Dear Dad, Hate Cannot 'Make America Great Again'
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Dear Dad, Hate Cannot 'Make America Great Again'

Please don't vote for Trump.

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Dear Dad, Hate Cannot 'Make America Great Again'
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Dear Dad,

When you criticize me for being closed-minded and then expect a verbal response, know that I still respect you as a person, but do not follow your political views enforced by hate toward people with different opinions. Know that when you call me a liberal—one of many you claim responsible for the "horrendous" state this country is in—that I am capable of finding the resources I need to be informed. According to you, I am so easily influenced by the private liberal arts college that I am incredibly privileged to attend, but you still refuse that liberal means free, liberated, not connected to any particular political party. Know that the values you have taught me over the years are nearly opposite of the ones that Donald Trump promotes. I know you will not accept my argument because I am the product of social media’s influence, but please consider your own influence before you call me uninformed and narrow-minded.

My vote is not for Hillary Clinton. It is for preserving and building on health care, education, women’s rights, the EPA, minimum wage, the things that I value more than your approval. I am not saying that either Trump or Clinton is a good choice, just that Trump’s power is derived from fear and wealth. You argue that Clinton is a liar and wants to tear down the Constitution. I agree that she should be in prison for some of the things she has done, but Trump has also lied, twisted facts that you only know how to repeat. He has also said appalling statements about the value of women and immigrants that bring into question his moral character. I know that the world will never be completely equal, but that doesn’t mean we should resort to fear and hatred.

Even when I am home for the summer, I am little more than a distant friend who invites you to events you had no idea were happening. I clean the dishes you leave on the counter and the trail of beer bottles you leave on the way to your office. I ignore the harsh comments about politics, news, and “other people causing chaos” in our country. I ignore how you treat everyone else like they are lesser. I ignore your full conversations with our pets while I sit on the couch beside them. I ignore the urge to tell you information that you will pick apart, uninvitingly critique, or won’t accept. At least, I try to. You don’t have to accept anything I say. You can shred up my argument or completely disregard everything. You are allowed to think what you want, but know that this is in writing because, on paper, the words that I write are my own, not the ones you hear.

I have become proficient at pretending you are not there. Holding myself up because you are too intoxicated to stand. I can pretend that I don’t notice your disregard for everyone but yourself. I can pretend that I don’t care if you judge me, but you taught me to judge myself. You taught me that there are people unworthy of listening to despite knowing nothing about them. You taught me that the world was dark. You taught me that nobody is capable of changing, but I have seen you change, drift farther from shore on a raft built for one. You look at everything through the narrow end of your binoculars while sitting high atop your empire of self-centered values. I cannot ignore how you also teach my brother and sister that this is normal. That they don’t deserve their opinions. I see them working so hard from 2,000 miles away, but you can’t manage to walk 20 feet to join them for dinner.

You have called me ignorant, influenced by the “liberal arts” university to become the left-most “liberal,” implying that I am so easily influenced and how little interest you have in understanding the meaning of liberal arts. I am so inadequately informed because of social media, because I am constantly surrounded by opinions and “false facts” that are not identical to yours. You say you value helping people, but you don’t believe in food stamps or government healthcare. You say you are “all for the LGBTQ+ community,” but don’t even know what it stands for. You judge people for being different than you, criticize what they aspire to be, turn away in disgust when you find out about gender-neutral bathrooms in my dorm.

You say that “making America great again” is so necessary, yet tell me stories from your youth about being bullied for having curly hair and hanging around people with darker skin. You tell me that people treated each other with respect and worked hard for what they deserved, but that this only existed in the past. You wish for the kindness of your past to be restored, but I know there is kindness in the world if you know where to look. If you treated everyone with the kindness you believe existed in your younger days, don’t you think that would be a lot more helpful than hating everyone for not being kind? I know you work hard to provide for our family, but you don’t do it alone. It doesn’t mean that everyone less fortunate is being lazy. Acknowledge that other people have worth even when it doesn’t benefit you. You despise Hillary because she wants to “tear down” the Second Amendment, and she’s a “lying, stealing, good-for-nothing person,” yet you try to tell me that only “a fool makes his opinion on half a truth.” I think that Hillary has done terrible things. I would like for this entire election to be a prank, revealed just before Election Day. However, her experience has qualified her to be a presidential candidate. Not ideal, but a candidate with a brighter outlook, for equality, for positive change, and for the children that will grow up ready to run a country.

You are defensive of your guns that you will never use. Increasing background checks and stopping those with violent histories from purchasing guns does not mean taking your guns away. It does not mean tearing down the Second Amendment. It certainly does not mean that Hillary is attacking the Constitution. Hating Obama or anyone else will not secure your right to owning guns, it only leads to you owning fewer of your words. I know you do not hate as Trump does. I know you are aware of terrible things happening in our world, so please do not contribute to the hate and fear that guides them. Guns are weapons. They have been designed as weapons, to kill. There is no way to go back in time and stop guns from being developed. Their initial intention, to kill animals so that one could provide food for themselves and their community, has degraded to intentions of war, self-defense, and intimidation, all threats toward people. An assault rifle is not necessary to kill a deer. Guns have changed; gun laws have not. Updating gun laws to better address the development of guns does not mean violating your right as a white male, a hard working American, to own a gun. Just because the Second Amendment allows you to have guns, does not mean all people should own them. Just because Hillary advocates for stricter background checks and restricted access to deadly weapons, does not mean she is capable of tearing down the entire Constitution. One person cannot change the entire government so drastically because democracy is not built to function that way.

When Trump Claims that the United States is in a dismal state and that he alone can make the country “great,” you believe him. Despite the twisted facts chosen only to make others look lesser. Despite his views toward women, and your luck to have raised two daughters. I don’t want to live in a world where I get paid less than a man for the same work. I don’t want to be seen as incapable because I look “too Asian.” Despite your certainty that Obama has degraded the country while your business has been prospering, you believe the simplicity of the assumption that America was great. I know there are great things happening now. I also know that you are more focused on criticizing than helping to create moments worthy of being titled ‘great.’

Inequality has existed since humans have. We are not made to be identical, to have the same capabilities, to value the same ideals. When you tell me that your entire life is “a psychology class,” you may be right, but it is not only your life that matters. Everyone has experiences that matter. Even if you do not value the opinions of others, you have no place to tell them what they should think instead. If you ask for my opinion, expect something influenced by my experiences and values, something different than what you would like me to think. My opinions matter despite your unwillingness to listen to them. I am not 100% informed, since it is impossible to know all of the facts and figures by heart and still be able to form an opinion. I am not an expert in politics. The resources I have access to are extremely biased, so is everything you watch during the conventions or on the news. I am not trying to tear down your character, just asking that you don’t criticize mine every time we disagree.

So Dad, before you vote for Trump, understand that hate will not improve the lives of millions. Hate will only tear apart diverse human connection, opportunity, trust, and productivity, along with everything for which America has been built. I want to live in a world where I can be valued as an individual, not be seen as unintelligent because of my race, gender, or opinions regarding politics. I will not accept any less, and you shouldn’t either.

Sincerely,

Your Daughter

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” - Nelson Mandela
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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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