January 20th has come and gone and we are left with Donald Trump as our new president (did I just say that?), who has every intention of creating a country based on beyond questionable principles and politics. There is no changing that a large portion of our country voluntarily voted for Donald Trump, putting him in the highest place of authority.
We have handed our once beautiful and progressive society over to him. He who rambles on about racist, sexist, and classist ideas that will set our country back hundreds of years, ultimately continuing to oppress groups of people that have clawed their way to where they are today, which is nowhere near the finish line. We have come so far regarding the governmental treatment of groups such as the LGBT community, women, and people of color. Yet based on the statements alone that have been offered by the president-elect, we can be sure any progress we have made will stop altogether and head the opposite direction.
While I have heard many statements such as "He won't actually do that" and "they won't let him get away with that," it has already begun.
Within hours of the inauguration of Donald Trump, the White House website removed pages that contained policy information regarding LGBT rights, climate change, and women's health services. Members of these groups eagerly await what his statements will be or if he will even address these issues, which as we know in his campaigning history, he probably won't. Any criticisms will not be addressed kindly by him, as we already know from his twitter rants, press conferences, and interviews where he has countlessly shut down and berated anyone with a differing opinion from his. Men across the country have begun to yell "Grab her by the pussy!" or even physically touched women inappropriately before stating "Well the president-elect said it so it's okay now". The madness has already begun and will not stop with Trump in office.
Sexual assault will become a dismissible topic, while the number of catcalls yelled to women will probably rise by the thousands, because our president did it too. Women will remain silent about their sexual assaults because if the president won't be convicted who is to say the person who assaulted them will be? It's just locker room talk. Because our president said it's okay.
Racism and discrimination against Muslims and Hispanics will probably reach an all-time high, due to the disgusting and deplorable comments he has made regarding building walls and removing programs that allow immigrants to work. Families will live in fear of their families being torn apart, a wall built between them. Because our president said it's okay.
Members of the LGBT community will have to live knowing their vice president believes it is okay to use electroshock therapy to convince them they do not love who they love. Because our president has given the green light for people in his party to say this is okay.
Women who once had access to health services for free will be left to fend for themselves in order to manage their health and their babies health. Teens who were once able to receive birth control methods in order to live safe sexual lives, will be left to figure out how to handle an unplanned pregnancy or STD. Because our president said it's okay.
We are heading towards a very dark and narrow-minded future, full of bigotry, misogyny, racism, and ignorance. These views he has so blatantly expressed are not just opinions. They are ignorant lies that will affect the lives of millions of people across the country. We are not making America great again.
We are making intolerance acceptable again.
