Appleton, Wisconsin: the city my university is located and the same city where Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and former President Bill Clinton were all located this week. Due to class and catching the cold, I was only able to go see Donald Trump and what it taught me was terrifying.
Now, I will say that although I didn't like Trump before this rally, I did go in with an open mind. Bernie Sanders was there Tuesday and I had several friends that went and volunteered. I heard how wonderful and fantastic things were and there were only four protesters. This made me very eager as I was preparing myself for the Trump rally that was held on Wednesday.
After Spanish, I ran down College Avenue and after only two blocks you instantly saw how overly packed that one street was. People were lined up for five blocks and there were cars honking and people yelling everywhere. As I walked down there with my best friend, we talked about how we thought the rally would be, and boy were we wrong.
As we walked down to find the end of the line I saw things I didn't expect to see. I saw kids and even children under 10 there with Trump signs and Trump hats. There were high-schoolers and college-aged kids with slogans that are 'funny' and bucket hats saying "Make America Great Again." There were women and people who weren't what I expected Trump supporters to be like. This sincerely scared me because how could everyday people want someone like Trump to rule our country? But, I talked myself down and reminded myself to go in with an open mind.
On the other side of the street, I saw several groups of people of all ages holding up signs shouting several things in unison in protest of Trump. People were talking to supporters asking them why they supported him and most people said the same thing, "His policies are good. He really cares about us. He's going to Make America Great Again."
And this, really startled me. People wouldn't go into his ideas, just in general. I saw signs saying "Asian Americans for Trump" while seeing across the street signs that would read "Latinos against Trump." College Avenue separated two different ideas.
People were yelling out, "Get this shirt to piss of your liberal friends," and "Hillary for Prison 2016," really angered me. I am very liberal and this upset me because I would never do anything to 'piss off' my conservative friends. I would be yelled at because "Democrats are lazy and all need jobs," yet, I just walked over from class but yet, here they are, not at a job but on a sidewalk. Young conservatives would tell me they wouldn't "hit that" because I was silently holding up a sign with other students from my class. People would drive by flipping me off and yelling out derogatory things all because of a sign.
I don't care if you think there is hate on both sides, because I can promise you that Trump brings out the most hate out of any political candidates. This isn't a Republican or Conservative party problem, this is a Trump problem. Vote for Feel the Bern, Hillary, Ted Cruz the Zodiac Killer, or anyone you see fit for the job, but Trump isn't a politician, ladies and gentlemen. He is a businessman, and a manipulative one at that. Do you really think America needs a President who is going to "Bomb the Hell out of Isis" and will act like we are his new business investment?
