Now that I've had some time to process the results of the Presidential Election, I find myself frustrated with all the anti-other rhetoric and disgusted with the hate crimes that are happening in our communities. On the surface, a wealthy businessman with little background in politics won an election over a former Secretary of State with over 30 years experience in public policy. While many individuals were happy about the election results, they also left many people fearing for what a Trump Presidency would look like for them. While I understand why many people wanted an anti-establishment candidate like Trump, Secretary Clinton's loss made the future of our country questionable. I was honestly upset, for several reasons.
To start, one of the biggest promises of Trump's campaign was to "build a wall" on the border of Mexico and the United States. Along with this promise came decisive anti-immigrant rhetoric that insults the very founding of the United States. The United States was founded as a nation of immigrants; we pride ourselves on being a melting pot of cultures, a place of freedom where the "American Dream" can be achieved. Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric is hateful and inflammatory. He insults the Muslim community by proposing to ban anyone who identifies as Muslim from immigrating into this country, linking anyone who identifies as Muslim with Radical Islamic Terrorism when in fact the two are not synonymous. He inflames the Drug Problems at the Mexico-US border by calling Mexicans rapists and drug dealers, giving a false image that all immigrants from Mexico are part of this problem. He has caused this anti-immigrant ideology to affect his supporters to lash out against these immigrant communities and individuals.
When it comes to the environment, scientists and environmentalists alike are worries about what his policy ideas will mean for climate change. Not only has he claimed climate change is a hoax, but he plans on pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement to focus funds on "clean" coal and natural gas. The rising global temperatures and the changing climate across the globe are putting many ecosystems at risk; many of those ecosystems being ones we humans rely on for food, medicine, and living. Trump wants to put someone from the oil industry in charge of the EPA. Trump's presidency will undoubtedly be a disaster for the climate. The "energy revolution" that Trump talks about in his energy plans will rely on oil, natural gas, and coal reserves that are running out. Removing these energy stores will also be disastrous to the people in the surrounding communities. These temporary jobs that will cause vast amounts of destruction would be better put in clean energy. (Disclaimer: "clean coal" is an ironic claim. No coal reserve is "clean" in the sense of clean wind or solar energy; burning coal will still add to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.)
For women, many Clinton supporters were disappointed in Trump's victory because of his plans to de-fund Planned Parenthood, and his outright disgusting comments targeting women. His so-called "locker-room talk" coming out of the mouth of a 50-year-old man made women uncomfortable, and normalized that kind of talk among men. His objectification, rudeness, and demoralizing comments made women feel targeted. He is going on trial for a case of rape from 1994 that has slowly made its way through the courts. The way he seems to treat women, despite his claims that "no one respects women more," a lot of women are rightly uncomfortable with a man speaking like that.
In terms of Planned Parenthood, Trump has suggested in the past that women get punished for having abortions. His Vice-President Elect Pence has tried to pass legislature mandating a funeral for the cells after an abortion. While Trump praised Planned Parenthood for helping women get access to cancer screenings, he pledges not to fund them while they still provide abortions. A man has no right to infringe upon a woman's right to choose; while abortion is not the ideal solution to problems in pregnancy, it is often a very difficult and tedious choice that some women have to make. Whether or not a person believes in abortions, having a place like Planned Parenthood makes the procedure safe, while banning them would force many women to find alternatives that could be even more dangerous. Under a Trump/Pence Presidency, reproductive rights are likely to be stifled.
In terms of the Second Amendment, Trump fully believes in the amendment and is backed by the National Rifle Association. While there is nothing wrong with upholding our freedoms including the Second Amendment, Trump falsely claimed that the Second Amendment was under attack by Democrats. Because of this fear rhetoric, he fails to see that what many Democrats want are sensible gun laws that will mandate background checks and close loopholes at gun shows that allow anyone and everyone to purchase a gun. In an effort to keep our communities safer, Trump fails to consider how gun legislation will benefit the American people.
Instead, he supports Stop and Frisk, which has been seen as a form of racial profiling and hasn't been proven to work and actually get the criminals off the streets. Stop and Frisk would have police terrorizing minority neighborhoods while police shootings of unarmed black men have been rising and racial tensions between the police force and citizens is ever-rising. Trump's divisive rhetoric labels inner-cities and African American and Latino communities as inevitably dangerous, creating fear among those communities for what a Trump Presidency will look like. Racial profiling and discrimination is already causing a rise in hate crimes against minorities. Trump's campaign showed the nation that racism is still a huge problem that has to be addressed, and normalizing this as his campaign did will be very dangerous. This is why African American and Latino communities are enraged; a Trump presidency will only set back the progress of Civil Rights.
For the Supreme Court, a Trump presidency will have a huge impact on decisions for generations to come. Because Congress won't vote on Obama's pick for a Supreme Court Justice to replace Justice Scalia, there's one seat on the Supreme Court that a President Trump will have to fill. With several other Justices growing older and talking of retirement, Trump could have a hand in shaping the Supreme Court for generations to come. Laws like Marriage Equality could be overturned, and matters of Equality could be called into question. With a Republican-controlled House and Senate, shaping the Supreme Court in their favor could drastically change future decisions.
As far as LGBTQ+ rights, Trump's potential legislation could be dangerous. He has said he will sign a First Amendment Defense Act that could allow individuals and businesses to refuse service to an individual because of his or her gender or sexuality. Trump would effectively legalize discrimination. Just as problematic, Trump's Vice President-elect Pence advocated for public spending on conversion therapy in Indiana. The homophobia displayed during Trump's campaign made many in the LGBTQ+ community uncomfortable and afraid. The LGBTQ+ community should be able to be visible without fear of discrimination; they should be able to love whomever they choose to love and live their lives without the fear that their government will allow people to discriminate against them.
While Hillary Clinton was not the ideal candidate for many people, the alternative holds a lot of fear among citizens. The Trump campaign made many men, women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, minorities, and communities feel targeted and uncomfortable. Future legislation under Republican-lead Congress and President-elect Trump causes many of these individuals to fear for their rights. This is not an unwarranted fear.
People are marching in the streets to protest and refusing to accept that Trump won the electoral college. To them, I say this: exercise your freedom of speech, and exercise your freedom of assembly, but do not get violent. We cannot face the future stronger together if we are unruly and wasteful with our energy. Use this momentum to support organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the National Resources Defense Council, the International Refugee Assistance Project, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Trevor Project, and the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Spend time volunteering time or resources to organizations like these who may be fighting harder than ever the next four years to survive. Just because we lost the election does not mean the world is going to end. Whether or not President Trump is successful in his proposals, we can't stop fighting to defend our rights.
To President-elect Trump, I say this: There are many Americans who are very excited to see you in office, and many people who hope you fulfill the role to the best of your ability. There are also many Americans who are fearful about your election. They are afraid that you do not support their interests, and that fear is not unwarranted. Stop the hate crimes. Stop the hurtful and divisive rhetoric. Do your job to protect all Americans regardless of race, origin, gender, sexuality, creed, or class. I am afraid. I am afraid for myself, as a woman, that your "locker-room talk" will make other men think they can talk about women like that. I am afraid for my friends who are immigrants, who are people of color. I am afraid for my friends who are transgender and queer, and I will not allow your rhetoric to force them to live in fear. I want to feel safe in this country and I want my friends to feel safe in this country. I don't doubt that there is potential for some good in this presidency, but that is clouded by the fear and legislature that could cause this country to regress in the quest for civil rights.
Let this be clear: I will never stop fighting for what I believe in, no matter what challenges the new presidency will have in store. I am not alone.
