Watching the election, I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I saw Hillary losing state after state. My dream of seeing the final glass ceiling being broken was getting further and further from reality.
When Trump finally won, I felt defeated. I felt as if the world was going to end. How could America survive even four years with someone who promotes sexism, homophobia, racism and just generally perpetuates hate and stereotypes? I couldn’t see myself respecting a “President Trump” for four years.
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Part of me was scared. As a minority, I knew that things would change. I knew that I could no longer feel as safe when walking down the street.
When I woke up the next day, however, I realized something. I realized that I grew up in a country that prized democracy, and I had grown up respecting the democratic process. Part of the democratic process is a peaceful transition of power, which is what every president and citizen of the United States has respected for centuries.
I don’t agree with many of Trump’s policies, but realistically, I know that many of them cannot be implemented. We cannot marginalize whole groups of people and kick them out of our country. We can’t prohibit that many people from entering the country when we’ve always been the country of opportunity. Even the Statue of Liberty says, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
I hope that Congress and the American people don’t stand for any possible injustice. Part of me lost hope in the American population after the election. Now, however, I’m hopeful again – hopeful that justice will prevail for the next four years.
So, I accept the results of this election. Trump may not be the one I would have chosen, but he’s the one we’ve been given. Rather than be bitter and continue to be upset, we must move forward… and hope for the best.
