.

I don’t know the turning point but eventually I started having open conversations with people who thought differently than I do and I asked really honest uncomfortable questions. Thankfully I was able to speak with people who didn’t get defensive or angry, they appreciate my eagerness to see things from another perspective. And the more I learned about both of these things, the more I changed my mind.

That’s the key to what’s happening right now. Instead of focusing on learning other perspectives or listening to new views — we want to be right. We want to win. And when we lead from a place of competition, we all lose.

Quite frankly, the reason we are so “divided” is because a lot of people refuse to accept truths. I used to think it was divide of political opinion, but now I realize it’s a divide between right and wrong. Those claiming it’s a divide politically, they’re wanting to justify their hate and that’s how they do it, by pointing fingers at the group they’re oppressing.

The truth? Slavery was widely accepted. Not allowing women to vote, widely accepted. Not allowing gays rights, again almost unanimously accepted at one time. The people who fought against these ideas, they were called traitors, troublemakers even. Disruptions to the norm. But enough people got together to talk about it that soon change started to occur.

The truth about America? We were built by a group of white men who governed in favor of white men. There’s no mention of women in the Constitution at all. Certainly persons of color were not given equality. So the system we built - I hope it’s broken because it was broken from the start. America wasn’t built to protect everyone. That’s what we fight for. It’s also really important to understand the difference between when things like women being allowed to vote occurred and black women were allowed to vote. Persons of color do not have the same experiences and get afforded the same rights just because it becomes a right for white people. Same with other minorities like Native Americans and Asians.

I think a lot of people in my life have seen my transition from passive to active as annoying. And I think that’s such a privileged way to look at things. I am very privileged. Certainly I have my struggles as a woman, but I’m a white woman, so I still am afforded some luxuries women of color are not. And I feel passionately about being on the right side of it all. I care a lot about equality for myself and for the people around me. And that’s why I’ve chosen to get educated and speak up.

To this day, I’ve got a lot to learn. And while I probably won’t agree with every social/political issue in the liberal world, I do tend to lean more liberal socially. Fiscally, you might find yourself surprised to know I’m a bit more conservative. For me, each issue is its own issue. And it’s not necessarily about siding Republican or Democrat.

I’m open to more than the defined roles we’ve been given.

Now I’m also not ignorant to thinking I can vote third party and our problems will be addressed. Quite frankly, I’m voting Democrat right now as much as possible because the GOP has created such a horrific environment that we need a shake up to get back to neutral. I’m voting blue across the bord because I have to. We can’t afford to continue letting the GOP remain in charge. I am honestly disgusted with anyone who thinks differently.

The point is - be open to more than you know now. I can’t stand hearing Americans complain about illegals and politics and politicians and yet you don’t vote. And you don’t know anything about politics or social issues. There’s no excuse for that level of ignorance. If you don’t vote and are able to - you define privilege.  And its unacceptable. Your opinion is unnaceptable and you don’t get to have it if uou don’t vote.

Be open to listening to people who are nothing like you. Be open to learning and forming your own opinions based on real research. Be open to evolving. Just be open to more.

You’ll never have too much information. You’ll never be an expert on it all. You will always be able to talk to more people, learn more, and become a better citizen of the world around you.

And if people are open to change and learning, embrace them for it. Stop shaming folks who used to be in the wrong and have been brave enough to want better. I’m sick of this competition that makes you better because you “knew from the start.” It doesn’t encourage change and acceptance when you bully others who want to get there simply because they took longer. Help them so you can help America. 

If this horrible situation has taught us anything, it’s that we all might have been a bit ignorant to the real America. Like a lot ignorant. And we cannot afford to ever go back. Be open to more.

Different is Wrong

Hot take: It's perfectly ok to dislike someone simply because they have a different opinion than you. In today's delicate/heated/WTF is going on political environment, we often see people encouraging being accepting of different opinions, and in most cases, I'll agree. But if I'm keeping it real, if you back 45, I don't like you. And I think you're a bad person. And quite frankly, you are.

