I am an 18-year-old female in college, and I support Donald Trump.
I recognize that, demographically, I am very much a minority. So, I usually keep my mouth closed when it comes to politics.
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However, last week I had the opportunity to attend a Trump rally in Harrisburg, Penn., from the media box. I was very excited to be there, and to have the rare opportunity to stand next to journalists and other workers from various media stations as I took some video footage on behalf of my college's radio station and my political science professor who intends to make a presentation about the Trump rally experience.
I posted some media content onto my Instagram and Facebook, simply expressing how excited I was to be in the media box at the event. Nothing too politically charged or demanding -- screenshots, below.
I will preface this story by saying that the people I attended high school with were very liberal-leaning and I fully expected the same from my liberal arts college.
But, quickly after I shared this content I was met with a backlash that I never imagined. Many people I had considered friends from high school and college un-followed and un-friended me.
I don't mean to complain, it is their right to do so if they don't want that type of content on their feed, but I felt angry. But then I sat down and thought about it. I deal with an overflow of Sanders and Clinton content every single day that is much more "in your face," much more politically charged, and could be viewed as much more offensive to someone with a different opinion.
And, yet, I don't judge my friends based off of their political beliefs. I accept content that is conflicting with my views as an expression of free speech and I keep on scrolling. The lack of mutual respect appalled me.
So, I decided to take it one step further. I decided to showcase the shirt I bought at the rally and walk across my abundantly liberal college campus -- this one to be exact:
I walked out of my dorm to head to the cafeteria for breakfast when I encountered a group of five boys I didn't know out on the main walkway.
They laughed and pointed and told me I ought to take my shirt off. Throughout the day, I was met with menacing stares, with smirks, and with people shaking their heads at me. I had people on Facebook telling me I would have supported Hitler.
Reflecting upon these experiences, I couldn't help but notice a lot of hypocrisy. Why is there such a lack of mutual respect? Students here sport Bernie or Hillary apparel quite often, and nobody gives it a second glance.
If anything, it gets complimented. What I found hysterical is that stereotypically liberals are known to be the most socially accepting, the ones always sticking up for minorities and trying to help those who can't help themselves.
And here I was, a minority -- a female college student who supports Donald Trump, and I was discriminated against without pause. I was told this lack of respect was due to the fact that remaining silent would be contributing to something bad happening (Trump getting the presidency).
I was told that there was no way I could have any knowledge of history and still be a Trump supporter, nevermind that in high school I took three AP history courses.
Let's turn this on its head. Does that mean if I strongly believe that Hillary Clinton getting the position of President of the United States would mean bad things for the nation that I should berate people's opinions online and in personal messages?
If I see a Sanders supporter wearing a "Feel the Bern" T-shirt across campus should I tell them they ought to take it off? Should I laugh in their face? No, right? That would be wrong.
Yes, everyone should stand up for what they believe is correct as well as what they believe is incorrect. Everyone should exercise free speech. But resorting to personal attacks when all I expect is mutual respect for a difference of political opinion just seems ludicrous to me.
If anything, I thought before this that as educated college students we would recognize that just because someone thinks or believes differently than you doesn't mean they're wrong.
Apparently I was incorrect in this assumption. I will continue standing up for what I believe in a respectful and modest way. I will continue to accept other people's opinions without resorting to personal attacks on the Internet or telling them that they're just plain wrong or stupid for thinking the way they do. But yes, this is the struggle of being a Donald Trump supporter in college.
