Now that Donald J. Trump is the president of the United States, progressives, liberals and Democrats need to wrap their mind around a wartime concept that violates The Hague Convention:
No quarter asked nor given.
What does that mean? According to Wikipedia, in war, a victor gives "no quarter" (or takes no prisoners) when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life of a vanquished opponent in return for their unconditional surrender.
No amount of protest or persuasion is going to change the fact that President Trump has no intention of compromising on the more inflammatory ideals he campaigned on -- the wall, repealing Obamacare, not acknowledging climate change, rolling back regulations because they are regulations, a Muslim registry, the deportation of Dreamers.
Republicans are so drunk with their power that they don't care what ideological compromises they made to get it. They backed a sexist, racist, xenophobic, Islamaphobic candidate without remorse. The President's inaugural speech showed no signs of trying to heal wounds and create an inclusive vision of America. Nope, he played to his base. I don't know what the Republican party stands for anymore. Neither do they.
But I do know this: Unlike Chrisette Michele, my dignity is not for sale and not for compromise. "No quarter asked nor given" is, for me, a battle cry. I will ask no quarter from this administration and expect none. I expect that the institutions and ideals that President Obama held dear and fought for will be eliminated, undermined, and under constant attack. I expect that no matter who is hurt, especially with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act -- and, dear broke-ass red state people, that means "Obamacare," since you don't know they are one in the same -- President Trump will try to deliver on his populist promises. And the Republican party, with a majority in both houses of Congress, will piggyback on Trump's agenda by adding in their own policy wet dreams -- defunding Planned Parenthood, drilling off the coasts and in Alaska, you name it.
I intend to do what I said I'd do: Put my family and friends in a position to weather this political storm until 2018 or 2020. I will weather this political storm because I firmly believe in the strength and resilience that was imbued in me by my black parents and in them by their black parents. But I will not attempt to persuade or negotiate with people who share Trump's beliefs for any compromise or, as many have suggested, "get behind the new president." No, this president is unlike any other. I know of no president in my lifetime who came to office by insulting an entire race of people (Mexicans), an entire religion (Islam), a disabled person, women, the free (for now) press, Gold Star parents, even Republican standard bearer John McCain. I don't care how many jobs President Trump promises or delivers, I will not normalize achieving political power by demeaning people based on race, gender, religion -- you know, the same kinds of categories that are protected from discrimination under federal law, at least for now. To do so would be to compromise my dignity, the dignity that my ancestors fought and died for. The dignity that Chrisette Michele sold for $750,000 and won't ever be able to buy back. (Can you tell I'm a disappointed Chrisette Michele fan?)
I will not normalize the administration of Donald J. Trump. I. Will. Not.
No quarter asked nor given.
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