Trump: Americans have their work cut out for them

It has been a chilling and heartbreaking week. The president has destroyed the trust placed in American intuitions, values and moral standing.

It will take both immediate and long-term work from every American to regain the trust of those whose futures and hopes have been callously disregarded – individuals who have sought from all over the world to come to this country to survive, to live, to find a better future.

Simultaneously, as we stand to lose these members of our communities and families who enrich our lives, we also stand to lose those capacities that help us resist. The continued assault on public education and institutions that value critical thinking (e.g. federal science agencies), limits our exposure to the critical thinking skills and diverse ideas necessary engage in a complex world.

Through phone call, letters, donations, protests, and conversations, we have our work cut out for us. If we do not take action, we will be judged now and by our descendants as having lost our humanity and moral standing during a time when only we could stand against the tide.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Trump: Americans have their work cut out for them."