"He tried to erase me in one fell swoop. Make my existence not even worthy of a footnote or postscript." These are the words I wanted to scream as I searched the White House page on Friday, January 20, 2017 after hearing the refrain, "America First" but thought but he must not mean Americans, at least none like me or my friends. He said, "America First" but the strategy that attempts to prevent 40,000 new HIV infections in the US a year appears to be scrapped ensuring that America remains in the back in terms of prevention, treatment, and care because it is nowhere to be found along with the office responsible with making it happen. He said, "America First" as the repeal of the ACA is underway leaving Americans with the dread of being uninsured yet again with no documented plan for what will come next. He said, "America First" yet it seems like it came with a BUT - not if you're gay, lesbian, transgender. He said, "America First" as attempts to make unlawful the opportunity to voice dissent emerge. Yet it seems to be lost on him that dissent and assembly is very American.
America first is a great experiment in democracy that brings together diverse voices to form "We the People." It is my hope that sea of faces I met on Saturday, January 21, 2017, that we the people hold each other accountable to one another to fight for America first.
