Before I begin this article, I would like to iterate and make known that I am not here to tell you how to think or how to act. I am aware that the topic I will be discussing sparks divisiveness, distress, and even division. However, I am not here to offend anyone despite the fact that this is a sensitive subject that will definitely be driven by my observations and my own personal beliefs.

Whew! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we’re going to discuss the presidential elections that just occurred last week. We’ll analyze the election itself, find the causes for certain events, and then I’ll insert my own personal thoughts on the election itself.

So as many Americans know, Donald J. Trump won the election by a landslide in the electoral vote, garnering 290 electoral votes compared to Hillary Clinton’s 228. However, Clinton did win the popular vote. Nevertheless, the result of the election shocked millions of Americans across the nation, even those who supported Trump from the beginning. Several media, including CNN and MSNBC, projected that Clinton would easily seize the election. In addition, the aftermath of the election has been permeated with protests and backlash against the President-Elect, rejecting his victory and completely distraught.

So how did all of this happen? Why did Hillary lose the election in the end? These are only a couple of the many questions that we will attempt to answer today.

1. How Did Trump Pull Off The Upset?

It seemed as though the odds were completely stacked against Trump from the beginning. Virtually no major media outlets predicted that he would win the election by any means. Naturally, then, Trump’s victory has left millions confused and puzzled. However, while this might be the case, we have to wonder if there was any upset to begin with. In other words, was the mainstream media played for a fool?

It is quite possible that the “silent majority” was singlehandedly responsible for upsetting the election for Hillary Clinton. With the media’s polarization of conservatives and the seemingly unanimous disdain for Donald Trump made them afraid to discuss their political preferences with others, which may have skewed the early polling in favor of Clinton. In addition, the reopening of the case against Clinton for her emails by FBI Director James Comey did nothing to help her.

Not to mention, Donald Trump was a candidate that tugged on the emotions of millions of Americans. For some, he renewed the flames in the hearts of many and encouraged them to go out and support him to “make America great again”. This simple messaging alone propelled Trump to where he is now, and clearly it was enough for him to become the President-Elect.

2. Is The Electoral College A Fair System To Determine The Election?

Hillary won the popular vote. Trump won the electoral vote. Therefore, Trump became the President-Elect for the United States. Clearly, millions are furious at the outcome and are threatening actions that are not limited to the secession of California, leaving the country, etc. It has also led to many calling for a reform in the electoral college.

So is the system fair? Obviously, opinion will differ among others, and at this time will be even more polarizing among the population considering the results. However, an election system based on either popular vote or electoral vote presents its problems.

In a popular vote system, it may be unfairly skewed for Democrats, especially in “blue” states like California, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, etc., alongside metro areas that hold an enormous amount of the population. In an electoral vote system, winning the 10 largest states will get you the nomination, in addition to the fact that the system is winner-take-all, so it doesn’t accurately represent the beliefs of the popular vote.

Clearly, it’s difficult to determine whether the system is just, and people are attempting to develop alternatives to the current system, but it is safe to say that under the system, Trump won the election legitimately, and everyone should come to the consensus that he has at least done that, even if you might not agree with his policies or like him as a candidate.

3. What Could Have The Democrats Done To Win?

Let’s make it abundantly clear: Hillary had a chance to win the election. It was not out of the realm whatsoever, but clearly, she didn’t achieve that result. However, what if there was a way in which the Democratic Party could have exponentially better chances of becoming the President-Elect? Someone who resonated with millions and could achieve results that Clinton couldn’t dream of?

Well, have you happened to hear of that person name Bernie Sanders?

He seemed like the candidate that everyone desired. He fought against corruption in the government, rigorously wanted to redistribute wealth and start the economy fresh, take strides to prevent climate change from becoming a threat, make public college free for everyone, and only took donations to fund his political campaign. He had a clean track record and stood for beliefs from the very beginning.

But the Democratic Party didn’t see it that way.

The political party was clearly against what Sanders stood for. They did anything in their power to ensure Clinton became the candidate to represent the Democratic Party. He represents a pillar of change that the party feared, reflecting in the overwhelming support of superdelegates for Clinton and the scheme to prevent Sanders from earning the nomination. Now whether he would have won is a different discussion that we will ultimately never find out, but Sanders and Clinton clearly contrasted each other, and the support for Sanders was strong, and due to Clinton’s nomination, it’s quite possible that some of those supporters went for somebody else that was distant from the political establishment.

