I, like many of my fellow Americans, woke up this morning hoping the events of last night were some kind of nightmare that didn’t really happen. But, as more and more news stories rolled in through social media and television, we were all faced with the ugly reality: Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. A man who has done nothing but pander to the lowest depths of homophobia, xenophobia, racism, sexism, and everything in between will be looked to as the leader of our country. And I, for one, am not okay with that.

I know a lot of people who will give me hate for this article; many people have already made it clear that those who oppose the outcome of this election are “whining” or “being babies” or “can’t handle the adulthood world.” To those critics I say this: do you fear for your rights? Do you fear that your family will be deported or banned any minute now? Do you fear that your right to marry the person you love will be taken away? Do you fear to even walk down the street because there could be people out there who now feel validated enough to harm you? If you answered no to any of those questions, you have absolutely no right to dictate how other people feel. People’s lives hang in the very balance; people are scared and alone and feel like they have no one to turn to because their next leader had made it very clear that he does not care about them.

Donald Trump will never be my president. Not because I’m stubborn and can’t accept facts. Yes, he may have won the election but I will never claim him as my president. My president does not openly say how he will build a wall to keep immigrants out of our country. My president would never say he will create a law in which some forms of LGBTQ discrimination will be considered legal. My president is not someone who openly bragged about sexually assaulting women and getting away with it because he is famous. My president has not defrauded thousands of people both employees and students at a scam of a university. My president does not spread hate and fear wherever he goes. My president does not condone violence or call for the jailing of anyone who opposes him. My president is not an egotistical bully whose actions rival that of Batman’s Joker.

Donald Trump will never be my president because America does not stand for fear, hate, and violence. America is a beautiful country in which everyone who comes here is able to have equal opportunities. It is a place where diverse ideas and experiences are blended together to weave a tapestry of love and acceptance. I will not feed into the monster Donald Trump has created throughout this election. We may be living in dark times now but I know with courage, strength, and unwavering determination, this country will thrive. We will show everyone that we are a nation united in peace, not divided through hate.

Love will always trump hate.