It's been two days since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, and I, for one, am devastated. I know what you're thinking — Yes, the man may be inexperienced, insensitive, bigoted, and worse. Yes, he may have risen to the top only through fraud and chicanery. Yes, he may make ill-conceived promises and use spurious logic to propel a broken agenda. However, even if this is all true, that is only part of the story. The deeper source of my devastation is not just the election of this man, but the violent reaction of the nation itself. Rioting, violence, intolerance, fear-mongering — all found throughout the country from members of both sides of the aisle. This, to me, is what is devastating. When 11 year old children spat slurs at each other; when college students use black face and Confederate flags to "support" this new administration; when a man (no matter how unconscionable) is burnt in effigy; when citizens are afraid to exercise their own freedoms; when there are calls for assassination of a human being — this is devastating.
After facing concerned students and confused children, I am compelled to write this. How do I explain this violence? How do I justify the division of a supposedly "united" people? I, quite simply, cannot excuse the deplorable behavior displayed by so many over the past two days. While I firmly believe that it is the prerogative — no, the duty — of every citizen to vehemently protest civil injustice, I am appalled at the sheer malice that has been expressed by liberals and conservatives alike.
Luckily, I live in two worlds. One, a place of burgeoning chaos — turbulent and trying, tumultuous and destructive. The second, is a world so vibrant, so wrenching, so transcendent that it lifts me out of the turmoil. It is the world of music. It is this world that I work so hard to bring to others. And, in the face of all this hate, the only words I can offer my students is that their work, now more than ever, is important beyond compare.
It is with this in mind that I charge you with the following.
Write.
The pen is, indeed, mightier than the sword. Where you see injustice, where you witness inequality — speak out. Let your voice be heard. Share your ideas for a brighter tomorrow. Unmask the charlatan. Challenge the iniquitous. Write more furiously and more devotedly than ever before. This is how we must confront intolerance.
Act.
Show us the world that you envision. Whether on the stage or on the subway, exhibit the humanity you wish to see in others. Embrace emotion. Show unwavering empathy. Be more vulnerable than what may feel comfortable. This is how we must heal the nation.
Paint.
Visual art is both a gateway to progress and a chronicle of our time. Record our suffering. Reveal our kindnesses. Emphasize our hope. Create with a fervor much greater than you could have ever imagined. This is how we must ensure our future.
Play.
It is music that has the power to best transcend our humanness; to span centuries yet be only in the present; to break through cultural and language barriers and unite us as one people. Build up our communities. Elevate our understanding. Play more passionately. Take more risks. Be silent for no one. This is how we must come together as one.
While this may be written off as the naive musings of a privileged student, it is my only recourse in this, these violent times. The artist must act as physician to bring about peace and to disparage intolerance. This is what I believe, and this is what I will teach my students — the children that will, one day, be a product of the world which we currently shape. I will continue to pray for this nation and for the world as it navigates the uncertain days ahead.
As for you: we all have a duty. We each have a role. Get to work.