This was one of the craziest weeks in American history. Many thought Hillary Clinton would win the presidency by a landslide. Many dislike Donald Trump so much that they have stated they would move to Canada or Europe if he became the 45th President of the United States. We all, under the First Amendment of the Constitution, have the right to have our own thoughts and freely speak and express those. But, is it right for these expressions to be so harmful that our country loses hope?
Personally, I was extremely torn on who to vote for this election. I even thought of not voting because I strongly disliked both candidates. I realized that the youth vote had a HUGE say in this election and every vote counted. I knew of so many students that didn't vote because they felt that our country was "doomed" either way. But, is this really the case?
Think about it. There are both pros and cons to Clinton's and Trump's campaign. Although Trump has explicitly said racist and sexist statements, does that mean that someone voting for him is racist and sexist? No. Trump has outspokenly emphasized physical appearance and stated that as long as a woman was young and had a "beautiful piece of ass". Does that mean that his supporters and voters believed that woman were just physical objects? No.
There has been much conflict over this question. Just because Trump has associated with Mexicans and illegal immigrants has being "rapists", does that directly mean that his supporters and voters feel the same? Absolutely not. This realization took a while for me to notice. I couldn't wrap my mind around how someone could vote for a man who had no morals whatsoever. But that's Trump speaking, not necessarily his voters.
The one thing I realized after this election was that 1) We are a democracy and, 2) we are extremely lucky to live in a country where we can voice our opinion and still be one of the most protected nations in the world.
The United States is a democracy. That means we all have differing political opinions. That also means that we should respect others' opinions regardless of the candidate each support. I don't think that tearing people down for voting for Trump is a ethical choice. That will only further divide our country even more than it has. We cannot afford to keep separating from one another.
This is a time for us all to unify under democracy. This is a time for us to realize the power of our vote and use that to influence politics. This is a time for us to respect different voting patterns and understand the that this is every person's given right. This is a time for us to understand the significance of voting because not voting can (believe it or not) has deep implications.
This is no time for young people to stay inside. This is no time for us to live in fear of the leader of our country.
The fact is we have to start caring right now. Making a conscious effort to always vote is key. Not voting means you are not getting a say in the ones who are governing and representing us. Not voting is making it EASIER for politicians who don't represent our viewpoints to make decisions for us.
Social justice will not come any sooner if we continue to note vote and keep the same political leaders in power. Remember how important it is to vote. Commit to being part of a change. Take that extra step without fear and continue to move forward.
Furthermore...
MAKE AMERICA LOVE AGAIN.