That goes in direct contrast to accepting different viewpoints. And I don't care. The only reason people who do support 45 claim its political - that its close minded to not accept them, is because they need to justify their ways. They don't have a defense for the wrongdoings of our current administration. Because there are no justifications. the go to is simply "well you're close minded" and "you only want to talk to people who think like you do." I love talking to people that have different viewpoints than I do. Let's chat a woman's right to choose, let's discuss gay marriage - the discussions are lively and often times, I learn something. But I have no desire to discuss anything with someone who thinks there is any reason to support a bigot. There's simply nothing to discuss, you're not making good choices, and that's a reflection of who you are inherently.

We've seen the facts - literally from his own mouth - 45 is not a good person. He's unqualified, ignorant, racist, an admitted sexual abuser and he's just bad for America (and the world). If you defend this person, even on the basis of political policy, you are also a bad person.

It's ok to be Republican and not support 45 - there's no loyalty to be had there. And there's no party disloyalty by not accepting someone who crumples the values you stand for. It's beyond political party - and honestly, he's making Republicans look really bad. Why would you want that of your party? The recovery alone from this non wavering support is going to be insane. Just another reason parties as a whole are absurdly ineffective and ancient practice. We don't need them.

I get it, that may seem as if I'm ignorant and hateful - but here's where you're wrong. What's going on right now, it's not ok. And in the future, when he's gone, we will know who stood on the side of wrong. And it will affect you in the future. You cant outrun being a bad person.

When people are wrong - and just plain horrible people - we need to stand against that (and those who support it). It's ok to not accept a viewpoint of hate. And it makes you a good human being for recognizing something so horribly wrong that you have to say to someone, I do not accept your different viewpoint.

Because I don't. I don't accept that you feel ok supporting someone who flat out admits sexually assaulting women simply because he can. I don't accept that you can justify a man who put children in camps after ripping them from their families. I don't accept you for believing it's ok that a man makes racist remarks from the office of the white house. I don't accept that viewpoint and I don't accept you for it. You are wrong, and you are embodying these horrible views.

Stating that you aren't racist/sexist/an abuser - but still supporting someone in power who is these things, that doesn't work. You are these things because you won't stand against them. Just because you've never outwardly acted in such a way doesn't mean you're against them. Enabling those that do, makes you part of the problem. It makes you just as bad.

It's not a difference of politics at this point. It's not a difference of opinion. It's wrong. Americans deserve better - and as the leaders of the free world, we owe everyone else more too.

I am not close minded because I don't accept your support of a traitor, criminal, sexual predator. You are ignorant and hateful because you can't see the problem with supporting such a person. Realistically, you don't see the problem with your actions either from a lack of education or a lack of exposure to the situations minorities face - and that's no longer an excuse either. Simply being ignorant or from a time where things were different - that's not a viable excuse.

It may not matter to you if you're shown in history as someone who is wrong, but it matters to me. Because as a person who wants better for the future, I care how I exist in the now. And I don't care if you think I'm a bad person for thinking you're a bad person. I know what's right and hate isn't right.

This one may lose me some friends and followers - and that's ok. Being a better person matters to me more than a couple friends who aren't people I should spend time with anyways and please, if I'm doing this for the followers, I'm failing. Like three people read this thing, and two are related to me.

It's Not that Bad.

We've become a nation that settles for not that bad. Whenever a new policy, candidate, SCOTUS appointment, BS thing our President has said comes out - it's an immediate cringe, and then "Well, its not the end of the world."

Sure, the world won't end with any of these things, but do we really want to be a country of "I guess it's not that bad?"

I love America. We've got a lot of growing to do. The current administration has caused us a lot of setbacks, but its also opened our eyes to things a lot of people weren't aware were still a problem.

I'm sick of being told I'm overreacting and being asked "is it really that bad?" when it comes to the state of our government right now. Because yes, if we have to set the bar at "the world won't end," then we've definitely gone too far.

