This year, for the first time in my life, I sat and watched the presidential inauguration.

Our teachers didn't show it but our College and Career Center did.

I sat and watched as the numerous amounts of attendants, former presidents and first ladies, celebrities and finally, the new vice president and president, flooded down the hallways and on and off the screen. In the room I was in, there were all sorts of chatter and because I don't pay much attention to politics, I kept quiet and just watch in observance.

My opinion about this inauguration was "What's done is done. I hope and pray he learns from his past mistakes, stops Tweeting as much as he does and just runs our country."

And then these past weeks happened. And this is what most people forget.

We have faced wars, corrupt politicians, segregation, unjust laws, terrorism and anti-Semitism in all places, in all races. We stood in shock and watched as the Twin Towers crumbled and the streets of Boston erupted into chaos. Our soldiers passionately and bravely commit themselves to our wars all over the world. We faced the events of Bloody Sunday and the numerous strikes, marches, and stand-ins. We are no stranger to tragedy, violence, loss, or the ridiculous choices of politicians.

Here's what the people who cause these events forget.

We don't and won't go quietly. We are a nation who has seen and experienced it all and we are a nation that is NOT afraid to defend what we hold dear and true. We join strangers as they mourn, we march and chant until our voices are gone if we believe in what we are fighting for. We will stand by our brothers and sisters, arms linked, posters raised, voices heard. We fight for our neighbors, strangers, the poor and oppressed, the discriminated, the alienated, those who cannot stand on our own.

I know that this will never reach the White House or the desk of the president himself, but this is what I will say.

Congratulations. You have won the vote of the people, but what you forget is that you stand for the people. The Caucasians, the African Americans, the Muslims, the Jews, the Mexicans and everyone else- the AMERICAN PEOPLE. You are now the leader of a nation that WILL not go down without a fight and no amount of Twitter posts can make that go away. We will always rise to the occasion. We have faced worse than you and we are all still here, kicking and screaming.

So welcome to our nation, our United States of America. A nation where, if we unite for a cause we believe in, we will make you notice and we will sure as hell rock your world.