With Donald Trump as our President-Elect, many Americans fear for the future of our country. From the viewpoint of a young, bisexual, college woman, I feel your fear. Some people are so afraid of the changes that are to come that they’re threatening to move out of the country, while others are mounting protests and refusing to accept Trump as our next President. And according to The Washington Post, some people are even burning American flags.
But to be quite frank, these actions are childish, reckless, and completely ungrateful.
You have the right to be angry, but you shouldn’t disrespect the flag by burning it — how will that solve anything? And although I did not vote for Trump, here’s something I’ve come to accept: Trump was elected as our President. That’s a fact (though it certainly isn’t a fun one) that isn’t going to change. Even Hillary Clinton has already accepted that Trump has won the election through her concession speech.
We live in a country that lets us choose our leaders.
Even though this happens through the electoral college and democracy is rampant in our everyday lives, we get choices, something not everyone around the world is privileged to have. So while you may not agree with the decision the majority of Americans have made, you should be grateful for the chance to choose your President.
And for all those people out there that are ready to relinquish their heritage and their citizenship, here’s something to consider: The whole point of democracy is that the voices of the people are heard. Look at it this way — You might not like the loudest voice in the room, but that doesn’t give you the right to ignore it. You can’t say you want freedom and to be proud of your country, but then turn your back when you get a result you don’t like. That’s just not how democracy works.
This is the time to take a stand.
Now is not the time to buckle under pressure. If you’re not happy with those that have been elected into office, then do something about it — peacefully protest or even engage with your local government. This is still our time, it still affects our lives, and we need to show the world that some choices don’t define us as people. We need to carry the fight on. We can’t give up and we can’t abandon our country, because if we do, then we are abandoning hope for all of the values we hold dear as Americans.
I understand that you may be experiencing frustration, fear, and even rage, but that does not mean we should give up. Let’s direct our emotions in productive ways. No matter how low you feel, know that there is hope and we will persevere.