It's a privilege to serve in any role in our government. And a role most are voted into by Americans. That should be taken seriously. When we elect these people into office, they should be held to a higher standard because they're in control of a world that effects millions of Americans.

When you think about the lengths people go through to become Americans citizens, the risks they take to bring their families into our country, how lucky we are to have a lot of the rights and privileges we do here, it should give you pause in how seriously you take the honor of being involved in the governing of it.

America is a powerhouse. We are the most powerful country in the world. The entire world. A good majority of what we do, causes a ripple effect for the rest of the world. That's quite the responsibility to take on. Knowing that, I also think that gives us extra motivation to do this right.

We need leadership that brings respect, authority, intelligence, empathy, and pride to the office. From the local Mayor to the President of the United States, if you're mediocre, you've got to go. If you bring disrespect to the office, if the world laughs at us because of who is leading us, we've got a worldwide crisis.

As you go into the world and raise the future, or even just existing on your own, be better. Educate yourself, be involved, and vote. Make sure that you're holding yourself and the people in office accountable. And don't for once second ever allow yourself, or anyone else in our government to get to a place of "well, it's not that bad."

It is that bad. The greatest nation in the world wasn't built to be mediocre. Be better.

Ears Closed

Lately - everyone wants to talk, but nobody wants to listen.  For some reason, politics have become more divisive than ever.  It's seemingly very important to have two distinct categories of people - liberal and conservative.  

Instead of engaging in meaningful conversation - discussion even - we are at odds in a way that lends  itself to fierce battle.  If someone disagrees with you, there's a heated back and forth until someone finally gives up, shoots a hateful retort and leaves the conversation.  Ultimately this leads to one person accusing the other of being unable to accept anyone who isn't like them.  and the other person accusing that first person of being hateful and ignorant.  And so the cycle continues.

Some things we all need to understand to create an environment conducive to change:

1. There is ONE side here, it's humanity.  We all live here, we all have to find a way to make it work or shit's about to get really unsafe for us all.  
2. We all have to give up some pride and be willing to truly listen and be open to a middle ground
3. Not one person EVER needs to accept hate, ignorance, or bigotry into their world.  If you are engaging with someone who simply does not understand they are speaking from a place of privilege, racism, sexism - remove yourself from that situation.  That's not refusing to accept a different opinion, that's refusing to accept we have to continue the cycle we are currently in.
4. Time is up.  We don't have anymore time to keep fighting each other.  Compromises have to be made and action has to be taken. NOW

I'm going to keep it 100 - I threw up in my purse hungover less than six months ago, so relying on me for all of the answers, that's probably not how we should save the world.  But I think we can look to me for some guidance on how to start engaging in a better way.  And even if we can't, I'm going to try.

1. Communicate: Talk with others, not to them.  It's respectable to stand by your opinion, but sometimes it's important to understand when your opinion isn't relevant, respectful, or productive.  Stop already crafting a response to someone's opinion before you've even heard what they have to say.  Everyone wants to peak but nobody wants to listen.  For example.  Gun policy.  I don't really care if you think we need them or should ban them all - we have to all understand what we have right now is not working.  So let's all be open to finding out what will work, getting research and facts around that and then committing to something that works.  
2. Educate: Everyone is an expert.  Everyone has facts.  Realistically, we are all probably mostly wrong or relying on the wrong sources.  Educate yourself.  Find legitimate sources for your news and facts.  To be very clear, there is no doubt Fox News is incredibly bias so lets all stop kidding ourselves there.  Understand where studies are funded when you quote their facts.
3. Equality: At the end of the day, everyone is deserving of equality so if that's not something you're willing to accept or engage with, you've got to understand we are leaving you behind in this discussion.  If you accept racism, sexism, hate, bigotry as existing in your world - if you refuse to acknowledge we have a problem with privilege and racism - we have to drop you off here because the future deserve better.

