How will we mend our pain?

I am still rattled by the events of the last week. I am concerned for the safety of family and friends. To say that I am dismayed by the future president's decision to settle white supremacist idealogues into the White House would be an understatement. But I can't help but wonder what turns people into these unempathizing monsters? Is there hate in all of their hearts? Is it possible that we can somehow get through to them? Is that a completely lost cause?

It's true that society sets the tone for what is acceptable, and for years, our pop culture icons have become more crass, as it becomes harder and harder to shock the American people. So, in some ways, it's no wonder that some people recognized themselves in Donald Trump. What's so discouraging is that so many people who, for a very long time, had been appropriately silenced in America have reawakened, like cicadas hiding beneath our feet.

I firmly believe that Donald Trump's supporters are not, in fact, all racists, bigots. But they have done nothing to silence those voices, and are therefore complicit. Meanwhile, we can't tell who is a true KKK-touting or alt-right racist bigot from someone who is not. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt; let's assume fewer fall into this camp, but let's prepare as if all of them are. Meanwhile, instead of completely condemnation of my fellow misguided Americans, I'm genuinely curious what aspects appealed to them? I don't want to normalize this approach to politics. I'm disgusted by it, but it is important that we not retreat to our corners. How can we heal the country? We obviously are in a lot of pain and fear on all sides. It would appear that we at least have that in common. How do we rebuild trust in an era when trust is built on shaky ground lacking fact and contempt of experience, ethics and good judgement? 

How will we dig deep to find the empathy required to love our fellow Americans? Research has shown that high performing teams result from the creation of safe psychological spaces, something that Trump has currently robbed of the American people. We need to find our way back, and we will emerge stronger and fiercer than ever before.