To the disappointed, the hurt, and the weary: this is only the beginning.
Donald Trump’s triumph does not mean our downfall. His army of supporters does not deem us powerless. The hate and divisiveness emanating from this election season will not leave us without hope. As Barack Obama said, “the sun will rise in the morning.“
In the face of what many perceive as adversity, there is opportunity. This election has given individuals their first taste of political participation and we will not be silenced. The passion that has pushed us through this season will not be diminished by the choices of the electoral college. We will not concede defeat in our beliefs nor should we define ourselves by our loss.
No matter which side of the political spectrum you lay on, remember this: our country is only as great as we are.
To Trump’s supporters: do not allow underlying messages of racism, prejudice, and violence to cloud your vision of a better America. To Clinton’s supporters: do not allow this loss to stifle your hope and beliefs of a better America. This is where we come together in a want for a better country. We all want to provide our children with a better world. We have different ways of getting there, but the destination is all the same. Let us move forward with this in mind – a want for a better America where respect, determination, and being dialectic prevails.
We cannot unsee what has transpired nor can we deny the truth when our children read about it in the future. What we can change, however, is where we are tomorrow. The election has given us this opportunity, to move onto tomorrow and to help each other bind the rift that has developed.
Do not feel hopeless, do not feel divided, do not feel fear, and do not feel superior. We remain equals in this quest for a better tomorrow and must treat each other and this nation as such.