I see a lot of people in the world engaging with other people in the ugliest way.  I've been accused of being hateful and not open to other opinions myself - and while that's extremely misguided (and often from the people who don't understand racism or privilege) - I think it would be ignorant of me not to pause and review what I say when that does occur.  Not one of us is perfect, and we all have moments that we get too heated.  So if you have the opportunity to reflect and improve - do so - if only to help produce a more efficient future.  And ultimately, if you find yourself engaging with someone who truly isn't open to change - its important for your sanity - and for the sake of productivity - to simply wish them well and remove them from your world.  There's enough well meaning people out there - on both "sides" that we can create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.

Privilege

I'd like to share something with you.  I'm white.  Like grew up in the suburbs, 2 parents, 2 kids, 2 dogs, soccer on Saturday's - white.  Ok I'm Portuguese.  But unless it's July, you can easily tell, I'm a white woman who grew up middle class.  

Is my life perfect?  Not even a little bit.  People actually don't believe a lot of my stories because shit like that doesn't happen in real life.  Let me tell you - it does, it has, I made it through.  I wish someone gave me the souvenir photo but I probably threw it away because it didn't have a puppy filter.

I used to struggle with the idea of white privilege.  It absolutely used to offend me.  I doubted its existence.  Realistically though, I never took the time to understand it.

But I asked some questions, did some research, mostly talked to people other than myself, and then asked some questions of people who are like me and here's where I'm at:

Having privilege does not mean I have not struggled.  Being white is not something I'm expected to apologize for.  White privilege isn't a label I've got to wear that says my life is rainbows and unicorns.

For me - understanding that I have privilege just simply means I get my struggles are different than someone who grew up in the same world but is black.  Or Latino.  Or really anything other than white.

The thing is - I am white.  So while I can listen to the stories of those not like me - those without that privilege - I don't know what its like.  Realistically, I never will.

But I'd like to use my voice to speak about it because I would hope that others would do the same for me.  I'd really like to work towards making life a little more equal.  I know, bet you guys never figured me for a good person, I didn't either but here we are.

Now I get it - life isn't equal and it never will be.  And you don't ever have to apologize for the life you have.  Being born wealthy or lucky or privileged is not something you have to stand up and apologize for.  You don't owe anything to anyone.  In fact, if you want to call it life's lottery and leave it at that - go right ahead.  You may even believe everyone has the same shot and needs to put in the same work.  I'll give you that life is hard and takes a lot of effort.  But given two people who are giving the same effort, coming from the same background but one is a minority and one is not - history kiiiiiiind of shows us the white guy is going to win (and I don't say GUY on accident).

You know - while we're at it - someone remind me to do a piece on male privilege because I'm currently living in the South (Texas, calm down, you're the South to the rest of America) and male privilege is flourishing.

Cool Cool - back to privilege.  Here's the thing.  Privilege is also widely associated with wealth.  And it's associated with being bad - making privileged people bad.  It doesn't mean any of that.  I'm not wealthy (Why hasn't anyone started a Go Fund me for this lifestyle) and I'm not even that bad of a person.  But there are people out there who will experience struggles I won't ever experience, simply because of the color of their skin. 

To recap - privilege is not something to apologize for, to feel guilty for, or to even take on as a burden.  But if you realize it's there - it is an opportunity to learn about the struggles of other people and to work for inclusion in a world that quite frankly is trying to be anything but.

Political Expert: Me.

Now I would not consider me a political expert.  I would consider myself politically educated, aware, and informed.  But I also have moments whereI have to google things because I have no idea what you're talking about.

But politically speaking - I think the party system is the dumbest invention we've got in politics.  Politics are not a sport.  When one side wins, a lot of people can lose.  I find it a bit Hunger Games in general when a political party wins and millions of people lose healthcare, or families are divided, or really poor people suffer more. 

Politically I don't identify with either party as a whole.  Blind party loyalty is how we ended up in the mess we are in today and voting purely to align with Democrat or Republican is uneducated.  We would be a lot better off as a nation if everyone acted independently and researched policies, laws, and candidates and then made a choice based on what works best for human beings.  Read that back - because all the suits on Capitol Hill - they're not living in the same world we are.  These things we are voting on - they affect people like you and I more than suit #32 who is not affected by new healthcare laws or tax policies.

