I expected to wake up on Wednesday to find that everything that had happened the night before was a dream. November 8th did not go the way I, or about half the nation, expected it to go. My, along with many historically credible pollster’s, predictions were incorrect, generating a state of confusion and anger throughout the country. I anticipated glass ceilings to be shattered, but soon realized that this could not be the result of the 2016 presidential election as I watched the number of Donald Trump’s Electoral College votes continuously climb.
When the election was officially called, I felt my stomach drop. That was it. Donald J. Trump is to move into the Oval Office as President Barack Obama finishes his last term. I had a difficult time fathoming what a Trump presidency would mean for our nation as the past eight years, to me at least, have resulted in so much progress. It could all be reversed after January 20th. This realization caused me to slip into a feeling of depression that America would become a dark place of inequality and hate.
However, I recently forced myself to stop thinking like that. It won’t do me or anyone else who thinks like that any good anyway. Although I wish there was a way to change the outcome of this election, the possibility of this happening is small. What those of us who are unhappy with the president-elect can do, however, is find the ever-present silver lining. Trust me, you will be able to find one.
Disclaimer: These hopeful prospects are in no way trying to excuse the unacceptable things Trump has said about American Muslims, immigrants, women, and many more. I’m just trying to suggest ways to cope with this far from ideal reality.
Trump’s presidency seems like an impediment to women’s rights considering that we could have had the first female president in United States history. But, check out how many women were voted into office, like Kamala Harris, the second African American female senator, and Kate Brown, the first LGBT governor in history. Those two women, among others, mark milestones in women’s fight for equality.
The soon-to-be-president has also taken almost every single position on almost every single issue under the sun. Not long ago he was a liberal New Yorker. Yes, his campaign platform is extremely conservative, but looking at his past ideologies, there’s no way of knowing what beliefs he will adopt in the White House.
Above all, we must realize that we have the ability to make a change, regardless of who has control of Capitol Hill. If we practice acceptance and tolerance during the most divisive time in our nation’s history, we can only hope the rest of the country follows. We can and will become unified if we work together during these next four years, because we truly will be stronger together.