This election has been hard on many. I have had my day to react, to grieve, and now to move forward with a clear mind and a vision for what I am going to do to help. Obviously, our nation is polarized and probably more polarized then we realized at the outset of this election season. So here we are, with one side fighting against the outcome that for them is hard to accept, and the other side fighting against the people who are upset with this outcome, telling them they shouldn't be. Here are some perspectives to read about and consider. Hopefully after truly thinking about it all we can gain perspective into the other side's thoughts that we would not have had before.
The first side is the side who is fighting against the election of Trump to office. SOME of them are upset and hurt, and are expressing their disapproval of who the president elect is through social media. SOME have taken to the streets to use their right to peacefully protest the president elect. SOME have expressed through social media hateful and violent reactions to whites of america because of the outcome. And finally, SOME have taken to actual violence on the streets because of it.
First, let us NOT categorize everyone who is against Trump into the same basket of people and say things such as "you are the hateful ones, you are the ones being divisive".
Instead, let us realize that people have their views about who the president elect is, just like you have your views of who the president elect is, and this IS allowed. No one has to love him, or respect him, or believe in him. BUT, what we do have is the responsibility to not become violent over it. The responsibility to be the bigger person and not spew hate, after the hate that has been spewed by Trump during his campaign. I know it may be a natural response, an easy one, but it is not one that is any different or any better received by the other side, than Trump's words were to you during his run for office. And sure, it gets tiring being the bigger person and sometimes seems unfair, but keep in mind that #lovetrumpshate.
To reiterate and summarize, we can be upset at the outcome, we can display this upset on social media, we can complain about who Trump is and what he stands for. We cannot however, rebut this hate with more hate. We cannot believe every Trump supporter is a racist/misogynistic/Islamophobic supporter and call them so. We cannot wish for the death of White Americans. We must instead use our energy to inform others of how we feel, why we feel that way, and what we can do to change the feelings of not belonging in America.
The second side is the side who voted for or currently support Trump as our president elect. SOME of them voted for Trump because they did not feel Hillary would represent them in office. SOME people voted for/support Trump because they believe Washington elitism is corrupt. SOME people voted for/support Trump because, yes they have racist beliefs and have been private about them. And finally, SOME have voted for/support Trump and acted publicly on their racist beliefs and frightened minority groups around the country.
So, first let us NOT categorize everyone who has voted for/supported Trump into the same basket of people and say things such as "you all are racist,misogynistic people, you are all white supremacists". Instead, let us realize that people had different reasons to vote for Trump, or in the other case, simply to NOT vote for Hillary. While these reasons may not seem great enough to tip the scale away from voting for Hillary, they were for some and that is where we are at. For the people who are mad at anti-Trump Americans, look at the reasons why. Contemplate for a moment that many people no longer feel welcome in America due to the negative rhetoric that Trump mercilessly boasted in his campaign. Just understand that these people are feeling hurt, fearful, and rejected because YES Trump HAS put them in this position.
Realize that the argument, ONE man does not have the power to make that much change is not helping. First, Trump is not alone in his views/position. He has a Republican backed Senate, House, AND Supreme Court. This is essentially every facet of the government. Second, it is not the idea that one man could change all of America, it is the idea that America supported these ideas as they got him elected in the first place after he ran on these principles of hate. While either looking past the hate and voting for him anyway or voting for him because of his hateful ways, either feels equally bad to minority America. Lastly, do not say that minority america may not feel hatred towards America, because they can. It is an America that they feel has hated them through actions/words during Trump's campaign, racist actions and words long before this election, and racist actions and words brought out in people since Trump has been elected such as flying Nazi flags and openly telling minorities to go back where they came from.
Again, I am NOT saying this is all people who voted for/support Trump, but let's please not act as though it is no one's views who voted for/supports Trump. Instead, for those of you who do support Trump and do not feel this way for your fellow Americans, make it clear!! Reach out to your minority friends and express that you include them, express that you support their lives and beliefs. Do not express that they should stop "whining" or stop being fearful for their beliefs because they should be and they can be.
For the Anti-Trumpers out there, feel how you wish to feel, express those thoughts, but do so in a way as to not spread hate/violence for all white americans. For the Pro-Trumpers, feel how you wish to feel, express those thoughts, but do so in a way as to not spread hate/violence for the minorities of america. We each have an EQUAL duty to make one another feel safe and included. And while I believe on both sides of the scale we wish for this, we do need to acknowledge racism/sexism/Islamophobia is alive and well. So, if you support Trump and you are not any of these things, or you do not support Trump and are not any of these things, stand together and SHOW that you will not allow for it and you feel for ALL of your fellow HUMANS.
This is the only way we will move past the hate and violence. Not by telling people what they can feel or how they can express it, but by sharing that you support all humans. So for whites, please don't tell minorities to get over what they are feeling, or tell them they are being dramatic. And for minorities, please don't give up on your country, please don't express hatred towards ALL whites because not ALL are racist. Express HATRED for RACISTS. THAT is allowed.
