Why I'm Scared for the Next Four Years

I've rewritten this piece a few times.  Last night as the election results rolled in, my hopes sank lower and lower and I had a hard time properly articulating how I was feeling.  I still don't think I'm able to completely and clearly say how I feel about all of this, but I figured I'd write a little something, get all the thoughts in my head out in some way.  Knowing me, I'll probably think of something better to say after I post this but that's what editing is for, so here we go.  My first go at this piece at it was a little aggressive, mainly insinuating that Trump was a joke and that his supporters were fools for falling for his misinformed blabbering.  Not the tone I wanted to go for.  With my second attempt, I tried to look at my words again and take out the parts where I was coming after people.  That's not what I'm trying to do.  So I kept revising and this is what I ended up with.  

Before I go any further, I'm sure it's no secret who I voted for.  I'm not that mysterious.  I'm a 22-year-old female, so take a wild guess who I was supporting.  But I won't beat around the bush and not state the fact that I did not and I do not support Donald Trump. Beyond just him, I did not and I do not support what has been revealed about the American people throughout the election and campaign process.

I'm not going to lie, I'm scared for the next four years because of the amount of hate Donald Trump has managed to uproot in this country during his time as a candidate.  That hate will continue on and this country will be even worse off than it was before.  During Trump's campaign, he was actively endorsed by the KKK and anti-Semites.  His running mate believes in conversion therapy for "fixing" those who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.  There have been countless videos and written accounts of Trump rallies where one word from him caused chants of racial slurs and threats against other religions.  And this is only scratching the surface.  But the amount of hate in just those three sentences is three sentences too much.  A country that should be united should not have this much hate towards the people in it.  

Now, I know some people who read this will say, "What about Hillary's emails?!", "Hillary's a career politician and we need someone different", and "What about what Bill did with 'all those other women'?"  Okay, lets do this.  1. Am I sitting here saying that Hillary is perfect?  No.  She's made mistakes and I'm not saying she doesn't have any skeletons in her closet.  But is she informed and knowledgable on how politics work?  Yes.  I would rather have a calm and collected President as opposed to one who has gets set off by a tweet and has said many hurtful things about Americans and others in the world.  2. I totally get that people are sick of the government and how politics play out.  I understand that people want to shake things up but I don't think Trump is the person to do that.  We need somebody in office who has an understanding of how politics work, from how bills are passed to how to interact with foreign officials in a civil manner to how to positively represent the country as a whole.  Trump is a  businessman and a reality TV star.  We need somebody who will not benefit from the economic spectrum, which Trump will ensure if he has any say in it, and somebody who has more than zero political experience.  And finally 3. I'm sorry but bringing up Bill during this campaign process was unnecessary.  Bill was not running for office in this election, Hillary was.  Stop deeming a woman worthy based off her husband's actions.  Hillary is more than just Bill's wife.  C'mon people.

As election day came to an end, I saw many people on social media voice their fears of living in a country that did not accept them and whose leader most definitely did understand them.  My heart broke for my LGBTQ+ friends whose sexual orientation Mike Pence believes needs to be "fixed".  I was saddened by the fact that so many women I know will continue to have men look at them as if they can be "grabbed by the pussy" and that their main purpose in life is to walk beside a man.  I can't even comprehend the fear of those of different races and religions who have to hear the failures of this country being placed solely on their backs.  I saw more fear than excitement on every social media platform and I couldn't help but feel helpless because I could not reassure my friends, strangers, and even myself, that we will be okay.

I cried myself to sleep last night.  I cried because of how divided this country is, because my friends are hurt by the election, because I'm scared of my future as a woman in this country.  As a woman, I'm so scared to go forth with a country that values a man who has bragged about assaulting women and is giving hope to his many male supporters that those actions are okay.  I'm scared of living in a world where a man believes he can tell a woman what to do with her body and that women can be viewed as only desirable objects.  I'm scared of ever being in a room with a man who has a similar outlook about women and how women can be treated as Trump.  For the next four years, this fear will be on my mind because the American people elected a man who showed that these actions are okay.  Not only okay, but deemed worthy traits a leader can have.

Trump ran his campaign projecting hatred towards women, towards those of different religions, towards people with disabilities, the list goes on.  There's no denying that, there's video and written proof.  Yet somehow, none of that hate matters.  CNN political commentator Van Jones eloquently stated his opinion on Trump's election by saying, "You tell your kids: Don't be a bully...don't be a bigot...do your homework and be prepared.  And then you have this outcome."

So here it is.  Donald Trump is the new President of the United States of America.  He's going to have to somehow convince all the races, religions, and individuals he insulted during his candidacy that he will represent them, that he will be a voice for them.  He will supposedly unite a nation that's clearly and adamantly divided and still remembers all the horrible things he said about them.  Jones again perfectly stated it by saying, "Donald Trump has a responsibility tonight to come and reassure people that he is going to be president of all the people who he insulted and offended and brushed aside."  Funny how that works.

So good luck Donald Trump.  Don't mess the country up.