I Don't Care How You Feel About Trump
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

I Don't Care How You Feel About Trump

What I do care about is whether or not you are willing to listen to the man who now runs our nation.

19
I Don't Care How You Feel About Trump
Michael Candelori

The common American doesn’t necessarily want to vote for one party over another. They instead vote for the person who best represents the nation and the values we can collectively place at the highest priority. To the majority of America, that wasn’t the man who is in the Oval Office right now. But to those whose votes made the ultimate difference, it wasn’t the woman who embodied the government so many others felt disenfranchised from.

I don’t care that you voted for Trump and I’m not going to assume you’re a horrible and blind person because you did. We shouldn’t ignore the fact that a number of mal-intentioned people support Trump’s presidency and may indeed have a chance to grow their platform thanks to him, but we also shouldn’t ignore the Americans so disconnected with the beliefs and priorities of the people that they inadvertently supported his win. I’d like to think that the greater America that supported his presidency are the well-meaning Americans that simply wanted to see change from a government they felt was dismissive and destructive for their own understandable reasons.

The core of Trump’s inauguration speech we saw on Friday was galvanizing “the people,” contending that every American, regardless of color and socioeconomic background, are united as one and a force much stronger than the government that had continually disappointed them. But the beauty of America is that our sheer size, history, and social and cultural diversity guarantees the American experience takes a different face for everyone who lives here. The problem with patriotism, as vital to our integrity as it might be, is that it often conceals that reality.

In order to stand for the people we must listen to the people, especially those quite unlike ourselves. Calling out those who have reacted negatively to this election in order to characterize them as “sore losers” disregards the voices of those who are legitimately fearful for their place in this country in ways we cannot relate to. An effective society doesn’t dismiss and trivialize these opposing voices, but it hears what they have to say. People who are concerned reserve the right to be concerned just as much as you reserve the right to be hopeful.

When Trump says “We will make America wealthy again,” it’s not egregious to worry about the complexities of that statement when so much of his administration are, like him, multi-millionaires with business ties. When Trump says “We will make America proud again,” we have to wonder if we agree on what it was that was so dishonorable in the first place. And finally, when Trump says “We will make America safe again,” his large support from white nationalists and past statements make it easy to feel that perhaps that’s not a promise meant for all Americans. Even if all of these are arguable to some extent, every argument requires at least a little bit of empathy. Our most deeply-held beliefs don’t come out of thin air, they grow with us when we learn and reflect from our own upbringings and experiences.

I don’t care that you voted for Trump. I care if whether or not you’re willing to understand why the contrast of this presidency compared to its predecessors is not a good thing for everyone instead of focusing on whatever an opposing voice can say or do that strokes your ego. I care that you can be willing to take a step back every now and then and evaluate why you feel the way you do - which is, of course, something everybody should be doing anyway. America is not the same reality for everyone, and the most constructive change cannot occur if we don’t acknowledge our differences.

At the end of the day, though, we are all human, and it’s true: we are absolutely bigger than our government, as long as we can take the time to acknowledge our humanity.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71028
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132590
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments