Like many people across the country, I was shocked and devastated when Donald Trump won the election on Tuesday, November 8. When I woke up the next morning, I felt like I was living in a nightmare. I have no words for how it feels to see professors and students alike crying in fear because we are going to have a president who doesn't believe in climate change, and spews hatred at minorities, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, and women. Though many of us are still stunned, it's time to stop saying "I don't understand why this happened" and start listening to each other.
It's easy to say that every Trump supporter is racist and sexist, and I truly do believe that if you voted for Trump, you are indifferent to the suffering of many people in this country. That being said, I think there are many ways that liberals and the liberal media especially contributed to the election outcome as well. From the beginning, Trump's candidacy was not taken seriously by many white liberals. People treated him as a joke because it seemed out of reach that he could actually win.
Dismissing Trump supporters as hateful and blocking them on social media does not do anything to help this situation. A great majority of the conversations I have had about politics in the past year have been with liked-minded individuals. This is all well and good, but discussions need to be inclusive of people who have differing opinions and views. The reason I was so shocked that Trump won was because I could probably count the number of Trump supporters I know personally on one hand.
When we dismiss Trump supporters as being racist, sexist, terrible people, which is easy to do with the amount of anger and fear myself and others are feeling right now, we do not get to the heart of why people supported Trump. Yes, racism and sexism are very much alive in this country. There are a lot of hateful people who voted for Trump because of this. While I do not believe there is any way to justify voting for him, listening to people who did helps more than blindly attacking them. We cannot stoop to their level. Every Trump supporter I've come across has stated that they do not believe in many of the things that he said, and they voted for him for different reasons. To me, this doesn't make sense, but I have also yet to meet a Trump supporter who has tried to rationally and calmly express their feelings.
What I have noticed the past few days is that most Trump supporters on my campus have stayed quiet, and when they aren't being quiet, they are either being defensive about their choices or they are making light of the pain of others. This is not okay. No matter who you voted for, the fact is that many people are terrified to live in this country for the next four years, and many people are going to be targeted. Across the country violence against minorities, Muslims, the LGBTQ community and women is escalating. Children as young as elementary school are targeting each other. Trump's America is not a safe place.
If you voted for Trump but state that you don't support his views on these matters, than prove it by attending discussions led by targeted groups. Use your privilege to help others. Take classes that will expand your worldview and build compassion for others who are different than you are. If you don't support Trump, stop joking about leaving the country. We need to help project the voices of the unheard, and use whatever privilege we may have to fight the hatred that is arising. Trump may be our future president, but love can still trump hate.
