For about six months now I have refrained from writing or posting anything about politics—mainly because about 80% of my social media friends take care of it for me, and who needs another political post consuming their timeline? I have spent countless days, hours and moments imagining what I would rant about, how I would say it and what my message would be. I could write for hours about why I am a Conservative, why I chose to vote for Donald Trump, or what I think about the fascinating and powerful young woman, Tomi Lahren. As I sit and write this, I laugh lightheartedly with my mom about how much backlash I may get.

To those of you that I may have already lost after the first paragraph, I encourage and challenge you to keep reading; I have no intentions of offending anyone. Unlike many, I am not here to disrespect you and talk down on your values, beliefs, and opinions. I am not here to tell you what to do, or whom you should have supported. I am here to react. As a young woman, and a first-time voter, I was shocked that my voting experience was as intense as it was. From the protests and riots that broke out in response to several political issues, to the social media wars, I was astounded by the amount of anger and disrespect in the American people.

I understand that we are all entitled to our own beliefs, and that is what makes the United States so wonderful. We are allowed to have differences of opinion, and stand up for what we believe in. I am not going to argue the fact that yes, you do have the right to say what you want about the election results, Hilary Clinton, Donald Trump, Tomi Lahren, or that co-worker you find annoying because he is a Hilary Clinton supporter and you're not.

But, what I do know is that we are not entitled to disrespect the American Flag, our country, our leaders, our fellow citizens, our laws and our law enforcement. I am truly shocked, disappointed and angered with the immaturity, rage, disrespect and lack of class some of you are revealing through your actions and words.

I realize that some of you may feel more passionate than others because of your race, sexual orientation, background, and experiences. I understand how frustrating it is to be a part of this day and age with the controversial topics of abortion, Planned Parenthood, The LGBT community, Black Lives Matter, feminism, religion, and Foreign Policy. The list goes on and on. I get it because believe it or not I have an opinion too, but just because mine doesn’t match yours, how dare you attempt to bully me into your beliefs, and stand aside and disrespect my values and opinions? Who said that your opinion was above everyone else’s? Why is it okay for you to publicly announce your opinion and expect praise in return, but lash out at others who don’t agree with you? Why do you think you are entitled to behave this way?

I encourage all of you to realize that like it or not, what’s done is done. The election is over. Everything is out of your control. I am genuinely sorry to all of you that are scared of what’s to come with our new President. I am sorry that it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to, but please keep in mind that you did all you could as an American, and as long as you exercised your right to vote, you did your part. Please remember that there are people that see things differently, it is only natural. We all grew up in different places, different family dynamics, different communities, and had different experiences. The key word here is different. We are all different. Our life and experiences are responsible for crafting who we are and influencing our beliefs, morals, and values that are the building blocks of our character. Of course, it is only natural for us to defend what we strongly believe in, and what our values are.

To everyone that is scared, I am scared too. I am scared of a lot of things. I am scared of something as small as a spider, and something as big as terrorism. I am scared that our country and the world that we live in will not be a safe place for me to welcome my children into one day. I am scared to walk alone in a dark place at night. I am scared of the future. But, what makes me even more scared is the rage and anger within my friendships, community, and country.

As a strong conservative, I used to be scared to stand up for myself. I used to be scared to defend my beliefs and values, and this election didn’t offer much hope and help. I used to ignore the presumptuous comments that I am sexist, homophobic, and racist because I support Donald Trump. Today, I defend myself and say I am none of those. I don’t need a female president to give me the strength and courage to make an impact, to be successful in my career, or to exercise my rights as a woman. As a strong woman, I stand up for myself, and what I believe in, and I don’t let anyone try and tell me that because of something I believe or support, I am something I am not. Today, I am not scared anymore. Just like everyone else, I am entitled to speak freely and defend my values and beliefs. But I am choosing to do it respectfully.

Let us not forget that our country has battled through hell and back before. We have battled through discrimination. We have fought for women’s rights. We have protected our country. We have united and stood as one. Above all, our duty as an American citizen is to respect our country, our leaders and our fellow citizens.

To those that may not be able to see past this, thank you for pushing me to new intellectual challenges, strengthening my critical thinking skills, and fueling my daily runs with new perspectives and ideas to think about. God Bless the USA.