Every once in a while, you come across something that really shakes you to your core. This seems to be happening to me quite frequently in the weeks leading up to the election. It’s kind of shocking, actually. The hatred that I’ve seen from some of my peers, friends, and family in the last few weeks is truly sickening. The other day I cam across a tweet by a friend of a friend that read something like, “…as a human being, how can you support Hillary?”. I was stunned and immediately infuriated. It’s very out of character for me to publicly respond to political posts, but there I was, typing like a crazed woman. Before I was able to release a torrent of insults on the tweet’s architect and her beloved Trump, the sensible Maddie (I sometimes hate her) returned my common sense to order. Thankfully, I did not respond to the tweet then or ever, but it still plagues my mind. It’s funny how such trivial words can have such a provoking response, and yet, Trump’s supporters continue to argue that his hate rhetoric is “just words”.
I was so enraged by that tweet because not only was my support for Hillary under siege, but my morals– my humanity. In truth, that’s what this election has boiled down to, the way one’s morals align. Still, it was shocking to have your morals brought into question, especially since, hello, Trump is probably the most immoral candidate in history. The truth of the matter is, my morals do not need to mirror Hillary’s, but rather, they need to be reflected in her platform. I am not one of those people that refuses to acknowledge when there is wrongdoing, so I recognize that Hillary is not without her flaws. Likewise, I’m not willing to overlook the glaringly obvious flaws in Trump’s campaign and character. This is the point where most Trump supporters would argue that character and “words” don’t influence a presidency, but I disagree. Many Trump supporters are quick to point out that Trump’s words are hollow and that liberals are too sensitive, but again, I disagree. Yeah, yeah, I know sticks and stones and all that good stuff, but the problem is, the man seems to forget or maybe just ignore that he has one of the most influential positions in our country at the moment. When you use your celebrity as a way to incite violence and normalize homophobia, xenophobia, islamaphobia, racism, and sexual violence (just to name a few), it becomes a problem. Additionally, Trump’s reach will only become more widespread with a presidency, so it’s foolish to think that his words will continue to be hollow then.
Words are not “just” words, not ever and certainly not in this election. Some of the greatest leaders of our time have inspired incredible change through speeches and public platforms. If words can and have been able to inspire exceptional change and terrible regression, why is Trump’s public displays of hatred any different? The pen is mightier than the sword, and in this case, Trump’s pen is capable of attacking minorities, making fundamental human rights questionable, and dividing our nation. We are at a crossroads with this election, and at every junction there is an opportunity for progress or regression. For me, the only way to protect my friends, preserve my morals, and progress is to support Hillary. As a human being, I choose understanding, compassion, and equality. As a human being, I choose her.