As the Grass Burr staff rounds out their opinion trilogy column surrounding the 2016 presidential election with the conclusion of the election resulting in a Donald Trump elect, I took it upon myself to write this as a means of reflection and conclusion as America ventures into a future with a cheeto as president. I also want to encourage the readers to exercise tolerance as the election concludes. America is comprised of nearly 320 million residents, so it is safe to assume that absolute consensus will never truly be attained. If you, the reader, disagree with my opinion piece, that is fine and I respect our differences; however, America as a country must learn to respect each other’s views as the citizens strive to make progress toward liberation and equality. Over the past three days, I’ve witnessed so much aggression and hate both in the news and on social media. I, a very anti-dramatic person, got into my first twitter fight since middle school, and I hate that this election’s outcome not only accepted and endorsed hate and prejudice in the campaign, but continues to do so in the current state of America as the people deal with the aftermath of such a historic decision.

For the first time in my life I am ashamed of my skin color as a white person because of its attachment to the white supremacy movement that has seemingly exploded after Trump’s win. For the first time in my life I am worried for the safety of my friends whose skin color is darker than mine and as a result they have been degraded in this process. For the first time in my life I feel completely defeated as a feminist, a cause I’ve devoutly supported since I could comprehend gender inequality. For the first time in my life I am scared of the rapidly approaching next four years.

This election is not so tense simply because the Democrats lost and the Republicans won; instead, people are in protest in major cities across America because the guy who bought his way through life and neglected to pay his taxes and bragged about sexual assault on national television and racially profiled Muslims and Hispanics, specifically, won. This may seem blunt but in my honest opinion, I believe the rural areas of America was tired of taking orders from a black man and certainly was not going to take orders from a feeble minded and hormonal woman. Again, I want you to know it is okay to disagree with me, but this is an opinion piece after all.

At Trump’s thank you speech following his announced victory, he claimed he wanted to be the leader and representative for all the people, especially the forgotten American, but I find it hard to absorb his words as facts, despite my earnest attempts to accept him, because his campaign was built around the basis of inequality and the traditional supremacy of the white man. When he said “Make America Great Again” I thought to myself America is already great. I have a house, an education, food, friends, and employed parents. I did not understand how America had seemingly fallen from grace as Trump so abundantly depicted throughout his race. But now I realize his version of “great” is the reversion to a 1950’s-like society where the people are scared to speak and minorities are devalued.

Furthermore, if one is to explicitly examine the ideals of Trump’s anticipated vice president, they would learn upon research that he supports “conversion therapy” in which members of the LGBTQ community would undergo a series of electro therapy treatments to convert them to a straight stance. This, to me, is outrageous. I understand if the Christians in America reject gay marriage and other hot topics like abortion, but even God provided his people with the gift of free will. Personal decisions like the aforementioned are not our decisions to make. Instead, I must emphasize the tone of tolerance once more as America’s division explores the power dynamic of the next presidential term.

Thus, I know this election was difficult, and I know many are angry, but the people must accept that he’s the upcoming president as we, the people, can do little to change this outcome at this given point in time. We voted. She won. But he is our president, and we must protest and take up for equality when it’s threatened in a way that rejects hatred and violence. We must continue to make change and strive to break Clinton’s glass ceiling while upholding respect. I am scared. I am sad. I am angry. I am disappointed. But most of all, I will remain in my ideals of what equal rights should look like in a country that has electoral college members that proclaim white, male dominance. I am hopeful.