This is quite a heavy week. Today, as I wrote this, Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States. This is something that I, along with millions of Americans, never thought would be possible. In our eyes, he was a joke, a clown and a reality TV star. He could never get this far. Yet here we are.
These past few months has been the first time that I have ever become vocal about my political views. I’ve always strayed away from sharing my opinions. For one, I’m only nineteen. I didn’t believe my voice was valid enough to stand beside those people much older than me, who are much more used to the election process. Who was I to say anything? But throughout this election, I couldn’t stay quiet.
Donald Trump has brought such hatred to our country. I am still stunned that we have just come out of eight years with Barack Obama as president, eight years of change and hope, and this is what we are left with. We are left with a man with supporters who are against blacks, Latinos, immigrants, Muslims, the LGBTQ community, women and all other minorities.
How can I stay quiet during a time when some of my best friends and family members, who I care so much about, will be living under a figure who views them as lesser people than white, middle aged men? I am lucky enough to go to a liberal minded University where I am surrounded by like minded people, educated people like me. I feel safe and comfortable here. But I have to realize the majority of people aren’t as lucky as I am.
Today, I attended a discussion at Boston University regarding the past election and its events. I listened to dozens of students' opinions on everything that has been happening lately, all of which were extremely impressive and well thought out. One comment in particular stood out from me, which came from an African American girl who is from Atlanta, Georgia.
She was discussing the criticism from the Republicans after this elections towards the Liberals who are still unhappy with the results, and continue to protest. Many conservatives, and also even some liberals, stress the importance of how now that Trump has won, the members of our country must come together and “start a conversation” to find some “common ground.” This all sounds good, but this just isn’t reality.
She continued on by saying that had this been any other election, maybe she would have reacted differently, and been more open to having conversations with the other side. However, this election was about much more than just politics. This time around, morals, ethics and human rights were tested more than ever. She shared a tragic story about how after Trump’s election, the students in her sister’s high school in Georgia told her to go back home and pick some cotton. A vote for Trump was a vote against her human rights as a person.
So no, this election is not the time to sit around and accept the fact that people voted for the other side. I don’t think Liberals are being unfair and sore losers by refusing to do so. In fact, they are thinking about everyone in their lives that has their basic human rights questioned because of this racist, homophobic and sexist man. This isn’t the time to accept someone’s differences for voting the other way. We need to stand up and be strong and do what is right.
