To the next generation of Americans,
The year: 2017. The current state of America: confusing.
On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States of America. Some citizens cried tears of joy, some cried tears of fear. While some shouted in exaltation, others screamed in opposition. Current hashtags included #MakeAmericaGreatAgain, #ObamaOut, #NotMyPresident, and #Winning.
I'm writing this to you only 9 days after Trump was sworn in. So far we've seen countless women (and men) come together for the Women's March, Michelle Obama immortalized in the side-eye meme, a temporary ban on all refugees from Muslim countries (though oddly enough, none of the countries Trump has business ties to are mentioned), and accusations of "millions" who committed voter fraud. I know, a lot has happened.
Looking back on significant events in history, I've always wanted to know what people living through those events thought/had to say. So, here I am, writing to you as I'm experiencing the first few days of a Trump presidency.
There are so many emotions running through my brain right now: confusion, worry, anxiety, anger, hopefulness, sadness, fear... It's hard to know what to feel, who to support, or how to respond. One thing I really would love to do is to sit down with President Trump and have a conversation with him; just being able to ask him questions as an American citizen, without the cameras, or scripts, or advisers. Just a conversation. I doubt that will ever happen, but who knows (or maybe you already know, cause I'm technically writing to future humans).
America is a beautiful place. America is also a place where oppression and hurt happen daily. Americans have a reputation of being resilient. Americans also have a reputation of being selfish, of not wanting to put their neighbor (foreign or domestic) first. America is a place where you hear, "you can do anything"... But you also hear, "all Muslims are terrorist".
I don't know what America will look like in the next 20, 50, or 100 years. Maybe by then we'll have flying cars, free education, or mac and cheese vending machines. But I know one thing that will stay the same: there will always be people who love and care for their fellow Americans. There will always be people who treat everyone, even those they disagree with, with dignity and respect. There will always be people who open their doors to those in need, while everyone else turns away. Even though these people can sometimes be hard to find, I promise you that they're there.
Remember to never give up hope, because when hope is lost, everyone loses.
