As a liberal, and someone who voted for Hillary, I am disappointed. I am disappointed that the candidate I voted for didn’t win. I am disappointed that my ideological beliefs will be represented less in the Senate and Oval Office. But I am not mad; I am not hateful; I am not blaming others, and I am not going to ignore Trump’s enacted laws for the next four years.
I scroll down my feed on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and all I see is crazy “Make America Great Again” posts and then anger and disappointment of Hillary supporters. I’m reading texts from my friends that say “the US is going up in flames” or “WTF” or “Amen! F*** Hillary!” Although the election was surprising, energizing and very emotional for many, at the end of the day, the outcome is the result of our country acting on its civic duty to vote and the American political system in action.
I believe and put my trust in the American political system. If the majority (although maybe slight) chose Trump to represent them and their electors reflected this, then that is the just political system. As citizens, we are very fortunate to have free and uncorrupted elections in our country, and our history as a longstanding, very successful presidential democracy reflects our free discourse and political system. Our political discourse, since its founding centuries ago, has shaped our country into one characterized by equal civil rights, freedom to vote, freedom of speech, and other democratic principles. Corrupt and greedy politicians, political and social movements, and wars have tested our political system, and each time a new challenge arises, the government is shaped to better itself against the situation.
For those that see the racism and homophobia in Trump and the mob mentality he creates, know that he is unable to act on all of the radical beliefs he stated in debates and over Twitter. This country was built on balance of power, and even the GOP in Congress won’t endorse all of his ideas. The Republican win is a sign of the system – we are not a one-party country, and the party in power fluctuates. Although Trump as president seems scary (maybe imaginable), whether you are a conservative or liberal, honor the political system and use it to fight against his radical policies and violations of all minorities’ rights. For those that cannot stand Trump as president, we have four years to find the next best political candidates to take back the Oval Office, and four years to use our political system to voice our concerns and opinions.