As it came time for me to write my article this week, I just didn’t want to. I didn’t feel like it. The results of this election have left me in shock, like many others. I have heard many people say, “Oh just get over it, he’s our president just accept it.” My answer to that is, no I will not accept it. He ran a divisive campaign and in just the first few days after the election we have seen violent and racist acts committed all over the country. We have seen rallies and people who just aren’t willing to accept the fact that their president is a man who refuses to even condemn these acts committed in his name. He is a man who doesn’t know what he’s doing. He never really wanted the actual presidency, all he wanted was the power and it was given to him.
The solace I have is that the majority of Americans voted for Hillary Clinton and not for this monster. Many people would like to defend their vote and maybe you did have a legitimate reason for voting for him whatever that may be, however, you can’t escape what you have done. Own it. You may not be a racist, misogynist or xenophobe, but guess what? You thought it was okay to vote for someone who was. Your vote enabled that and you don’t get to escape it. People are scared, some are even scared for their lives and rightfully so. What has happened these past few days is beyond horrific and unacceptable and it can't be overlooked.
If you are not marginalized in any way, then maybe you can’t understand but I urge you to try. As someone who has personally been affected by racism, this is scary. I don’t want a man who enables such acts leading my country and to make matters worse, Steve Bannon, a man who is a white nationalist, anti-Semitic and overall despicable person will be his chief strategist. This cannot be normalized and this cannot be seen as acceptable because it simply isn’t. If you are as horrified and scared as I am, take a stand. Educate people, be kind, participate in rallies, and donate to organizations that will protect your rights and mine. Do what you can and be on the right side of history, even if it’s hard to.
