The Fear of What’s Next

As a journalist, I do not talk about politics often as I try to avoid speaking about what my views are on a regular basis in the effort to remain unbiased. When I do talk about politics, I try to be attentive and listen to the other side of the spectrum, as everyone has the right to their opinion. After all, this is America and we have right for the freedom of speech amendment to back us up, and I feel it is important to respect and listen to all points of view without trying to convert someone to your side of the argument.

With that being said, last night was the disastrous conclusion to a long and exhausting election. And, like many other Americans, I am unhappy with the results.

I consider myself to be a liberal, and yesterday, I proudly displayed my “I voted” sticker in a selfie, proudly proclaiming that I was “with her.” When I posted that selfie, I was fairly certain that she was going to be the commander in chief.

That certainty lasted until about 8 p.m. Tuesday night when the election results came in, and I was shocked to discover that Donald Trump was in the lead. But, still my hopes were with Hillary. They  shattered around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, when I woke up to find out that he would be the 45th president.

I could not sleep for the rest of the night. I was worried about our country, the progress that has been made during the Obama administration that would soon be lost and the rights of many minorities in our country, which Trump promised to shatter. Here was a man who once said that we should ban all Muslims from entering this country, and now he is going to be President? What kind of world do we live in?

To all of the Americans who voted for Trump, you do not need to defend your choice for President, nor should you have to. To all of the Americans who voted for Clinton, I want to offer my condolences, as I too am in mourning for her loss. For 40 years, Hillary worked her way to the top. She was certainly the most qualified in the race, as she has dealt with many different aspects of politics, whether it may be on a state or national level. It saddens me that Trump, someone who I feel does not have that much experience, is going to get the position that she so rightfully deserves.

However, to my fellow liberals, this is not the time to riot or react with violence. After all, Hillary said it best-love trumps hate. And that is the mentality that we all should have entering the Trump administration. Instead, we should stand united, and never give up. Even though the candidate that we picked did not get the office she deserved, it does not mean that we should stop voicing our opinions. All throughout the morning, I have seen many of the reactions of my peers on social media, all of which questioning the type of country that we live in.

As I write this, I do not understand how Donald Trump won this election. I am currently worried about what is next for our country, as he comes into office. And while I am saddened about the loss of Hillary Clinton, just like many of my 1,484 Facebook friends, I look to the Trump administration with optimism, hoping for the best in our country and in the world.

Hillary Clinton stated in her concession speech on Wednesday morning that “so now, our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part to build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek.” Hillary, you are absolutely right. Yesterday, many of us went out and voted. This election even prompted my mother, who hardly ever heads to the polls, to vote for the first time in years. This is the first Presidential election many of my peers were able to vote in, each vote coming with a mixture of optimism and passion for change so that tomorrow will be better than today.

Despite the results of this election, let us keep that same fire, even if the world seems dark and dismal right now. Keep on watching the news to learn about the issues, keep on discussing them in your daily interactions and keep on going into your polling places every year, as every vote does count. And, most importantly, keep together as we as a country can weather through whatever comes next.