For the past few days, I have seen so many political posts that it makes my head spin. I'm no political guru nor am I able to speak for everyone, but I feel there are things that need to be addressed before it's too late. This election was, without a doubt, one of the most exhausting, emotional, and arguably historic elections that we've had, especially for millennials. No matter which end of the spectrum you are on, you must remember first and foremost that you are American. Conservatives are just as much American as Liberals and vice versa.
With this being said, we as Americans have the right to voice our opinions. Obviously, this election was going to end with one party being incredibly more upset than the other. We have the right to take to the streets in protest out of fear. We have the right to disagree with the president and what he stands for. We have the right to let our voices be heard in a time when we feel as if they haven't been. That's the beautiful thing about living in America.
While we have these rights, we often forget that there are rights of other people, basic rights that come with being a human being, that we should not and cannot continue to violate. We do not have the right to physically harm another person based on differences in ideologies. We do not have the right to make others fear for their lives. We do not have the right to hate others because of sexuality, gender, culture, race, ethnicity, etc. We do not have the right to make any one person or group of people feel any less human than the rest of us because we are different.
When I look at America today, that is all I see. I see hatred and dehumanization coming from both sides. It's time for a wake-up call America. Like it or not, people are fearing for what happens next. There are legitimate concerns about how these next four years will affect the lives of millions of people. So instead of telling people to get over it, support them and protect them. Prove to them that they do not need to live in fear.
I'm calling for a cease-fire. I am encouraging people from both sides to open up their hearts and listen to the concerns of others. I yearn for a world that can become better, and that is only plausible if we treat one another as human beings. No one group is better or lesser than another, and when I look around right now that is all I see.
If we want to change, we have to be the ones that make it. Maybe, for some, that means working harder. While that isn't always right, that's our reality. If we stay divided, though, we can not and will not ever obtain the "greatness" and progress that we are hoping for. So, America, stop the hatred. Stop the violence. Stop the dehumanization. Start making a change and making progress. The only way to move is forward, and the only way to get there is together.
