What Next?
Tuesday night I cried for the first time at college. I cried for “the other.” I cried for “the other” because I know that our new president’s election, and these next four years, are not for them. Those that are women, immigrants, disabled, African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, Jewish, lesbian, gay, transgender, victims of sexual assault, and everything in between, were hurt, upset, and felt alienated by their country Tuesday night. As an African-American woman who has always had faith and hope in her country, who has worn the red, white, and blue, despite the darker periods of this nation’s past, I have never felt so ashamed to be an American as I was on the day after the election. Living in a liberal bubble, I assumed I would wake up on November 9th with a president-elect who would lead the country, and this world, on a progressive path. But, as it seemed, equality, freedom, and safety, values that America has held near, seemed to mean nothing and appeared to no longer apply to me as an African-American female.
Although numbness and confusion took over me, I decided that this country’s decision meant more than poll numbers and a red and blue map. I was reminded of Hillary’s words: “Never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it”, which is exactly what must happen now. It is easy to sit back and give up on a country that has deceived you within a mere twenty-four hours. Yes, I am afraid of the future and yes, I am heartbroken and distraught for what our country has become, but the only thing we, as Americans, can do now is fight to make a difference.
We must recognize that discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability and religion exists in this country, and it’s not going away anytime soon. To believe it is “gone” or has been “suppressed” is simply a privileged outlook that needs to be checked. We have four years to work towards a better America, four years to combat the racism, sexism, and bigotry that may pervade our country, and four years to stand together in what we believe is right. We cannot stay silent and wallow in our fear at a time like this, we must come together and spark change and use our anger and hurt to “make good trouble” in our country, as activist John Lewis would say.
Although it is far from now, we must think to 2018. That is when our voices can be heard again. Working for your local representative or senator can help to make our country less polarized and progress towards one common goal. No one ever said democracy would be easy or simple, it requires hard work and passion, and in the midterm elections that is exactly what we must give in order to return from this setback.
Long ago, George Washington in his farewell address predicted that our parties would become polarized and divided to the point of disillusion, and I believe we have reached that point. The only way to move past this dark part of our history is to learn from our mistakes and work towards a better tomorrow. Do not think or say “your vote doesn’t matter” or “I do not like either candidates.” There is always a better option to lead this country, and to abstain from voting is to forgo your right to choose, one that so many have fought and died for in the past. The same passion that Bernie Sanders endowed his supporters with must continue to live on for the sake of not only the Democratic Party or the disenfranchised liberals and conservatives, but for America as a country. As Obama said in his address yesterday, “We are Americans first,” and although this identity may be hard to accept today, we must come together as Americans for tomorrow.
It may seem like an endpoint, a time to give up and turn our backs on a country that has only slighted us again and again, but we must make this the last straw. We must learn from this election, and I know that we can come back from it, and although it may be hopeful, we must make it true. Unfortunately, this election and its presidency will go down in the history books, but “the other” will rise. We’ll tell our children how we cried, yelled, and felt numb after the announcement of our president-elect. But hopefully, one day, we will then tell them how we rose the next day, kept our heads high, and fought for them to have a better America.
