We tend to have selective amnesia about how people react when there’s a change of party in the White House. Some always feel disenfranchised and overreact with the worst possible caricatures of what the words said during the campaigns could mean. And I’m old enough and cynical enough to agree that most of the time it’s a case of the losing side just being sore losers. Because really, we’ve mostly had educated men in leadership who have surrounded themselves with other educated men and women. I may wildly disagree with their agendas, but the caricatures were mostly unfair.

I don’t feel that way this time. 

The president’s own words have painted the caricature. He’s the one who said “grab ’em by the pussy. He’s the one who flailed around, mocking disabled people. He’s the one who called Mexican immigrants rapists. He’s the one who brought up the inner city every time he was talking about black people. He’s the one who told followers to “knock the crap out of” protesters. He’s the one who calls people who didn’t vote for him his enemies. He’s the one who encouraged foreign governments to hack the emails of his political opponent. He’s the one who called her nasty and threatened to jail her.

These aren’t exaggerations. These aren’t overreactions. These aren’t the machinations of sore losers.

These. Are. His. Words.

So yes. I fully support the protests today. And tomorrow and the next day and the next day. Not because I’m disappointed in the outcome of the election, even though I am. Not because I’m a woman, even though I am. Not because I’m the mom of LGBTQ kids, even though I am. 

I support all of these protests because his words are worthy of protest. Today and every day following.