When I woke this morning, I did not know who had won.
My body was stuck to my bed, and I felt immovable. I was afraid to check my phone, worrying I would see red instead of blue.
Reluctantly, I looked at the screen. "Donald Trump won the presidency."
And I began to cry.
I know that I am not the only one. As I walked around campus, I noticed somber looks adorning the faces of both students and faculty. Several of my classmates told me they considered staying home today. Adults, both young and old, shed tears. We wept for the loss, but we also wept for the hatred that won.
I went to class. I did not feel prepared to learn, but I knew it was important that I tried. We discussed immigration in my Spanish class. In my literature class, we learned about the treatment of women in the early 1900s: of the way they were deemed hysterical. Well, I suppose telling you I "learned" feels a bit ironic. Could I learn what had already been taught? Could I learn what I thought everyone already understood?
This initial numbness eventually faded. I became angry instead. I still am. I am angry for the lives that marginalized groups will have to live under a Trump presidency. I am angry that people feel they cannot step outside without being threatened or harmed. I am angry as I read Facebook posts defending the win, saying they voted Trump for his "economic policies." It must be nice to feel that you can vote for someone for this reason, able to disregard the hate rhetoric that is so closely associated with him. It must be nice to conveniently disregard the implications for Muslims, for women, for the LGBTQ+ community.
It astounds me that we can go from electing our first black President to electing a man endorsed by the KKK. I mourn this loss greatly. I mourn our loss of acceptance, of progress. I cannot help but feel like I am still stuck to my bed as I was this morning. I am stuck in time.
I will, however, look towards the setting of the sun as this day ends. I will look to this same sun tomorrow morning, knowing that time will pass. We must accept this transition of power, however reluctantly. We must stand together in the face of this change and what lies ahead. Let our voices be heard, and let us not forget to spread love instead of hate.
