Transcending Fear: a Message of Support

Hannah Nelson, Editor-in-Chief

Tuesday night, the whole nation found out Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States. Some people may say that your candidate lost and you’ll get over it. But this isn’t just a loss, this has instilled fear. The stakes are more than just win or lose, they’re about freedoms and inalienable rights that are on the verge of suppression.

Let me state that I am tolerant of whoever you voted for, everybody deserves to be able to express their views politically and ideologically. This matter transcends whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or neither. The fact of the matter is that there are people who feel physically unsafe and uncertain in their futures, and that is something an election should never evoke. Seeing the faces of students, eyes red from crying because of the fear they were experiencing, was absolutely heartbreaking. The defeat and hopelessness I saw in the eyes of my peers was hard to see. I’m not going to elaborate on how everyone who voted for Trump is wrong, I am just expressing my concerns. On November 8th, we elected a man who doesn’t support LGBTQA+ rights, followers of Islam, immigrants, and women to name a few. We elected a man who instills hate in his followers and oppresses minorities.

HATE

I am scared, I am scared for my friends and their right to their sexuality, I am scared for my friends who practice Islam, I am scared for anyone who feels marginalized by our culture, and I am scared for every single girl and woman in this country. I am scared about my friends rights to be with their partners, I am scared for my friends rights to practice their religion in a country founded on religious freedom, I am scared for women and their safety, I am scared for myself and my rights as a woman to my own body.

These are frightening times right now.

If there is one thing I encourage you to do based on this outcome, it’s keep talking. Talk, talk and raise awareness for issues that matter to you. Talk and don’t let anyone tell you that you need to back down. Empower each other, teach each other, support each other. As an empowered woman, you best bet that I will not stop talking about issues like LGBTQA+ rights, sexual assault, and much more. They will win if we silence ourselves, don’t give in to the silence.

Lastly, we must show respect and tolerance to everyone we encounter. America is divided. The only way we can solve anything is if we support each other and show respect. It doesn’t matter if you are white, or a person of color, or gay, or straight, or male, or female, or a nastywoman, or a republican, or a democrat. We all need to come together. Please show kindness to one another. That is the only way we can make a better future for ourselves and for the future generations. We can change the political climate, America, and the future.

The fear will not last if we stand together and support each other, despite our differences. Let love win.