A reminder that President Trump is not Lord Voldemort

Most everyone I know has had a rough couple of months anticipating tomorrow’s inauguration.

It’s been hard for me too. I spent last week reading academic studies of climate change which can basically be summed up as “Oh God, oh God, we’re all going to die!”

A lot of people feel like the world is going to end tomorrow.

But it isn’t.

Earlier this week, I went to my trusted Harry Potter shelf and picked up the Half-Blood Prince.

I’m not exactly sure why I started rereading the Harry Potter series this week. I’ve had a lot going on in my life lately — apart from politics — and perhaps I just needed some comfort.

Harry always makes me feel better. This week was no exception.

He reminded me that the chances of President Trump wreaking havoc like Voldemort are about as good as the Chudley Cannons winning the Quidditch World Cup (though after the Cubs’ World Series win, those chances may not bring the relief they once did). And while Trump may not have any more governmental expertise than Cornelius Fudge, I find it hard to believe that any of his appointees would be as awful as Dolores Umbridge.

There is true evil in these pages. Though I have never supported the death penalty, I never imagined that Voldemort deserved anything less.

But as scared as I am about the next four years, I don’t think that Trump is evil. I don’t think his advisors or cabinet picks are either. Misguided perhaps — in my opinion at least — or uninformed. But not evil. Not out to destroy the U.S. or Americans or our most cherished rights.

And there’s comfort in that too.

I believe that most of our congressmen, including Speaker Ryan, truly want the best for this country and its people. There may be a few Lucius Malfoys in the federal government who care more for their own gains than those of others, but I believe that most people started in politics because they cared. And if bipartisanship has shown me anything useful, it’s that a very large number of people in this country care very much about its future even if they don’t all agree on how best to get there.

And as I turn toward tomorrow and my Facebook feed is riddled with fear about what it will bring, I’d just like to remind everyone of the wise words of Albus Dumbledore:

We are only was strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided….Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.

Remember that it is just as important to embrace the people within this country that are different from us as it is to embrace those without. Remember that choosing between what is right and what is easy can be as simple as having a second thought before posting a nasty comment or sharing an offensive GIF. Remember all of the laws and freedoms and choices that we as Americans are so very, very lucky to have.

Remember that true evil is a fairy tale.

And remember that unity and love defeated Voldemort in the end.