We have a new President.
And whether or not everyone agrees or supports him, we should acknowledge our new commander-in-chief.
While watching the inauguration ceremony and listening to the commentators before, during, and after, I would have hoped to hear more positive remarks about the new administration. There are doubts of what promises he can actually keep, but what struck me the most was people continue saying he isn't their president.
Regardless of what your opinion is, regardless of what my opinion is, he is the new President and we, as American citizens, should respect that. Donald Trump is our President whether we like it or not.
His values and his beliefs do not meet my own, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt, a chance to prove he can govern this nation. President Trump (I'm going to have to get used to that) has some large shoes to fill, but I am choosing to believe he might surprise us all.
What still astonishes me is that people still protest against him. We have to root for our President to succeed. Why would we not?
I want to highlight one important part of Chuck Schumer's speech, out of all the speeches during the inauguration, because he talked directly to those who are not in support of the new administration and took a jab at some on the stage as well. He said:
"We Americans have always been a forward-looking, problem-solving, optimistic, patriotic, and decent people. Whatever our race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, whether we're immigrant or native-born, whether we live with disabilities or do not, in wealth or in poverty, we're all exceptional in our commonly held yet fierce devotion to our country. And in our willingness to sacrifice our time, energy, and even our lives to making it a more perfect union."
It was perfectly written and eloquently delivered on Schumer's part, and I hope it stings just enough to push the new administration in the direction this country so desperately wants to go in.
President Trump's inaugural address sounded much like his campaign speeches and although effective in reinforcing allegiance from his supporters, he has yet to unite the nation. I didn't hear what I wanted to hear from him about bringing the American people together, but I won't close my ears to listening to him in the future. He talked about putting America first and rediscovering our loyalty to each other (meaning the American people) and stating that it's now the hour of action, and I want to believe it, I do, but I have a hard time doing so because all of his past allegations towards the American people who don't support him have not come from a positive stance. Personally, I need him to prove he is going to be a President for everyone and will consider every side of the argument before signing something that can hurt the majority of the people in our nation.
These next four years are not going to be easy. They will be a test of our willpower, of our country's resilience. The United States has never benefited from something that was handed to them; we take pride in everything we work hard to get.
I want to look towards the future through an optimistic lens because I know we have come too far to stop fighting for what is right and just.
