I'm tired of Donald Trump. There, I said it.
No, I don't care if less than half of the country voted for him, and I really don't care that he's "my" president. Because he's not. I'm also tired of being told to respect a man who has demonstrated that he has a bit of an issue with respecting others (I've got receipts — here, here, and here), that telling the truth is not a strength of his (this one has 27 pages of results, enjoy), and that accountability is a non-factor (here) in your job description, after being elected to the highest office in our nation. Just to name a few things.
But what I'm most tired of? More tired of than his yappy cheerleader, Tomi Lahren? More tired of than his ridiculous Press Secretary and his alarming outbursts? I'm tired of being told to respect him.
"He's our president, you have to respect him."
Let me give you a short list of things I have to do: breathe, nourish my body, and die. Nothing else is really a necessity. Will I face consequences for not doing things like paying my taxes? I'll have to ask our 45th President because apparently only some people face consequences for that, but I digress (fact check: here and here). My point is that under the First Amendment of our Constitution, my public disdain for the newly-elected president is protected. I do not have to silence my criticism of him just because he'll throw a fit or two about it on the internet. Or maybe he'll ban me from Press Conferences. Either way, don't expect me to quiet down because Donald's feelings are hurt. Or yours, for that matter, if you call yourself a supporter of his. You knew how much of the country felt alienated by this man when you voted for him, didn't you? Then you should've prepared yourself for this. I'll remain polite and, by all means, enter into a discourse with me and prove to me that he is worthy of being respected by me. Until that time arrives, I'm going to have to hard pass on some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Donald.
Moreover, how am I supposed to respect this man as "our" president, when he's hardly acted presidential thus far? And please don't even get me started on how people "respected" Obama during his 8 years as our president.
"You're just mad that your candidate lost."
This response actually makes my blood boil in a way I didn't know was possible until this election. I'm going to state this as plainly as possible:
It was never about just the candidates.
In all honesty, I wish it were just about the candidates. Perhaps, that would've been easier to swallow. Much like seeing your hometown team lose a football or basketball game, it is a bit of a blow. Then you get over it like a grown up.
What is different about electing an official to the highest office in our nation — and I can't believe I even have to explain this, is that this individual is supposed to represent our nation as a whole. With a team of other selected individuals, this elected official makes massive decisions about the future of our country. My anger, my fear, my confusion, my disdain, and my sometimes tears are about the fact that the man this country has elected to be its representative could not more diametrically oppose my viewpoints if he tried. Genuinely, I cannot recall a single word that he has said that I agree with. This man does not represent me. Many people have countered this by saying that President Obama did not represent their viewpoints by any stretch of the imagination, and that is a fair assessment. But President Obama's viewpoints didn't put their lives in danger, or put their safety on the back burner, because they looked different than him or came from somewhere besides America.
I am fearful of the message that his kind of leadership will send to the world, and I am fearful of what repercussions this message will have for me, my family, and my future family. I am deeply saddened by the fact that there are already marginalized groups in this country who now feel displaced in a country they've potentially lived their entire lives in, because Donald's message has emboldened a select, sad few among us to now spew their hatred out onto the world around them, in the form of aggression and crime. And I am beyond outraged that in the "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave," only certain people are allowed to be free and only certain people are allowed to be brave — and then are told how to be free, and how to be brave. America is supposed to be the country of realized potential and, for some, a warm embrace after what could've been a lifetime of devastation. America is supposed to be the country that sends away countless men and women to defend the freedoms and rights of all citizens. Justice is supposed to be blind, in America. Justice isn't supposed to see race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or nationality. Justice is supposed to see the good in people, and that all lives are worth saving. Instead, our current president believes that he and he alone can decide who is deserving of justice, and whose life is worthy. That is the reason for my anger.
Because it was never just about the candidates.
"There's nothing you can do about it now."
Like hell there isn't. Just watch me.
