The world has seemingly turned upside down.
The excruciating hours have left teeth imprints ingrained along my bottom lip and eyes left blood shot in the face of disillusionment and fatigue. This election has been less than kind to us-- especially along the stages of pure anxiety and a future we can't even begin to decipher. It has proved to be far from what I had expected, let alone hoped... Leaving me with one lingering declaration... A final letter to the election that has come at an arduous price.
To The 2016 Presidential Election,
It has been one wild ride, hasn't it? But, the daunting part is... It hasn't quite ended yet. This decision will be one that will follow not only my life but millions of lives for four years... And I try to be positive, I really do, but four years feels like a lifetime. In four years I would have completed my undergraduate degree, I'll be twenty-three years old, I'll be scrambling for a job, I'll be out there in the wide world... It's not just a "mere four years"-- it's quite literally a chunk of my early adult life. They are some of the most crucial years of my life... The most pivotal. So, of course, I have an opinion. Of course, I'm worrying. Of course, I'm scared. The result of this election directly impacts my future.
I'm scared... I'm scared that a man that has never had any political experience whatsoever is now going to be running the country I hold so dear to my heart. I'm scared that this same man has so many documented outward accounts of misogyny and racism. I'm scared that our elect has a vice president who not only challenged funding for HIV/AIDS but in turn wanted to use those funds for conversion therapy. These are men who have time and time again proved through either policy or public statements that they don't support all human rights... And here they are... The newly elected commander-in-chief and his right-hand man. Can you really blame me for being wary?
The United States of America is one of the most diverse places on the planet... A place people go to seek refuge. A land of opportunity for all. So how can the hateful rhetoric not disturb me? A lot of people have tried telling me that he only said those things to get "media attention"... Maybe he did, but it's hard to ignore them. We are a nation of immigrants. If Trump wants to talk about "native" issues then why doesn't he speak about the gross indecencies being thrust upon the Native American communities at Standing Rock instead of mass deportation?
Trump could've very possibly used such extreme language in order to get him into the press but does he even realize the kind of hate he has possibly given entitlement to?
People have every right to be scared.
But, in spite of this, there seems to be a very important concept that has been continually lost. In the wake of social media, it has become much too easy to consume oneself in the frenzy.
This election has been a garbage fire since its inception. On all ends, it represented itself through continuous mud slinging... It was all about who could out do the other in a war of derogatory words... Who could dig up the most dirt on the other... Sometimes, it hardly felt like politics. Instead, it became a matter of who could conjure the best insults. The election became a platform of division. And now that it's over... It's continuing to try to rip us apart.
But, we're not going to let it succeed.
Instead, we need to become a nation of love. We need to stand together as best we can. Stand side by side in unity.
Yes, I'm not happy about the outcome of this election. Would I have preferred a more qualified candidate? Yes. Would I have preferred a candidate that made me feel "safer?" Absolutely. But, this is who the people chose. There is no longer anyone to blame... We have exhausted blame. The people practiced their right to vote, whether I agree with them or not is beside the point, and this is where we are. This is going to be our reality for the next four years... And I know just how hard it is to stay positive amongst all of it... But, if and when the storm comes, at the end of the day-- we will have each other.
We need to hold each other just a bit closer, love just a bit harder, come together just a bit stronger.
We won't let this election define us. We aren't going to let it destroy us. If we need to fight, we will fight. We will protect our right to equality. We will come together and hold strong.
We will weather this storm together, hands held tight, ready to defend our fellow Americans until the end.
This presidency, good, bad, or otherwise, will not define America.
We are the future of America. The definition of generations to come. Nobody can take that away from us. We will not be victims... We are survivors. We will not be silenced... Our voices will never falter. We will love and we will stand together... And that love is what will make and keep America great.
So, on a final note... Future President Donald J. Trump and future Vice President Mike Pence... If you end up being all we fear you to be-- you have another thing coming.
We will protect our fellow Americans. Always.
