My Fellow Americans,

We are in a divisive period in American history, the people are fighting the people, and resistance has turned into mindless, nonsensical violence. Stop. This is an unbelievably important time in our history as a country; the next four years can determine the direction we will go for an unknown amount of time. The transition of authority has begun, the law of the land has been used and the commander of the ship has been chosen, whether you like it or not, it’s happening.

I write this because I fear for the future of the country, not because of who is president, but because of the reactions towards it. Violent riots in Portland, Oregon, people beating others based on whom they voted for, (such instances include: a Muslim women in a hijab, a man at his car, etc.) what they look like, their race and other reasons. It’s maddening. Of all times, this is the time to promote peace and love amongst one another. Divided we all, united we fall. Let’s not allow that. Just because of who was elected, as the next president of the United States, doesn’t give any credence or right to use hate to combat hate. Martin Luther King Jr. had pointed out how nobody has ever used hate towards someone who hated him or her to resolve. Abraham Lincoln had a man by the name of Edwin Stanton who hated him, who spoke negatively of him during his campaign, using slander to try to prevent him from being elected and the man had failed. When it came time to choose people in his cabinet and other positions of power for this country, President Lincoln appointed Stanton to the position of Secretary of War against the will of people around him. When President Lincoln was assassinated that man had said of him, “Now he belongs to the ages.” Lincoln didn’t use hate to combat the hate, he forgave, placed the people above himself and fixed what many may had seen has irreparable.

There is no denying that the President is a powerful position, one that can improve or damage a nation, however we have power ourselves, we mustn’t forget that. If we use hate to argue, to fight and combat, we’re no better than what we fight against. The people care. We need to promote peaceful protests, peaceful demonstrations, and peaceful words and abandon the anger that fills many with rage. We justify the violence by combatting it with further violence; it becomes a cruel, unneeded cycle. We must peacefully attain the equal rights of our citizens, for the whites, blacks, brown; the Christians, Catholics, Muslims, and Buddhists; the straight, the gay, the transsexuals and others; the men and women of America. Nobody should be judged on their race, gender, religion or sexuality, but the content of their character. We shall, as a people, unite to achieve these goals, despite the vitriol surrounding us, besides the voices saying we can’t: cause we can.

America, this is a transitional period, it’ll be painful. We cannot stop pushing; we cannot give up now, for we’re far closer to our goals than we can see. In history there’s always been backlash when we get this close to our goals, we’re seeing that backlash now…which means we’re close. They’re fearful. Don’t give up yet. Push on, of the people, for the people. We shall attain equality, we shall attain an America in which the American Dream applies to all, not just a select few.

I’ve seen the pain ignite, the fire in your eyes on the streets

Seen the fear in your sight, before the next one takes the seat

Yet the violence both sides perpetrate is not conducive

If I may place it honestly and bluntly: it’s stupid

Cease the riots continue with peaceful protests

Because the hurt hurts to watch, of this I detest

I understand the fear in the numerous communities

Both sides are to blame; nobody gets amenity

If you want change, do your best to make it

There’s so much on the line, all the stakes in.