Tag: 2016 US presidential election

A Week Off

John Guillen1 Comment

I took a week off from posting on here, and largely from social media, to give myself a chance to come to grips with what happened on November 8. I didn’t want to bombard anyone with talk of the election for a week. So I just kept to myself.

See, people seem to think they know EXACTLY how it feels to be in someone else’s shoes after the election of Donald Trump. But no one does. Not really. My life experience is mine. My beliefs are mine. And my reaction to the Trump win is mine. No one can tell me that I’m overreacting or that I should simply accept that this is the direction the country is headed in. Because no one is in my shoes.

I actually had someone tell me I haven’t “become” American yet after I said Trump doesn’t represent or stand for anything I do.

But this is the reality we’re living in. And there’s no way around it. This blog is about books, right? It is. Which is why I’ll get back to discussing various book topics tomorrow. 

A Letter to America

John Guillen3 Comments

Dear America,

America is me. When people hear me identify as “Mexican-American” most think nothing of it. But some think of me as being a part of “other”, as being different from them. I’m not. Both of my parents were born in Texas. My grandparents were born in Texas. My great grandparents were not. Which means I’m exactly the same as nearly every other American in that I’m a descendant of immigrants.

I point this out because I must. The next president of the United States has said things and proposed actions that make me as a Mexican-American feel disrespected, hated, and alarmed. He’s done the same to women, African-Americans, Muslims, the LGBTQ community, and just about every group of people that looks differently than he does.

Donald Trump is not my president. He doesn’t represent or stand for anything I do. I know I’m not the only one acknowledging this. But something we must understand is that now is not the time to sit down in shock at what has transpired. Now is more important than ever to stand up for what we believe in, to make sure our voices are louder than ever. Yes, Donald Trump will be the 45th president of the United States of America. But don’t believe for one second that hate, racism, homophobia, or xenophobia won last night. Those things will never truly win as long as we, the people continue to stand up and speak out about the things we hold dear.

I’m shocked just as millions of others are, but this is not the end. We’re headed toward a better, more tolerant future. Even if we face a minor setback along the way.

A college educated, Mexican-American millennial,

John Guillen

I’m a Millennial and #ImWithHer

John Guillen2 Comments

Obviously this isn’t a blog on politics. And obviously I don’t expect people to have the same viewpoint as I do. But election day is less than a week away. Millions of people have already cast their ballot during early voting. The 45th president of the United States is on the verge of being elected. So I decided to make this video to stress the importance of voting in our democracy. Sure I talk about Hillary, but I also discuss the significance of simply having the right to vote as we do.

The important thing isn’t for you to agree with me or the candidate I’m voting for, but rather that you have a say in who leads the country and community in which you live.

Saturday Selects: Trump is Exactly Who We Think he is

John Guillen12 Comments

Saturday Selects is a series of posts I usually write on the first Saturday of each month to discuss something outside the general bookish theme of the blog. Today I’m writing about Trump, again.

I’m sure you’re well aware by now of the recording that surfaced yesterday in which Donald Trump talks about sexually harassing and assaulting women. If you’re reading this and have no idea what I’m talking about, then I’ve got you covered. Here’s the video. There is lots of graphic language.

I can’t tell you how many people have actually defended his comments on social media and on TV. These people are the reason he feels he can say or do any thing he pleases. There’s no consequence. He says Mexicans are criminals. Meh. He says ban all Muslims from the US. Meh. He says women are disgusting. Meh. He says African Americans are living in hell. Meh. And now video surfaces of him sexually assaulting women because he’s a star and they let him do it.

There is no excuse. Republican. Democrat. Independent. White. Latino. College educated. Asian. African American. Middle class. 1%. It does not matter what you look like or where you live. A reasonable, respectful human being has no justification for supporting this man in ANY THING he does. And yet, he’ll still receive millions of votes on November 8th.

Campaigns and Politics and Books, oh my

John Guillen6 Comments

Can you name a single presidential candidate still in the race who hasn’t recently published a book? Maybe one of the lesser known candidates who has no chance at winning their party’s nomination, but all of the bigger names have. It’s scary.

These candidates are constantly holding events and fundraisers, and participating in debates in order to get their message out. AND they’re publishing books around the same time. I’m not sitting here saying that we don’t need to hear about the people who could potentially hold the highest office in our country, but will we ever reach the point at which we proclaim enough is enough?

On top of all the press the candidates receive they also do things like host SNL or private fundraisers with their celebrity friends. Why not just give them a TV sitcom too?

I get it. It’s the presidential race and it only happens every four years. But I’m about sick of every candidate releasing a book that coincides with the race. It’s not like they help. The people who buy and read them are already in the corner of the party or candidate.

Have you read any books written by political candidates recently? You’ve got many to choose from. I actually don’t think I’ve ever read a book by a candidate.

Saturday Selects #18: Donald Trump

John Guillen33 Comments

Saturday Selects is a series of posts I write the first Saturday of each month to discuss a topic or current event outside the general bookish theme of the blog. You can view some previous topics here.

Today I want to talk about Donald Trump. I know not all of you are in America, but I’m thinking the run up to the US presidential election every four years is covered by media all over the world. Which means you probably know that Donald Trump has been grabbing headlines for weeks now. He’s made comments about immigration, US Senator John McCain, and spoken about what he’ll be like once he’s in the White House.

I sincerely hope that we never have to see this man taking the oath of office. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s rich. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s got bad hair. Hehe. And it really doesn’t matter to me what he thinks about the Texas-Mexican border or immigration. If you can sit there and listen to what he’s had to say about Mexicans and tell me that he’s not racist, then you may need to look yourself in the mirror.

And people want to say it’s not about race, right? But it is. Come down to Texas and show me all the rapists and murderers we have coming in from Mexico. Oh wait, immigrants are actually less likely than native-born Americans to commit crime. But you wouldn’t realize that if you’re sitting there getting fired up by comments from a man in the spotlight.

Donald Trump is ultra rich and feels like that gives him the right to say and do whatever he wants to, and sure he can. But that doesn’t mean we should listen. And it surely doesn’t mean he should be our president.

On this day in 2014 I published July: A Month to Forget.