I never write about politics. Ever. I enjoy discussing it with friends, but I’ve never felt the need to write about it before. In fact, it wasn’t until two or three years ago that I started developing an interest in politics.
As someone who recently got the right to vote and being as concerned about what is going on around me as I have always been, I suddenly became painfully aware and open to the political situation of my country and subsequently, the world.
2016 has been an exhausting year regarding politics and I am awfully tired of this weariness, thus the need to write my thoughts down.
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I had been closely following the US presidential campaigns for the past few months and, even though the result of the election wouldn’t affect me, I still worried about it.
The week before the election, I wasn’t worried though. Every poll and article I read assured me that Hillary was going to win so, naturally, I believed she would. On the 8th of November, I went to bed convinced that the US was going to have a woman for president. I was glad.
The next morning, I woke up to the shocking news that the media hadn’t predicted. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to. It made no sense. I was in disbelief. I was sad, angry, frustrated. I had lost all faith in humanity. How could people had been so dumb? How could the people who Trump is against still had voted for him? I was mad. I was upset. I wanted to cry.
The emotions I felt that day left me devastated. For me, it wasn’t about Trump himself – he is only a foolish, judgmental man, a celebrity who wanted to play make-believe –, but rather what he represents and the people who listen to him, who agree with him, those who can actually cause problems and make the lives of their neighbours a living hell – and they will, now that they feel entitled to. Trump can’t change or create laws by himself; they must be approved by others. I don’t worry about him; I worry about the minorities who suffer from bigotry every day.
For many of us, this was a very depressing and discouraging day. The last drop in a year that has been anything but ideal. As mentioned, I had lost all hope. However, while reading posts and comments from both Trump and Hillary’s supporters, and watching videos on the reactions and thoughts that followed the news of the president-elected, my perspective changed.
I realised I was so into it that I was actually mad at Trump’s supporters, something that is just not in my nature. I realised how incredibly powerful this election was and how it was able to divide everyone into two sides and made them fight against each other. This was a 50/50 argument with no in-between. You either wanted Hillary or Trump; you either won or lost.
Trump’s supporters may have celebrated a victory but, in reality, we all lost. Hating each other and insulting people because we don’t agree with their opinion doesn’t change or solve anything.
We have to be better than this. We must listen and understand each other’s perspectives and compromise.
If there is one thing I’ve learned from this election, is that we are all detached from each other. It really saddens me to see how easily we get divided, to a point in which we only care and accept those who share our own opinions and discriminate the ones who have a different view, without even stopping or wanting to listen to them.
I don’t agree with the reasons that led people to vote for Trump and I guess I didn’t want to understand them before but I get it now. I understand why they wanted him. I can see their point.
We don’t all have to believe in the same things but we can try to understand each other. We can’t take politics so personally. When someone has a different opinion on the system we should have, it doesn’t mean they think any less of us. We are not defined by our beliefs.
We millennials are still barely heard. Nonetheless, we must keep fighting and make our voices heard. We have four very interesting years ahead and we must be alert and not let any legislation that we don’t agree with getting passed. Not only in the US but everywhere in the world. We will do better next time.
However difficult it may be, we can’t let this bring us down. We have to accept that Donald Trump will be the 45th president of the US and that some regrets may come from it. It is a lesson well learned. We won’t let this happen again.
We shall not be divided again.
Elephant Days 