Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, shall we? The Republican elephant that is. Never have I felt so shamed of my university, my peers or my country. We want unity, we want equality but most of all, we want to feel valued—each and every one of us. Why is it that the people who desire unity so strongly are that ones that are furthering the gap between us? I am Republican. I feel that is a statement that will get me outed, resented and hated. In fact, as I write this article, my screen is as dark as it will go while still being visible to me.

During the past two days, I have walked through hallways in public schools of teachers donning all black mourning our country. I have witnessed candle lighting ceremonies for students who feel victimized for the election of Donald Trump and I have been forced to sit through lectures in a public university where professors assign materials on the Democratic ideals of how we are going to cope with the Trump Presidency because surely, this is the worst thing to happen to our country in it’s entire history. I have received emails from the head of my university apologizing for the recent results of the election and offering a safe space to mourn. Now tell me, if the results were opposite, would all of these services be offered? My best guess is no. So to be extremely blunt and even crude, why is every Democrat so goddamn butthurt?

In my education courses, I am being taught to tell my future students to ignore the beliefs and laws set in place by the leader of our free world; to talk to students in a sympathetic manner of how to cope with their futures. Well, these children are our future. Should we teach them to hide their beliefs and conform? Unity is one this, conformity is another.

Teachers in public middle schools did not have the patience to listen to their students who support Trump the day after the election and shamed their beliefs. The amendment right to vote is to vote for what you believe, what you value and what you stand behind. Voting is your voice. Politics have always been a touchy subject, I have witnessed this every holiday growing up between the Republicans and Democrats in my family. It usually ended in a heated argument resulting with my aunt storming through the door—ending Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter early. I was always sad watching my cousins leave. This is not what politics should do. Articles are being posted to show equality and stop showing your privilege.

Social media is spammed with articles upon articles of political rants and #I’mwithher. Well I am a she and I am not with her. In fact, I have sat around in groups at tables of my peers—people of my own—who have unknowingly called me uneducated, racist, homophobic, and a redneck. But it doesn’t stop there. Assumptions have been made of me during this election. I go to school in Vermont, which does not, by any means, make me to be a Democrat. Still, professors pass out articles of how Trump will be the death of our country and we must fight back together. People who I have considered to be my friends and my equals have ranted their political beliefs as I walk in silence beside them staring at my feet as they unknowingly disrespect and insult me. It seems that the quieter I am, the more I am forced to pretend that I am something that I am not. I am a Republican American and for that I am privileged so, hell, be sure that I am going to show my privilege.