I’m a “stupid millennial” with an opinion, who would’ve thought? Read the whole thing before you jump down my throat. I am in no way endorsing Donald Trump as our president with what I have written. I do not support him. However, I do realize that he is our president now (Well January 20th, 2017 is more accurate, but you get the gist), and I must face the truth of the situation.

To those who are burning the flag:

Think about what our flag represents for a moment. Yes, its stars represent the 50 states that make up this country, and yes the stripes represent the first 13 colonies, but is that all? Absolutely not. Freedom, liberty, loyalty, faith, humanity, and many more things come from that flag. I could go on and on. Please realize that burning the flag is destruction of something we fly in order to tell the world that we are a country that believes in these things.

I understand you have the right to protest Trump’s presidential win. It’s freedom of speech. However, burning the flag destroys the one tangible, universal symbol that gives us our freedom of speech. The flag is there to symbolize America, not our president. The flag is there to represent what we have fought so hard for in order to live better lives than most people on this planet. If you have a problem with the flag and all the it stands for then living in the US is not meant for you.

To those who think this one man can single handedly ruin our country:

I get that you’re upset Trump became president, but what you clearly don’t realize is that our government is made up of so much more than just this one man. Our government is made up of men and women who are more than capable of judging what Trump proposes. He can’t just say something and that be the final word. It’s a process and a long one at that. Remember when people thought our country would be destroyed by Obama? He got eight years and here we are still standing. Also remember that not everyone in the republican party supports him 100%. SO PLEASE STOP STEREOTYPING AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE. Doing this goes against what you think you’re standing up for by not supporting this man. Instead take into consideration that some people simply stand strong for the ideals of the republican party, and that’s why they voted for Trump.

To those who want to move to Canada (or any other country):

You live in this country, don’t run away from it. So many people are claiming they are going to leave the country now that he is president. But what is that going to fix? That is just going to leave those of us who can’t leave with less of a voice. We are more powerful in numbers. In four years we have the opportunity to contribute to choosing a new president. If a better candidate comes to light, then fight like you have never fought before for he or she. Running away won’t give you the ability to do so. Lobby for what you believe in, don’t stand down. Spread the knowledge and encourage everyone who is eligible to make their vote count.

To those who say he is “not your president”:

He is. People said the same thing about Obama, but was he still president? Obviously. This man is our president whether you like it or not. The only thing you can do now is face the facts. He is your president and will be for the next four years. Don’t whine about it. Don’t cause destruction because of it. Simply educate yourself on what you can do to have your voice heard by the government (Check out these options!) (Or this article!). Signing a petition to have him removed from office is not going to do a damn thing. Take action.

To all those who are protesting:

• Yes, let your voice be heard! But please do it in a meaningful, non-destructive way. Represent your country to the best of your abilities. Let it be known that Americans can stand up for what they believe in without causing harm to anything or anybody.
• Realize when it is time to stop. I’m sorry, but let’s be honest with ourselves: protests can only go so far. When you realize it is not having an effect on anything, it’s time to stop and try something different (once again non-destructive). Emails, letters, phone calls (non-threating, appropriate ones) go a long if you are persistent and patient.
• Protest for a reason, and not just because everyone else is doing it. (this one shouldn’t even need to be stated, but I know people do do this…)

Thanks for reading, or skimming. You may now jump down my throat as you much as you please.