"I'm not giving up, and neither should you"
Like whoa. Thank you SNL and Kate McKinnon for having us feel all the feels on Saturday night. But in all seriousness, she is so right. It doesn't matter what party you belong to, or who you voted for. Don't give up. That can be interpreted in many ways, but I see it as "don't give up on America." I think people on both sides were concerned that should they not get their desired outcome, that the country will fall apart. I wish Donald Trump and his administration all the best, because while it may not have been my choice, I do have to accept it is reality. This tweet sums up my thoughts pretty well:
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While the Obamas and the Clintons and many others are wishing the future Trump Administration success, there are many others who are protesting the results, plethoras of hashtags like #NotMyPresident popping up, among other things. It is absolutely everyone's right to do so. In my opinion, there is a lot of hypocrisy in many people's reactions though. Some Hillary supporters spewing hate when all they did all election was shame on Trump for doing the same thing (rightfully) - it is pretty sad to see them touting the same behavior they spoke out against. It is kind of disheartening and hypocritical that many Trump Supporters are looking down on protestors asking them to give Donald Trump a chance and to rally behind him, when all election season they were ready to fight election fraud if Hillary won. Would those same supporters be keen on listening to Hillary supporters calling for unity? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I completely 100% validate and understand anyone who is upset. Who feels unsafe. Who feels unheard. I will never stop being your ally, ever. And I know that I have so much privilege because many of the fears you have are not my own. I might not like the outcome, but odds are, my life won't change. Many are not so sure of that fact. I am scared for them too.
I am so glad and blessed that we live in a country who feels empowered to voice their concerns, honestly. This is true democracy in practice.
However, I know that the election results do not change who I am as a person, or what I believe. I am moving forward the only way I know how - by not letting this get me down.
I hope, and I pray, that moving forward, we all remember that nothing that has happened changes you as a person. Your morals and ideals are not changed. If anything, I hope that any anger you feel towards the result only strengthens what you hold dear to your heart. I mean, I I too wish the Electoral College didn't exist, but we have what we have right now. I wrote the below "thoughts" I had about everything the day after the election. I'd like to share that here with you all as well:
One of the most cherished pieces of advice my father has given me is that “you can’t reason with angry people.” It became increasingly clear over the last few months that much of America is angry, and disenchanted with the American Political System. Understandable. There was nothing to be reasoned with in the Presidential race. Last night this country voiced their choice, and they did so in my opinion, fueled by anger and fear. Truthfully, anger gets things done, and can be beautiful. The more I think about how anger and fear can work together, it occurred to me that those two things are what gave birth to this country, and many other countries. It is not anger driven by fear or fear driven by anger that creates a problem; it is when we allow them to create irrationality. In my opinion, that is what has happened to this country. Anger and fear can drive change, but not always a positive one.
No one knows what will come of the future, no matter who the HBIC is. Be angry. Be scared. But be so of the right things, and not of each other. Those on both sides who speak and act rationally will truly make positive change. Because those are the people who will never give up, because they are not wrong. Those are the people whose foundations do not falter and are built upon the strongest moral rock. Those are the people who are able to work together.
At the end of the day, there is absolutely no rational and reasonable argument against equality. I do not care who is in office. That is a rationality that I have faith will never fully disappear from this country. Democracy is the power of the people, and while the people spoke last night, there is still so much to say. No election, and no candidate, is the end-all-be-all. This is a conversation that will never be over. I will never stop fighting for what I find to be inherently right. The greatest defense we all have against injustice is someone who chooses to stand in the way.
