I always try to remain unbiased and fairly apathetic in the face of politics, but throughout this election I have been forced to become more opinionated on the subject.
We have taken our democracy for granted. Roughly 55 percent of eligible voters voted and the ramifications will be catastrophic. To those this upsetting decision affects, on behalf of my country, my university, and myself, we are truly sorry for electing a corrupt, “whiny little bitch” as our president.
Regardless of the low voting rates, the Democratic National Committee made a huge error in overlooking the American populous’ desire for drastic change. Evidently everyone, especially us millennials, were naive to the immense desire for change lead by the rural and working class population subject to systemic disinvestment from the federal government.
Trump’s campaign, couched in anti-establishment rhetoric topped with “othering,” appealed to these vital, yet marginalized groups.
Overwhelming, frustration and disenchantment with the current state of our government created a passionate voting majority in favor of a leader ill-equipped for any political position. The safety of our nation has been abandoned. So now we’re preparing for a dramatic imminent shift in U.S. politics. I cannot speak for all minorities, but as a woman, I know living in “Trump’s America” is cause for concern. Critical under-reporting of sexual assault will increase. Fifty years of women’s rights progress will be shoved aside to “Make America Great Again.” How do we remedy this?
“To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable, and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams,” Hillary Clinton said. It is of paramount importance to continue empowering the future generation of men and women that they can overcome all political obstacles to pursue their goals.
For those of you trying to find the good in this national embarrassment, there is an upside: Hillary’s emblematic peaceful transition of power was imperative for keeping our democracy in tact in handling her grave loss with honor and respect for our country. Something Trump would be incapable of.“I still believe, if we stand together our best days are still ahead of us,” Clinton said.
Our generation lacked an objective until now. We are given Trump, not as an impediment, but rather as an opportunity to unite and uphold the values embedded in the heart of our nation.
We ought to continue absolute intolerance of bigotry, bullying, sexism, and unjust hate by using Trump as a model of immorality. We will use his presidency as a learning tool for ourselves and future generations to combat blatant injustice and discrimination. We will, “never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.”
We must continue to be decent, kind human beings and know that relatively speaking, we are lucky. We are lucky to live in a democracy where we can speak our minds without fear of oppression in order to make change. It is our duty now to make positive change toward progress in spite of our commander in chief.
Think positive. As President Barack Obama said earlier today, “You have to stay encouraged. Don’t get cynical. Don’t ever think you can’t make a difference. We all move forward with the presumption of good faith in our fellow citizens because that presumption is essential for a vibrant and functional democracy. That’s how this country moved forward for 240 years.”
Don’t mourn, organize.
