Today, I am embarrassed to be an American
It was better to be a woman two days ago than it is today
Yesterday, November 8th, 2016, the United States of America elected Donald Trump as its next president, and yesterday, the people failed democracy.
I am devastated at this outcome, but what upsets me even more is that we let it get to this point.
We have forgotten what it means to truly be an American. This country was built on diversity and freedom, the “melting pot” of the world – and we have abandoned that notion.
The people of the U.S. became weak enough to let hatred and fear into their hearts and homes, and that has truly infected this country. Trump targeted minority groups and used them as excuses to bring attention to issues that they are in no direct correlation with.
The United States has elected a man to the highest position of revere who does not deserve it. He built his entire campaign rhetoric around racism, misogyny and bigotry. This is someone who represents the face of a rapist, someone who believes that women are objects, and that their only purpose is to be taken advantage of.
As a woman, I am afraid. Afraid that the right to control my own body will be taken away from me, afraid that my ability to participate in the workforce will be decreased, afraid that sexism will become a widely accepted norm.
Trump’s supporters were the ones who started the movement “repeal the 19th,” after it was shown that Hillary would win by a landslide if only women voted. They actually believed that taking away women’s right to vote would better this country – a country that has continuously strived for equality.
It was better to be a woman two days ago than it is today.
But I am also embarrassed that apparently the men of this country have been viewing women this way for years, and we did not know it.
I am afraid for minorities, because we have failed them. They are now in fear that their basic rights will be taken away from them, that they will be targeted and cast out, fleeing from discrimination wherever they go. They are afraid of physical violence, and all of this hate speech against them is a form of emotional violence as well. This is wrong on all counts.
What are we supposed to tell children of color or children of different religious factions? That their president believes that they are automatically criminals just for being from a different background? That their president wishes that were not even a part of this country at all? How do we explain to them what we have done?
I also feel tremendous sadness for the LGBTQ community in the United States. I’ve seen posts from those who worry that they won’t be able to get married – that they won’t have the right to love who they choose to love.
How can we continue to better America when we are now a country more divided than ever? We have marginalized groups of people in this country to the extent where they don’t feel comfortable calling this country a home.
Our democracy has been turned into a hateful game of back and forth, and it’s no longer something I feel I can be proud of.
This isn’t the America I love. In fact, I don’t even recognize this America anymore.