Trump supporters intimidated me on campus, this is what half the country voted for

They threatened me into silence

Last night as it became exceedingly clear that Trump was going to clinch the presidency my roommate and I decided we needed to get out of our dorm room so we walked down to University Blvd to grab some ice cream. As we turned onto University Blvd, a street which literally runs through the public campus of the university of Arizona, we were immediately confronted by two men who seemed to be around the age of twenty. They were walking across the street and out of our path when they noticed us. They then proceeded to back track a couple of steps blocking our way and stop. They stood over us dauntingly as they were considerably taller than us and, teetering due to their very clear level of intoxication, asked “You voted for Trump right?”

Keep in mind I am an individual who has been working on the Clinton campaign here in Arizona for the past three months, spending an overwhelming amount of my time fighting for Hillary not because I believed she was the lesser of two evils but because I believe in everything she stands for and have chosen to adopt this woman as my role model. If you have participated in any type of discourse with me revolving around this election you know I am extremely outspoken in terms of my political views regardless of how I am perceived by others, and if you haven’t and are unfortunate enough to follow any of my social media accounts you have similarly been subjected to my loud and obnoxious practicing of my first amendment rights. That said, it pains me to say that last night when these men asked me the leading question of whether or not I had voted for Trump I did not say anything. I wanted to say HELL NO.

I’ve been an active campaigner for Hillary this whole election

I wanted to explain to them all the reasons I voted for Hillary; because she wants to create a fair tax system, because she believes in rights for the disabled, because she wants to reform early childhood education, because she wants to fix America’s infrastructure and create an economy that works for everyone, because she believes in LGBT rights and equality, because she believes in racial justice, because I am so much better than 80 cents to a man’s dollar and should be able to have control over my own reproductive rights, because she WANTS TO MAKE COLLEGE DEBT FREE (HELLO IDIOTS WHO SUCEEDED IN INTIMIDATING ME INTO SILENCE LAST NIGHT BASED ON YOUR THREATENING DEMEANOR THAT APPLIES TO YOU), I wanted to say all these things and so much more to them but I didn’t. I just suppressed my opinions behind a fake smile and walked away as they called after my roommate and I, “You gorgeous ladies are already making America great again.”

As I heard this horrifyingly objectifying comment the hairs on the back of my neck stood up but still I didn’t respond. I didn’t respond because I was scared that speaking my mind would result in real verbal/physical assault. I didn’t say anything because, even as a contributing citizen of the United States of America, I did not feel safe. I am beyond ashamed and embarrassed to be living in a society where racism, sexism, inequality, and intolerance are encouraged. Where a young girl like myself does not feel safe walking from her college dorm room to the store to get ice cream.

We live in a generation which claims to be colorblind and post racial. Which claims to observe women, children, and immigrants as equal. Which claims to be extremely progressive. Yet this same nation has elected a president who built his campaign around slandering others. Who is under investigation for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl. Who refers to Hispanics as rapists and criminals. Who does not believe in climate change. Who wants to cut off trade with some of our largest vendors, knocking down the very capitalism and free market legacy which makes this country the land of opportunity it is today. Who wants to reject refuge to suffering humans because of “islamophobia”. Who doesn’t pay income taxes because he’s “smart”. I could go on and on about the constant and consistent injustices Donald Trump has committed and continues to commit against the American people.

I refuse to raise my daughter in a society where she has to be scared to voice her opinions. Where she has to look up at a man and hide what she thinks and feels behind a fake smile. Where she can’t be the president of the united states, regardless of her qualifications, simply because she is a woman. We must take heed of the message, so eloquently conveyed to us, in Hillary’s concession speech. “This loss hurts but please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.”

Hillary puts our future in our own hands. The hands of young people who now have to take responsibility upon themselves. We have to be the change we want to see in America, because clearly, no one else is going to save us.

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