When I am called a racist, bigot, sexist, anti-feminist, homophobic, among other things it does upset me as none of these describe me, my beliefs or who I am as a person.
However, you can make judgments about me and say horrible things about me and believe what you want. That is your right to do because you are an American.
As an Americans we have the right to vote for our leaders. Unlike so many countries in this world. Every four years we have a chance to vote and let our voice be heard. Some years our preferred candidate prevails and some years they don't.
Four years ago was my first presidential election I was able to vote in, and I did. That night I also watched the results just like millions of us did on Tuesday.
On that Tuesday, my preferred candidate did not win.
When it was official that Obama would be our next President, I was unhappy, scared and anxious. Much like how many feel when the news of Trump's victory was announced. The difference in this election verse the 2012 election, I didn't call Obama supporters mean things or judge their character or protest that he will never be my President. My social media wasn't full of hostility and malicious posts.
As I have already said,
You have the right to say anything you want.
You have the right to judge my character.
You have the right to have an opinion.
You have the right to be upset.
You have the right to be mad.
You have the right to be scared.
You have the right to have and hold any emotions or feelings.
You have these rights because you are an American.
You are a citizen of The United States of America.
Just as you have these rights, I have rights too.
I have the right to feel hurt by these comments.
I have the right to cast my vote for who I think is the better candidate.
I have the right to have my own opinion.
Back in 2012 I had to learn how to over come my concerns and fears and accept the results. I had to not think about just myself and what I believed in but I had to think about my country. My country voted for Obama, they believed in him, they believe he was the best candidate. Since our country has been the best country in the world since the beginning in 1776 I had to believe in our country. Believe that our country has stayed at number one because of the decision that is made every four years, and that this decision is no different the the past 56 elections.
It doesn't matter who our President or Vice President or Senator/Representatives or Governors or Mayors are. At the end of the day, we are all one country and what matters is that we realize that. In order to stay the number one country in the world we need to stay together. A divided country is a broken country. A divided country can't grow. A divided country can't thrive.
If you want our country to fail and break then by all means keep doing what your doing. If you want our country to succeed then try and over look our differences like a lot of us did 4 years ago.
I am not saying to stop fighting for what you want, just do it the right way. We all learned in kindergarten to fighting and violence will never solve anything, we have to talk through our problems and come to an agreement.
It is obvious our country needs change, we need to come together to solve the problems we have. What we don't need is the addition of more issues and conflicts. What is done is done and the past can't be changed but what can be is the future. Being hateful will not change what has happened, it will only fill your life with anger and bitterness.
Our founding fathers believed the people of the United States of America should be the ones who decide who our President will be. 240 years ago they signed the Declaration of Independence creating the right for Americans to vote for our leaders.
In the past 240 years we have elected 45 Presidents using the process that our founding fathers created.
In that time we have had many Democrats and Republicans become President. Under both parties there has been times of great success for our country but also horrific downfalls. One party is not better than the other, they are simple different. One parties views are not better again they are just different. Under both parties our country has made it out alive and on top. We have had Presidents that most of us could look back on and wish we could have again, we also have some that we wish never happened. No matter which category they fall under they are apart of our history, apart of who our country is, apart of who we are as individuals and where we are today.
On Tuesday, the citizens of the United States of America exercised their right to vote. At the end of the day America had voted Donald Trump for President. America elected, not Republicans, not baby boomers, not whites, not college-educated, not the wealthy, not the racist etc. We are all one country and we together make up America.
All I ask is that you believe in your family, friends, neighbors, strangers, all your fellow Americans. Believe in your country.
