Dear Donald Trump Supporters,

First of all, congratulations on your victory. I in no way man this in a sarcastic tone. Your candidate won against all odds, and that is a truly remarkable accomplishment whether you support him or not.

For those of you who were attacked as being racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, and homophobic (among other things), I am deeply sorry. I truly believe that just because you voted for that man does not make you any of those things. I prefer to think that the vast majority of his supporters voted for him because of either the promises of prosperity he made or the threat of a Clinton presidency, which many of you obviously loathe. You were tired of the status quo. You were tired of career politicians in Washington, and that is somewhat understandable. Unfortunately, the vessel of change came in the form of Donald Trump, who IS racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, and potentially homophobic. At the very least, he preyed upon these things in order to get himself elected. If you disagree with me that he is those things, that is your right, but it is also mine to say that he is. When I look at the things he has said, the insults he has lobbed, and the fears he has perpetuated, I can only come to that conclusion. However, I again say that I refuse to believe that you are those things, because I am an optimist, and I know some very good people who voted for Trump. I just think that the candidate is that type of person.

With all that being said, I DO NOT condone violent protest. I DO NOT condone the destruction of property. I DO NOT condone the needless persecution and name-calling of Trump voters. It just isn't right. However, you must realize that people who oppose his election do in fact have the right to protest his election peacefully. They have the right to call for the abolishment of the electoral college. They have the right to let their voices be heard.

There has been a claim that protests did not happen when President was elected in 2008 and 2012. That is completely untrue. They were less widespread and much less violent, I admit, but they were there. I want to try and convey to you WHY these people are protesting, so we can understand and come together as a country. Insulting and ridiculing protestors does nothing for anyone, so I just want to help explain things for everyone.

There is a VERY big difference between 2008 and 2016. In 2007-2008, Democratic nominee for President Barack Obama never called for the banning of those who practice Islam. Barack Obama never declared that Mexicans were murderers and rapists. Barack Obama never had claims levied against him that he sexually assaulted women. The people protesting during that time differed on policy views, and protested within their constitutional rights.

The people who are protesting now are not "sore losers." They are not upset because they have some feeling of "entitlement" to get what they want. They are not children crying because they are not getting their way. These protestors are afraid. They are scared for their lives. They are terrified of the chants like, "We hate Muslims, we hate blacks, let's take our great country back." That is NOT a disagreement of policy. That is a cause to be fearful for one's own life.

Just the other day after the election, I was walking at night to somewhere on campus here at the University of Alabama. I passed by the student services center, where there was a small group of people at a table with a poster that read "Slavery Still Exists." It was probably a table about human trafficking and the modern institution of slavery. They were not being political, and they were not in any way protesting or commenting on the election. They probably just picked an unfortunate day to have their table out so soon after an election. They were simply standing there willing to have a discussion and hand out information. As I passed, a few men walked by and started yelling, "TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP!"

Trump's name has for some reason become some sort of chant used to silence people who see injustices in the world, and that is so unfair. It is bad enough that he won for some people, but to yell it out at someone who was genuinely trying to have a conversation is just disgusting. If whenever someone tries to have a discussion about race relations or the treatment of an oppressed people all someone chants is "TRUMP!", then we have a deeper problem with our society. That is why people are scared. They not only fear lack of change, but a regression to a time when voices were silenced and people were unfairly treated.

The last thing I want to ask of you is to please stop gloating that Donald Trump won. One of the most bothersome posts I saw floating around on Facebook was that "the tears of liberals can wash the planes of Trump Airlines." This is not the Super Bowl or some other sports team. If that post was made about the New Orleans Saints fans' tears washing the roof of the Georgia Dome of the Atlanta Falcons, I'd be fine with it. That is a harmless joke. However, in this case, the "tears" of these "liberals" are not tears of sadness. They are more than tears of disappointment. The tears that they shed are tears of fear. They are tears of worry. They are tears of pain. They are tears of misery. When you gloat, you are only adding to the terror that non-supporters face.

Again, none of this justifies the violence or destruction of property. But perhaps now you will understand what they are feeling a little bit. They are not whining because they lost. They are protesting because they are scared and worried.

All that I want is to start to have a conversation. Usually, I am reserved in my views, but in times like this I think it is best to openly discuss our differences in a calm and respectful manner. I'm willing to talk anytime, so do not hesitate to reach out. I want the violence to end. I want people to stop calling each other hateful things. I just want to work this out. Maybe then, we will make America great again.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen