As I’m writing this, Trump has officially been sworn in as President and each channel is broadcasting the violent protests that are going on in Washington D.C. Flash grenades are being thrown in people’s direction, protestors are throwing rocks into surrounding stores, and higher authority figures are getting hurt from the protestors’ actions. The only emotion that keeps circulating throughout my whole body is fear.
Fear that these violent protests will keep going on for awhile, but also fear for the equality and acceptance of everyone all around America.
Many people are hurt and offended that Donald Trump is the new President of the United States, and most of them have every reason to feel so. But, violence is not the answer for any situation, especially this one. We can’t go out and hurt police officers or higher authority figures for doing their job and trying to keep the environment calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as Americans, we should not sit down and be silent about what is on our mind. Freedom of speech is a very prominent part of our Constitution and it should be respected when people protest for a person, or act, that they do not believe in.
A project that really stood out for me during this whole process was The Ghostlight Project because of its mission statement and the great people that took part in it on January 19th. I didn’t know what this project was all about until I saw many of my friends participating in it through Snapchat stories, but I admired the serenity of it all. Before I even knew what the purpose of the project was, I had just seen many people holding flashlights from their cellphones standing peacefully and listening to speeches from different people. I immediately went on their website and was touched by their mission statements which is:
“On January 19, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. in each time zone across the country, members of the theater community - from Broadway to regional theaters to high schools and colleges and community theaters - will come together to launch The Ghostlight Project. Gathering outside of theaters on the eve of the Presidential Inauguration, people will join in a collective, simultaneous action, together creating “light” for challenging times ahead. Inspired by the tradition of leaving a "ghost light" on in a darkened theater, artists and communities will make or renew a pledge to stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participation, and compassion for everyone--regardless of race, class, religion, country of origin, immigration status, (dis)ability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”
Even though, it was originally intended for different reasons other than the Presidential Inauguration, it is still such an important project to be apart of. The university I attend, Adelphi University, also had their own version of the Ghostlight Project for the college community. They could have easily been part of violent protests going on around every state in America, but they took the peaceful route and that is so much more powerful.
People took the power in their hands and decided that they will not allow discrimination or cruelty to be apart of their own lives. Our new President could have his own beliefs on race, gender, or religion, but we cannot allow one person to determine how we will treat others in our everyday lives. Showing kindness is so much more powerful than causing chaos on the streets because it shows that the bad in the world will not win. As for me, I refuse to show anyone I come across anything but respect and kindness because no one deserves anymore cruelty than the world already gives us.
I hope everyone has the same mindset and realizes that we are all much stronger than one person’s ideas and values, even if he is the one with the most control in our country.
