Donald Trump has been the president of the United States for less than a month, correct? Civil protests have been occurring throughout the nation since day one, and for what purpose? So that our voices may be heard. I’m so tired of hearing that the liberals of my generation are “pouting” merely because “our nominee didn’t win.” That’s a bunch of nonsense. We, and I don’t use such an inclusive term very lightly, are protesting because WE. DON’T. FEEL. SAFE. with the direction our nation, our home, is taking.

Because I’m only 18 years old, I have very little exposure to any kind of political diversity, I mean, we’re talking Clinton, Bush, Obama, and now Trump. I could go on and on about what I loved about President Obama’s administration and what I don’t like about President Trump’s but I would just like to point out that there has never been a time when the results of an election left half of the population of the United States afraid. I’ll say it once more for the peeps in the back: President Trump scares me, not because I am a woman and I’m afraid that my rights will be put on the backburner for the next 4 years, but because I’m genuinely fearful of the treatment that those who cannot fight back for themselves are already receiving.

The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 867 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the United States in the ten days after the 2016 election. One of these incidents was one in which a group called “Americans for a Better Way” sent copies of a letter to at least five California mosques, calling Muslims “vile and filthy people,” while also advocating genocide (CNN). Now, I don’t know about you, but that sends up a red flag almost immediately. How are Muslims, Blacks, Latinos, LGBTQ+ and female members of society expected to fight back against the nasty, horrible things being said when we were already facing unequal treatment prior to the election?

While I’m sure there are arguments saying “that kind of stuff doesn’t happen where I’m from,” I’m going to just straight up tell you that’s wrong.

There was a case of racial discrimination in Newton, Kansas, a little town just a couple hours away from my hometown. A high school student is facing disciplinary action after photos of the quote “Hail Trump, Gas the Jews” arose (KWCH). When liberals said that Trump was going to set us back 300 years, we REALLY didn’t think that America would have to take a pit-stop in 1940s Nazi Germany. I say this with a twinge of humor because this is one of those situations that’s so sickening to hear about, because it’s so close to home, that if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.

Let’s talk about the Women’s March: I LOVED IT. I think we need to discuss why it happene, though, because as I was scrolling through social media this past Saturday, I noticed that folks seemed to be confused. (I say confused because I honestly don’t, for the life of me, understand how anyone could actually know what was being protested, and not be at least somewhat supportive of the cause.) The 2.5 million people that participated in the marches worldwide didn’t do so just because they thought it would be fun, or because they were giving in to peer pressure. They did it because they wanted to be heard. Women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter, climate change, EDUCATION, and the rights of DISABLED PEOPLE are all things that were being protested. One of the most aggravating things that I’ve seen thus far has been a tweet that said something like, “If they care so much about women’s rights why don’t they go to Syria and protest there?” You’re joking, right? We’re living in a country that allows us free speech and the right to protest. In Syria, people die for something as small as stepping out of line. Is it really right, or even acceptable, to talk down on people for exercising their first amendment right? I mean, I think I remember a time when conservatives were upset because there was discussion about altering their second amendment rights, but I don’t know, maybe not.

There are people, very well-known people that don’t seem to understand that maybe, just maybe protesters are doing what they do for someone other than themselves, because the people that they’re standing up for, can’t do it on their own. This is America, we’re supposed to be One Nation, Under God, Indivisible with LIBERTY AND JUSTICE for ALL... Meaning, we’re supposed to treat everyone equally, with dignity and respect, we aren’t supposed to just pick and choose who we want to include. I’m not saying that we all have to support Trump, because Lord knows, I don’t. What I am saying is that maybe, we should all be a little more compassionate and understanding and then maybe there wouldn’t be protests that seem to spark the attention of the nation more than the election did.