An Open Letter to the "NotMyPresident" Protesters | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

An Open Letter to the "NotMyPresident" Protesters

Protesting the election results is an insult to democracy, this will not be the end of America.

18
An Open Letter to the "NotMyPresident" Protesters

This is the article that will probably make me lose respect from peers, friends from Facebook, and receive radically unfounded insults about my character. Oh, well.

I am not trying to undermine or belittle anyone's fear, anger, or disgust in the election results. Yes, you have a right to your feelings. Yes, you have a right to voice those feelings.

You can catastrophize, think the world is coming to an end, and try to leave the country--but please do not riot in the streets. Please do not act violently. Please refrain from filling social media with more hate and division than there was pre-election. Now is not the time to be a divided people.

I understand we have the right to protest laws and systems and status quos that we want uprooted in this country, believe me I am all for protesting for a good cause as long as it is a peaceful protest. Protesting against a president that we chose for ourselves, however, doesn't make sense to me.

You may be saying "Well I didn't vote for him! So protest I will!". Well yeah, maybe you didn't, but that's how elections work, not everyone wins.

Saying "NotMyPresident" seems ridiculous to me because, no matter how much you might hate Donald Trump, he WILL be your president. He WILL hold that title. This is your REALITY whether you like it or not, and unless you move to another country, saying he is not your president is a silly thing to be in denial about.

Yes, Hillary won the popular vote. However, there have been elections in the past where the winner of the election had lost the popular vote. Demanding to reject the electoral vote system when it does not work in your favor is not fair, because I guarantee that if the tables were turned, people would be just fine with our electoral vote system. You can't demand the rules of the game to change just because you lost.

Look, Trump is not my favorite person. Hillary is not my favorite person. I just think that a democracy is a democracy is a democracy.

If you only agree with democracy ONLY when it agrees with you then I think you are missing the point. There is no "i" in democracy, we make decisions as a team and the majority of that team wants to see what Trump could be as president.

I understand that this is not any regular republican winning, more is at stake, the social movements we have made in the past 10 years are in danger right? Maybe. Maybe not. Let's find out.

We have a check and balances system that's very function is to prevent laws from being passed that would be outlandish. If you trusted in this system for every other president you didn't like, please try to trust in that system now. I'm not asking you to believe in Trump, I'm asking you to believe that our entire government system--made up of tons of politicians from different backgrounds and educations--are not all a mass of Trump clones.

Trump's presidency might look different than the Trump campaign. It will be more productive and beneficial to work WITH Trump and everyone else in Washinton D.C. to better our country instead of saying "wake me up when four years are over". You do not have to like him personally, you do not have to call him your "homie" like so many did with Obama. Presidents are meant to be leaders, not our best friends. We should not be so bitter as to stunt him from actual positive progress for the country just because we are scared of the worst case scenarios. Let's cross that bridge IF and WHEN we get to it. THEN we can protest. THEN we can say "the law you are trying to pass does not represent the people, your job is to represent the people". Then and only then should we stand up and fight, but right now people are standing up to fight a democracy in action. Let's pick our battles.

Until then, let's "bind the wounds of division" like Trump stated, and work together to get the kind of country we want. You can hold your breath and wait for him to screw up, or you can hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and not react too quickly.

The election is over. Let's find a way to move our country forward, "as one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" .




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

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

186662
 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

12640
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
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

456252
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25607
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments