In today's world, it's almost taboo to be republican, especially as an 18-year-old. When President Trump won, people had riots and practically mourned that he was now our president. The liberals of the world made sure he knew that he's not their President. Well, I'm sorry to tell you but he actually is!

Being a republican and having to deal with the issues going on today is extremely hard. We're looked at as bigots, racists and homophobes. Not all of us are like that but we do have some strong opinions on what's going on today. Why is it always so wrong for us to express them?

For example, Trumps ban on transgenders in the military. The military gives all of its members health care, but why should the American tax payers have to pay for estrogen or testosterone pills? That money could be used in more efficient and beneficial ways. The U.S. government should be paying for actual drugs that saves lives, not ones that change genders.

Along with homophobe being one of our most common nicknames, white supremacist is in there too. In Charlottesville, Virginia the statue of Robert E. Lee will be taken down. Many protesters in Charlottesville don't want the statue removed because of the history behind it. Along with Charlottesville, Duke University removed a Robert E. Lee statue from their Chapel. The university President removed it to ensure safety on his campus. People are going to protest no matter what, removing the statue isn't making the university a safer place.

Slavery was an awful part of American history but removing a historical statue of a man won't change the fact that it happened. Many of our Presidents owned slaves because that's what was common in the 1800's.

It's extremely hard for republicans to express their opinion without being insulted by a liberal and being called a bigot or a racist. Liberals love to advocate for equality for all yet whenever a republican has something to say were suddenly the bad guy and looked down upon. No republican should ever be afraid to voice their opinion. This is a free country and we need to stop feeling bad for what we believe in.

Having an opinion doesn't make you a bad person, it makes you an educated one.