My dear friends.
I have struggled to find a path that seems loving and peaceful, politically, this year. I know people who vote across the political spectrum and I refuse to see anyone as my enemy. We are here to love one another, and that includes–for me– trying to understand and open the hearts even of people who wish me dead. And by dead, I don’t mean metaphorically dead, but ACTUAL DEAD, like the kid I met after a 
speech in Ohio, who said he thought people like me should be “exterminated.” I hope to find love in my heart even for him. Yes, even for him.
Politically my issues are closest to Sanders. Now that Senator Clinton is the presumptive nominee I will vote and work for her. I hope Senator Sanders, whom I love– and whom I once met at Bread and Puppet Theatre in Vermont –as well as his supporters–will put country ahead of self now. We should all criticize her, as Senator Sanders did, to make her a wiser candidate. But let’s talk like grown ups. We can criticize her without our eyes rolling back in our heads and going, conspiracy, Benghazi, Goldman Sachs, Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul. One part of the journey is over, and another now begins.
For those of you voting for Donald Trump, I will continue to speak to you kindly, as many of you I have known for a lifetime. I hope that by doing so we can see each other as humans, and not as cartoon adversaries. I am certain that you will speak to me and other progressives like your fellow countrymen, and women, with the respect and thoughtfulness that we deserve. Won’t you.
I will ask that folks take the stuff that comes out of Mr. Trumps mouth seriously. And hope that you will agree that racism and bigotry have no place in our country.
I ask that we open our hearts to each other, to see each other as the vulnerable, imperfect souls that we are. And do what we can to move forward together.
I guess what I am saying is that everything does not have to suck. Kindness and love are a form of politics too, and I think we should practice them, even when it seems stupid. Or naive. Or in vain. Then most of all, in fact. How else do we create a new world?
