The words fell with a gasp from one of us, silence from another, and the pure laughter out of the final. Lunch stopped suddenly. My dad is voting for Donald Trump.
Oh, just how splendid a situation we have here. The innocence fell from my face as it was wrapped up with hatred. I thought of my next move. It was like a reality show, or more an action film. Next task: convince my dad otherwise, or move to Canada.
“Do you know what he says?”
“Do you know how he feels about women?”
“Do you understand what he has said about his own daughter?”
“Do you know what he wants to do to Muslims?”
“Do you know how many alarming similarities he has with Hitler's tactics in running Nazi Germany?”
“Oh, and do you know what he says about Republicans?”
A man who gets votes because he believes Republicans are pure idiots. A man who gets votes because he lacks government qualifications, compatible with the Republicans. Compatible with humans because he “started from the bottom now he’s here,” rather than having a life devoted to politics. A man who gets votes because he is an arrogant businessman, a man for money. He’s appealing. Plain and simple, his gazing eyes and stern look as he peers into the fears that you didn’t believe you had 'til he convinced you of so grabs your attention. He has grabbed onto you and won’t let go, and you let him.
A businessman is what my dad might consider himself, or more a boss. A boss who runs a company and holds high standards for everyone is now being controlled by a man who has discovered it is the easiest thing in the world to control the Republican party.
Shame rose over me as I knew my dad seemed to support the man who had the dignity to crush women to their faces, a man who wants the ability to be able to control our bodies. I was overwhelmed with awe. My dad must believe the same, right? So was he then telling me straight to my face that I have no rights as a women? That my gender is worthless? Thanks, dad.
But the amazement doesn’t stop there. At least we are not immigrants, right, dad? I mean, I know you want to stay in “comfortable” America if Trump stays in office, but I’ll probably end up leaving with all the immigrants he plans to send away, unless he plans on trapping me here. More plausible than not, I believe. Oh, and also, thank you that we are not Muslim either, right? We would have to walk around with a pretty little shiny marker to prove who we are. An everyday reminder of the fear that Trump branded into our minds. But shit, our light skin, blue eyes, and perfectly shaped faces will protect us from his hateful words about minorities! Hip hip hooray for being average.
A vote can mean very little. I mean, in the end, do we really have any power in deciding who our next president is going to be? Probably not - it’s all a scam. But a vote means a lot when you’re supporting one person. As you support one person, you support everything they believe in. You are voting for them to make change to America based on their opinions. Although he may not have the power to enforce any of these true ideas, he has the power to manipulate us. Let him have the power to manipulate you once, and he will do it again. You are voting for a man who believes to “make America great again” is to enforce discrimination and violence. If a man can get the majority of the vote from America, then he can convince them to pass anything he so pleases. You trusted him once, you will trust him again.
Hey dad, don’t be a fool. Don’t hail a man who plans to make life more comfortable for the generic white male like yourself. Don’t hail Trump.