What I'm seeing lately is a country divided based on us vs them.  Democrat vs Republican.  There's a lot of who lost and who won.  And that disgusts me.  Politics affect lives.  They affect the livelihood of our people.  And THAT is what we need to focus on.  Winning is when we have low unemployment, a healthcare system that works by taking care of our families, and taxes that make it possible for everyone to have a shot at making it financially.  How is celebrating poverty, sickness, and hatred a part of our political system?  How is that winning for anyone?

I'm not really in a place to suggest what the solution is.  And we probably should not rely on me to fix the entire political system in America (Mandatory happy hour?) but I dare say I'm not alone in my feeling that what we;re currently working with is broken.  And feeling that way should not be confused for lack of pride in my country.  The people out there fighting against the bad are so in love with our great nation that we are fiercely committed to its survival.  I love America.  I am so proud to be American.  If I wasn't passionate about this country - I wouldn't be so active in defending what it was created to be. 

Politically Speaking.

The election is over.  Donald Trump is our new President.  I know, Donald Trump, the man who didn't even believe it himself, was elected President of the United States of America.

I'll admit - I cried when I learned that Trump would be our 45th President.  I shed about 6 whole tears, which incidentally is more than I've shed in about 100 years of existence.  Politically speaking - I don't much care for politics.  And politically speaking - I'm not upset about the politics associated with Donald Trump.  But I am upset that a man ran an entire campaign based in blatant racist, sexist, hateful sentiments - and he won.

I'm upset that people, intelligent, loving, good human beings were so upset with the state of our nation that they were willing to overlook these sentiments and elect this man as our leader.  No, not all voters who selected Trump are racist or sexist - but a vote for Trump is a vote that says "I'm willing to condone how he ran his campaign because of other factors."

And what a luxury that is.  There's a great divide between those who believe a vote for Trump is a vote for hate and those who simply claim they disagree with how he chose to run his campaign but believe in his politics.  And believe me, I get that.  I'm fiscally Republican.  Socially - I lean more Democratic.  Realistically, I should be part of that whole group that has such a mixed bag of views they don't even fit Independents.  I should start a sparkly party.  I digress (as I so often do), what is hard for me to understand is:

1. If you don't believe a vote for Trump is a vote for hate what is your justification to vote for someone who ran a campaign on blatant racist, sexist, and went so far to even mock a disabled person?  Are you a protected class?

2. Now that we've started to "give Trump a chance" as he elects his surrounding team and that he's shown to put some bad people in place - do you still back your vote?  If you do, where do we draw the line?

3. Are you altogether denying that racism/sexism/bigotry exist as a larger problem?

Truly - I'm accepting and open to different beliefs.  I enjoy open discussion and have made a point to understand both sides.  I've had great debate with friends and people I respect who voted for Trump.  And whether I'm wrong or right - I want to understand why as a nation we aren't more concerned about the implications of this type of campaign and Presidency?  I want to understand why groups of people don't feel as passionate about the racist/sexist/bigoted speech and actions.  I want to know why its easy for some to dismiss the concerns of millions and say "get over it".  I'm intensely curious about all of these things.  And I want to see discussion, evaluation, and accountability for all of it. 

At the end of four years - I would love to be wrong.  I would love to see Donald Trump turn into a saint who brings America better and makes us the strongest we've ever been.  But I'm scared we set ourselves back and created a scary place to exist.  And I think it's ok to feel scared.  It's ok to have questions.  Instead of the hateful arguments and accusations and telling citizens how to feel - talk to each other.  Realize the only way we get through this is to respect each other, to communicate, and to be open minded.  Dividing ourselves is not only unproductive its positively stupid.  It's how we destroy ourselves.  Put aside your pride and actively listen to the concerns of others.  We have to exist together and personally I would like to exist in a positive way - the only way to do that is to come together so that we have a majority of open minded people.  To work together so much that the few that are truly bad seeds cannot be heard.