Dear Friends,

Yes, imagine that, me referring to us as friends. Astonishing considering the way the past week has been going I know...

In light of the recent election I just would like to have the chance to explain myself, explain my emotions, explain why I reacted the way I did. A lot of people don't understand why I and many others were so deeply affected when we found out our President-Elect is Donald Trump and I'd like to shed some light on the situation.

The truth is, I can't stand by Trump and the decision that over half of our country made because much of what he stands for stands against everything I believe in. You can't tell me he's not racist when his words and actions have supported that notion. He refused to condemn the KKK and other white supremacists who endorsed him, for me I don't know how you couldn't take that personally. He's supported the idea that time and again he's sexist with the awful words he's used to address, discuss, and speak to women. You can't tell me to not be offended.

You can't tell me to support him now that he's been elected. You can't tell me that I'm what's wrong with America when many of you are the same ones who denounced President Obama when he came into office. Besides that, since you're so adamant on protecting this 'Democracy' we live in, then(as you supposedly already know) it's my Constitutional right to protest what I don't agree with. You can't tell me not to be scared or sad because we have a system of checks-and-balances that will protect us from the extremist ideas.

Yes, we do have that in our government, but checks-and-balances doesn't stop hateful ideas from spreading like wildfire. It doesn't stop hate groups like the KKK from gaining strength. It doesn't stop individuals who hold these extremist ideas from exercising what they now think is acceptable behavior due to the fact that we now have a leader of the "greatest country in the world" who has endorsed similar ideas and principles.

This being said, I don't hate you for voting for him and I don't hate you for supporting him. I am however, disappointed in you. I am disappointed that you would stand behind a man who represents things that are so blatantly offensive and regressive. I am disappointed that you won't try to see my point of view and don't want to listen to my side of the story when I have worked very hard to listen to yours and try to understand where you're coming from.

I understand you want change. I understand you believe Hillary is "crooked." I understand why you don't support her and why you feared her. Why can't you understand why I don't support him? I don't want rioting, I want civil disobedience of the most epic kind. I don't want the silencing of the Republican party, I want conversations that allow open debates and discussions that help us to reach some sort of middle ground and mutual understanding. I don't want him to fail as a President because that means that as a people, we have also failed. I don't support him, but I do support the idea that we don't have to let the next four years go down as the most regressive time in our nations history.

I'm not asking you to march against a man, a man is not that powerful. I am asking you to march against an idea. An idea that the color of your skin can be enough to threaten your life. An idea that your sexual orientation can be the justification for someone else to take your existence into their hands. An idea that different can't be better.

You said you wanted change, so change. Be better than those before you.

With love and respect,

A Citizen of the United States of America

P.S. I'm not whining. I'm organizing. Because the truth is Alan Moore said it best, "People should not be afraid of their government. Government should be afraid of their people."