Now that we’ve covered some of those questions, I think that it’s best that I add my perspective on the election process as a whole, so you all can gain some insight as to my thought process when writing this article and experience my feelings through my eyes. Once again, take everything I say as you will, and form your own opinions on the matter.

Anyways, I’ll just let you know right off the bat: I never truly supported ANY of the candidates that were running. I had preferences, but I would not have voted in an actual election if I were able to. I felt as though all of the candidates demonstrated glaring and significant flaws that prevented me from backing them. For Trump, it was his primarily his reactive nature, alongside his unclear motivations and my personal policy conflicts. For Clinton, it was her corrupt and dishonest nature, and my personal disagreement with her policies.

As one may already be able to tell, I lean extremely moderate. I find that the political parties create unnecessary polarization within the country that ultimately divides us as a people. I also believe that the current American government suffers from corruption and has slowly transitioned into a system dictated by wealth and personal gain. However, I try to find compromises on many issues that face our country today, as I think it will aid in bringing our country together. I say this because I believe that our country is evidently separately merely due to the overwhelming presence of the Democratic and Republican parties.

They continue to stand against each other and insult the other side, making generalizations and assuming that their affiliation with a certain party automatically determines what kind of person they are. Yet, both parties generally want what is best for the country. Why not come together on something like that, rather than acting as polar opposites and continuing to cause conflict.

And nothing exemplifies this more clearly than the aftermath of the 2016 presidential elections.

As we speak, protests are occurring on the streets. People are angry at Trump, completely against the thought of calling him their president. Millions are participating, and some have even escalated to violence, as seen in Portland. Whether the same protests would’ve occurred if Clinton had won is unknown, but our country is even more divided than it was a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately, the protests and hate does not limit itself to dissatisfaction with a Trump presidency. Multiple individuals have begun to attack people that supported Trump or any third-party candidates, labeling Trump supporters in particular as “racist”, “bigots”, “sexist”, “misogynists”, etc. Famous celebrities and personalities including Tyler Oakley, an LGBT YouTuber, are instilling fear and paranoia, acting as if Trump’s presidency spells the end for minority groups and anyone that isn’t of Caucasian descent.

Quite frankly, I find the stigmatization by liberals to be absolutely loathsome. Generalizing a massive group of Trump supporters as something demeaning does not help anyone. In fact, it sparks vengeance and fury among us instead. Just because Clinton did not become the President-Elect, there is no excuse for anyone to brutally attack Trump or third party supporters for their political views and beliefs, no matter how much they contrast others. The same can goes for Trump supporters, and they should not provoke or instigate anything intentionally that would spark outrage for the sake of some degree of peace within the country.

I truly have a passion for this country and only want to see the best happen for it. I understand that I might receive backlash for the content of my article, regardless of its intention. Heck, some might even garner accusations against me for what I may or may not believe, with some talking down to me for getting heavily involved in politics at a younger age.

With all of that in mind, why do I still write about something like this? To that, I have a simple answer: to inform and spark discussion.

Politics do not have to be as controversial as they are right now. They do not have to have a stigma placed on them, where even discussing political beliefs and values is considered a sin in society. We all have our differences, and once we learn to open our minds and have compassion and consideration for others and their values, politics as a whole can become less toxic. I believe the media needs to increase transparency and report unbiased stories that treat all presidential candidates fairly, instead of fostering environments where hate can easily be directed towards specific presidential candidates. Of course, this may sound idealistic and quite impractical, but it’s absolutely possible. Right now, we are completely divided as a country after the election that led to Trump’s victory. However, I believe it’s best that we hold our judgments for when he actually goes to office and give him a fair chance. Despite our differences, we have been able to do so before as a country. Even if we are not satisfied, know that it is not the end of the world for any of us. In fact, it could easily be a beginning for the country.

I strongly encourage you to leave your thoughts and opinions on the article. I will respect your and I would be honored to engage with you in a thoughtful discussion if possible. Even if it’s something small, I hope that people become less afraid to express themselves and stand up for what they believe whether it be through voting or debate.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope everyone can look towards an even brighter future.