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Politics and Activism

Our Fight Isn't Over

Remember that revolution Bernie told us about? It's not over.

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Our Fight Isn't Over
Melanie Ulbricht

I feel as though 2016 is a nightmare. While I've said a lot already and don't think I can handle more debating today, (please keep your Trump support to yourself) I have one more thing I'd like to say.

I have always been a very outspoken soul, the wealthy and powerful, popular people in my town, have always hated getting into debates with me. I don't want to say I'm always right, but I always have facts and a valid point.

The people who share my socioeconomic background, have always been confused by me. People around here had never met anyone with opinions like me, I am one of the only local people of my race and economic standing that believes what I do.

But I didn't think I was the only one, period. I didn't think that the rest of the country was the same as the Eastern Shore. I held on to hope that we would overcome, I was always that annoying voice in the back of your head reminding you about the minorities.

I have received countless messages from black friends, black parents of my athletes, Hispanics, women, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, and low-income citizens THANKING me, a middle-class white woman for standing up for their rights.

For saying "black lives matter" and insisting that Muslims aren't terrorists, for advocating for gay rights and women's healthcare, talking about climate change and telling the ignorant hick who sat next to me in geometry to read a book.

I want you to know, I'm not fucking done.

I will never be done.

I will never stop posting article links, I will never stop writing, I will never stop reading, I will never stop protesting, commenting, education, or healing.

I watch as half of my friends rejoice and talk about making America great, I see the wealthy anticipate getting wealthier and I see the intolerant being told intolerance is okay.

And I watch the other half cry, contemplate moving, I see panic attacks and suicide attempts, I see tears and fear and brokenness. I see middle school aged girls crying in their mothers' arms because "their work will never matter."

I saw Republicans close their eyes and check Hillary's box, I saw people who have never voted run to the polls, I saw people standing together in support of a candidate we didn't love but trusted to take care of us.

And this morning, I watched as their hearts broke.

I didn't think it would happen, I said it never would. That there was no way a misogynistic reality tv star who talks about grabbing people's genitals would bear out an Ivy League educated senator.

And as I opened social media this morning, I cried.

I am exhausted, but I am not finished.

I think of the times men have told me to act more like a woman, I think of the hard work I have put in to get better grades than men in my field, I think of all the times I have been sexually harassed, belittled, called horrible words for simply being and embracing all that is womanly.

Today I realized that half of my country will never care if I pour my life into my career, they won't ever care if I'm more qualified, educated, and compassionate enough to do a job and do a job right.

Half of my country is okay with men telling women they belong quiet in the kitchen, that their menstrual cycles are responsible for asking difficult questions, I saw everything I fought to escape from beat out what I have stood for since I was 6 years old.

I watched LGBTQ kids contemplate suicide on twitter.

I read statuses about black children crying thinking they would get sent to Africa.

I saw Muslims scared to wear their hijab.

I saw a glimpse of the world I swore I wouldn't allow for my daughter. The world so many "amazing" people want.

I saw republicans post that they gained "control" of the government again.

And as heartbroken as I am that I will have to work ten times harder to fight, I'm not done fighting.

I am needed now more than ever, and every person who ever said they were scared to speak up, we need you too.

We need all of you.

The children who can't eat with food stamps need you, the Harvard-educated women making 75% less than their State School Educated Male Co-Workers need you, the Muslim community, the black families, our gay friends, they need us.

And to the woman I was 6 months ago, the woman being told she would never amount to anything or be hired because she "thinks she knows everything" the women sitting in a corner crying because they are told that all their hard work in school will never amount to anything, telling them that they don't need an education to be worth more than they are, to my daughter who will have to watch this for at least the next four years of her life, we need you.

Our country was built on freedom, freedom to be who you are and come from wherever you came from to unite together as one nation protecting the principles of basic human rights, and freedom.

We may have lost the battle, but we will never lose the war.

I was still an 18-year-old business owner, I still got straight A's, I still beat out boys for jobs they applied for, and I still made a difference, but I'm not done.

It is now, more than ever, that we need to stand together.

If you thought Donald Trump winning the election would silence the liberals, think again. If you thought that we would bite our tongues and allow racism and sexism to continue to divide our nation if this man took office, you thought so fucking wrong.

To everyone crying this morning, to the people scared of whether or not they'll still have food or health care, or face deportation, to the people rushing out to get married because they feel their rights will be taken, the women crying because they have to tell their daughter's that no, your education and qualifications "don't matter" if you're not a rich white man, stand up.

I know you're broken, I know you feel failed, and I know you physically feel like you cannot go on after the results poured in. I know you thought it was just the Eastern Shore, but Hillary won for our state.

Get up.

Our revolution, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama, their revolution is not over.

It will be louder than ever.

So scream it from the rooftops, post it on your walls, wear your black lives matter shirts and give books to those who need them the most.

I am heartbroken, I am sincerely heartbroken that not only in my personal life but the country as a whole doesn't respect the hard work and importance of a qualified woman over someone with a penis for a brain.

But I'm not done.

I want you to stand up, wipe your tears, and fight. Do not EVER give in, we are not fucking done.

"My power's turned on starting right now I'll be strong, I'll play my fight song and I don't really care if nobody else believes, cause I'VE STILL GOT A LOT OF FIGHT LEFT IN ME."

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