Even though you voted for him, I still love you. I don’t blame you. I understand that what he promises probably sounds pretty great to you. I’m sure the promise to change America into exactly what you want it to be is pretty convincing. I bet you’re super excited, and I’m glad that you’re happy. I’m glad for you because I love you. But I’m not going to laugh and smile and talk about how great America is going to be, and I hope you still love me even though I won’t take part in that part of your life.

I still love you because you respect that I am not excited for our new president-elect. I still love you because you are willing to give me my space while I mourn for the loss of my presidential candidate in this race. I still love you because you won’t belittle me or threaten me or block me on Facebook because my views are different than yours.

I don’t love the people who call others names or use derogatory language at them. I don’t love the people who are threatening and hurting the ones who voted differently than them, on either side. If you are willing to endanger anyone because of how they voted in this one election, you are absolutely no friend of mine.

If you are going to use terms like “libitard,” or “idiot” or “deplorable” then please see your way out of my life. If I see you making fun of someone or making light of a situation in which someone’s wellbeing was threatened, I will drop you like a hot sack of rocks, no matter who you voted for.

If you think someone’s life is worth less than your own because of how they voted, the color of their skin, who they choose to love, or what they choose to do with their body, please dismiss yourself. If you start every argument with “You are a racist/homophobe/etc. because you voted for him”, then you probably shouldn’t be around me either. We are not our candidates, please remember that.

In light of this election, no matter how you feel about who won and who lost, you cannot lash out. You can not use physical violence to make a point and you can’t belittle your neighbors into submission.

I love you if you use healthy discussion. I love you if you fight hatred with love and respect. I love you if you take your fear and take a stand with your words and your heart instead of your fists. I am not telling you that this fear you have, if you have it, isn’t real or isn’t important. Be afraid. You have every right to your fear and that fear is very very real. But don’t let it change you for the worse. Don’t let it turn you into the people that you hate. Fight the fire with kindness. I know it’s hard and for some of you it may feel impossible, but it’s all we can do right now to stay afloat in a world where our Nation is tearing itself to shambles.

Stop burning the flag. Stop threatening to kill or “deport them” when you know absolutely nothing about who they are.

Talk to me. Ask me why I voted the way I did. I know it’s not going to change your perspective, and it doesn’t matter because what’s done is done. But hatred is going to tear this Nation apart.

I want Donald J. Trump to prove me wrong. I want him to prove to me that he is going to do what he said in his victory speech and unite us. But more than that, I want the people of America to prove me wrong. I want you to all take a breath and think before you speak, and use your words instead of your fists. You are allowed to feel how you feel. That’s the great thing about America, you can feel however you want about whatever you want and that’s your right. But you can not let your fear and anger destroy you.

No matter how you feel about this election, I love you. I’m here for you. Be safe, be healthy, and be kind.