It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write this today, two days after the presidential election. I wanted to write this sooner but my thoughts on yesterday were too scattered to make a proper submission. I am deeply disappointed in my country right now.
When Donald Trump first ran, he began his campaign based on pure racism by generalizing Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and “drug-users”. He tried to lighten these comments by saying that “some he assumed were good people.” Someone doesn’t have to be Mexican to know these comments are extremely racist. From this day forward, I knew this man was not good. My parents knew it. My friends knew it. Citizens from all over the U.S. knew it. As the months went on, there were more and more racist, misogynistic, ableist, and homophobic statements, coming from himself, his campaign, and his supporters.
As his popularity grew, so did the divide in this nation. I can’t remember how many times I’ve seen demeaning and horrible comments from Trump supporters about women, POC, the LGBT community, and just about anybody else who isn’t a straight white male. What bugged me so much about this was when someone called out either Trump or his supporters, we were being ‘too sensitive’. “Milennials and younger people are so offended by everything these days.” I don’t have to explain how ignorant these people are. On the other hand, we have Hillary Clinton. A experienced, hard-working woman who has been in the government for 30+ years. She has and has always had the best intentions for the people. She may not be the perfect candidate, but she is and will continue to be one, if not the, of the most qualified candidates for president. But Hillary lost, despite winning the popular vote.
The people voted for a racist. A xenophobe. homophobe. misogynist. The list could go on forever.
So today in school, when people tried to lecture me on why he was the better choice, I choose to listen and let their ignorant selves talk on and on. The fact that Trump got as far as he did is shocking and devastating. As a Mexican-American, I am scared. I am scared for others. Donald Trump does NOT have my respect. No president should ever invoke the kind of fear that Trump has. Muslims afraid to wear their hijabs, People are currently living in fear.
The nation is already divided, and it is going to be extremely hard to mend it. However, tomorrow is a new day. We will thrive in spite of him. I, and everyone else, will fight for the good. We will all continue to fight for what is right!! Above all, love will always trump hate.
