An Open Letter About the Election | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

An Open Letter About the Election

​We are not Angry; just frightened

14
An Open Letter About the Election
Candle Wikipedia
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” -J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

On Tuesday, November 8, 2016 we cast our ballots for the presidential nominee. We waited until early into the next morning to hear the results. For some, they were thrilled with the results. For others, a somber tone set the air. The results shook the ground for many of us. It is not that we cannot accept the fact that the Democratic nominee lost, it is the fact that anger won; hate won. This, this is what makes us fearful of what lies ahead for us all.

We are afraid for our daughters, our sisters, our mothers, our aunts, and our female friends. We are afraid that their bodies will always be groped at, stared at, and disrespected. That their minds will never balance the scales of their male counterparts.

We are afraid for our LGBTQIA friends and family. We are afraid that they will never have the privilege to love and be loved openly, without fear. We fear that their rights that they have worked so hard for, so passionately for, will be washed away in seconds. We fear for the day we wake up to find them gone, whether they have fallen victim to the hands of hate, rounded up and taken away, or even much more sinister things.

We fear for our friends and families of different races. We fear the walls that hate threatens to build. We fear the chance of segregation, the chance of Jim Crowe laws again, we fear that everything the past fought to get rid of will manifest again. We fear mobs, we fear lynching. We fear that hate will wipe out our love.

We fear for our immigrant friends. For a nation that was built from immigrants, we fear the hopes and dreams of our ancestors will be tarnished by hate. We fear our friends will be sent away to the lands they desperately tried to flee. We are afraid that they will no longer be welcome with loving, open arms, but instead greeted with guns.

We fear for our youth. How do we explain that children that despite our teachings of love and understand, that at the end of the day a bully can win. That hate can win. How can we teach them to love, when all they see is the path that hate brings? How can they dream of a bright future, when there is darkness all around us?

We fear for each other. We fear for our futures. We fear for each other walking the streets. Will it be safe? We fear that home will never feel like home again It is not that we want our President Elect to fail, quite the contrary. We maintain hope. We want our fears to be just fears. We do not want them to become reality. So, we will continue to march for peace. We cry out for love and justice. We hope to be still be united. We are just incredibly afraid for us all.

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

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

427
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

264
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199193
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20263
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments