It has been said countless times this past week: some of us cannot believe we elected Donald J. Trump as our 45th President. Throughout this election he was mocked, and doomsday was projected for our world if he was elected. Yet, somehow, he won the Electoral College, and he will be standing in the oval office in January as our president.
We are a divided nation, and I do not know how this will change. Voters who supported Trump are rejoicing that their candidate won, while those who voted against him are in utter disbelief. How did we become so divided that the spectrum is so vast? We have people on both sides who are represented on all aspects of the political and social spectrum. We have people who are KKK members proudly supporting Trump. We have seen the video of the road rage incident where a man, who is apparently a Trump supporter, yelling racial slurs at a black driver.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, we have the “Not my President” movement sparking violence with protesters setting fires. There was such an internet race to the Canadian immigration site that it crashed.
We are a fiercely divided nation right now, and I do not know how we will heal the wounds that were so deeply impacted during this election. Both sides believe the other is wrong and that they supported a criminal. That word, “criminal,” has been used to describe both candidates.
What baffles me is that our political system, consisting of citizens and delegates, nominated Trump and Clinton as the face of each party during the primaries.
On one hand, you have a candidate whose campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again,” and who enticed millions of voters through anti-establishment rhetoric. He appealed to the blue collar farmer or factory worker, despite the fact that he is a New York City billionaire who made his money by inheriting his father’s business.
On the other hand, you had the candidate who has been in politics for decades, in all different variations. She is the establishment, her name alone is known for American politics.
Many millennials who voted this election feel defeated, but will not be discouraged. This is the time to stay strong and support one another no matter what.
