Opinion: Harris loss to Trump brings deep pain for America

The Kamala Harris loss hurts so much deeper than Hillary Clinton’s loss. It isn’t just that my candidate lost but so much more.

The depth of the pain I feel is not just for Kamala, but for America, our safety individually and as a nation, our peace of mind and what he has brought us to become. Us and them. I fear that the hope of mending this divide is lost in our lifetime. He sought to unleash anger and hate. He’s been successful in dividing us to the point that I don’t know if it can ever be undone.

I’m grieving for our self-respect and dignity as a nation, as individuals, as a “melting pot” of opportunity and freedom that we once took pride in and that our ancestors not only benefited from but thrived in. We are a result of their hard work and freedoms entrusted to them. They were proud and honored to be a part of our great democracy. Tuesday, we let them down by electing this man who is not dignified or honorable or principled and doesn't have morals. He is not even a successful businessman, but rather a television actor who had some investment luck and family wealth but multiple bankruptcies and a fraudulent business.

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You allowed him to get in, to work his grift, to unnerve your better selves, unleash blame, divisiveness and hatred. You justified these things, while ignoring his bigotry, misogyny and criminality. This was your choice and I am ashamed.

You’ve allowed him unchecked power to now show you who he really is. And he will. Or perhaps you’ve known who he is and it just didn’t matter, which is the worst transgression not only onto your country and your neighbors but onto yourselves and your humanity.

You’ve chosen to overlook the facts, the felons and our future as a democracy. You’ve allowed him to convince you to blame Joe Biden and Harris, when the facts contradict that. COVID was the culprit. Congress is responsible for approving or denying bills to regulate inflation and the border. To not understand that is to turn a blind eye and choose to remain ignorant and uninformed.

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Job growth is high and crime is lower than it's been in many years and yet you chose to take up Donald Trump's rage and rhetoric. You chose to let down our allies, putting our national security at risk. You chose to turn away from an intelligent, highly experienced, rational, calm, optimistic and hopeful human being for an erratic, foul-mouthed man with two impeachments, four criminal indictments, 34 felony convictions, a history of sexual assault, unchecked anger and tried to overturn an election by inciting a violent insurrection against the United States government. Against you!

Where are your standards for your nation, yourself and your children? I will never understand this and I will not accept it. I have only felt this degree of pain and grief one other time and that was when my brother died 33 years ago.

Nancy A. Metcalf is a retired child and family school based therapist. She worked for the same community mental health agency for 32 years. Metcalf now volunteers for Kentucky Refugee Ministries, providing therapy at an afterschool enrichment program for immigrant and refugee children.