This isn't another article about the election. This isn't some false slander about something that I don't know about, or something I'm going to pretend that I care about. I hate politics. I hate social studies, history, I know right? I'm an awful person. How can I not care about the fate of our country? How can I not care what happened on Tuesday? That is completely irrelevant to the real problem here. Tuesday night, an election happened. Just like every four years, people exercised their right as American citizens. Something that people fought years for, women and minorities alike. Like many students, I received my ballot sealed in an yellow envelope and stared for a while at the choice I was about to make. My decision? That doesn't matter. Remember the days when we could keep our mouths shut about such strong decisions? They seem so distant now. These past six months, at least, have been filled with little truth (on both ends) and an enormous amount of propaganda. We are a generation of followers. Don't even for a second try to tell me we are wrong. We want to believe that we are progressive and advanced for our age. But let's be real for a second. When was the last time we did something that wasn't because of someone else's approval or disapproval?

This election has called for a public outcry. A candidate has not won the popular vote, and lost the electoral college since I was four years old. 2000 doesn't seem that long ago, except when you put it like that. Social media has been flooded with articles about how women are done for, minorities are going to be deported, and LGBTQ+ community is going to be killed. We have completely given up as a nation. This isn't just a Facebook thing, this is every form of social media. I cannot go on anything without being forced to read about how America has failed yet another person.

On Tuesday, November 8, every Facebook post included something along the lines of, "This is our year. We have waited our entire lives for this moment. Now go out there and vote. It doesn't matter who you vote for, just do it. Exercise your right because someone worked hard for you to be able to do this."

People lined up at Susan B. Anthony's grave stone to place their "I Voted" stickers on it. Because of her hard work. Because she did something so great.

On Wednesday November 9, every Facebook included, "How could you be so selfish and vote third party? How could you destroy our country and vote for Trump? I hope you tell everyone in your entire life that you don't care about them or their rights."

Tuesday, you were telling me to exercise my vote, and by Wednesday you were telling me that if I didn't vote for Hillary, I, single-handedly destroyed this country. My opinion on anything no longer matters to you if I didn't follow your rules. Nothing I ever have to say again is relevant to you because if I voted for anyone but Hillary I am wrong. That is the day you silenced me before Trump did.

Wednesday, November 9, my freedom of speech was stripped from me, just like everyone said that Trump would do when elected president. The problem is that Obama is still in office. Barack Obama, who everyone has praised and has lead our country to where it is today. He was in office when I was told that if I didn't listen to your choice and your vote, I was wrong.

So everyone go on and preach about how Trump is coming like the plague. In a matter of months we will all be without rights, without freedom, etc. But think about the pain that you have already caused the nation. Think about all the people that you have caused to shut off their phones because they can't stand to read another sentence about how a friend of theirs will never speak to them again for not voting for someone that they didn't think should be in office. The last time I checked if the First Amendment covered Freedom of Speech, freedom to my own thoughts should be included in that too.

I have received failed test grades with more hope than this country has. We have forgotten that gun rights were given to us IN CASE we need to overturn the government. We have forgotten that we are supposed to have a system of checks and balances. We are wishing war on our own country just so that Trump cannot take office. We have already given up before anything has happened yet. When we stop fighting that is when hate wins. We are already letting hate win.

So please, let people have their voices back. Give people the chance to post what they want on social media without telling them that they should be killed or deported, etc. I'm not asking you to support what they have to say, but educate yourself on something other than your own beliefs. It's time to get our heads back out of the ground and listen to something other than our own thoughts, if not you are just ignorant.

I'm not saying that this election was favorable, but our country is more divided than it has been in a while because we are letting the choice of others deter us from fighting for what we believe in. Nothing worth it has ever come easy. Nothing worth it has ever come fair.

Let me take off my social media blindfold to be able to see what I want to see on social media. Let me unzip my lips and undo the padlock that has caused me to be worried to talk to the person next to me because I am scared of offending them. College is about learning different views, having our own views challenged and fighting for what we think is right. Let me continue to fight for what I want. I haven't silenced you. I have only praised and ignored, and that is not fair.

I am woman, hear me roar.

Even if I only have two months left to do it.

We don't know what the future holds, but release these chains that have restrained me for the past few days before I give up long before I have to. Because I know I can and will fight for the rights of all my loved ones, any color, race, gender, sexuality, etc. Do the same for people around you.

Roar.