President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory, making him the first person to become president with no prior political or military experience, marks a turning point in our society. Trump’s presidency may seem like a nightmare for many people, but it is also what millions of Americans wanted and voted for. We must come to terms with this, but resist any of his attempts to erode our civil liberties and First Amendment rights.
Now is the time we need to stand firm on what we believe in and weather the storm. We cannot give up on America, we cannot accept prejudice directed at anyone and we cannot run away from our country’s problems.
Millions of American’s are still trying to come to terms with the election. Macklemore’s recent song “Wednesday Morning” addresses Donald Trump’s victory and how he is wrestling with the outcome. Like him or not, Macklemore writes and sings his music with passion and he does it from the heart. He stands up for what he believes in and does it with creativity and love.
He raps that he’s got a “bad taste in [his] mouth,” but that “humanity is a privilege” and “we can’t give in.” He wants us to be ready so that “when they build walls, we’ll build bridges,” and “when they spread hate, [we’ll] shine brilliant.”
One of my favorite lines from “Wednesday Morning” is when Macklemore explains how “when we oppress anyone, we oppress ourselves.” The true character of any country is judged not on how it treats the wealthy and privileged, but on how it treats the poor and helpless.
President Obama brought hope to millions of Americans who saw in his presidency a change in the tides away from institutional racism. I had thought that our country was moving permanently away from these misguided, but entrenched, ways of thinking. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
One reality we must realize is that change is slow. There is always a historical give and take. Obama was the first African American President and his time in office was a significant moment in our history. For many people, having a black president was unthinkable.
There are many reasons for Donald Trump’s rise to power, but it is in part a backlash against Obama. After all, Trump started the birther movement and ran on a pillar that he would rip up Obama’s legacy. Now is exactly the time that we need to keep fighting for what we believe in. We cannot give up just because the fight for equality got more difficult.
Many people are speculating about what this election means for the country and what a Trump presidency will look like. The reality is that all current speculation is pure guess work and nothing more than that. Nobody could figure out his campaign and nobody knows for sure what he will do when in office. However, if his rhetoric is any indication of what his presidency might be like, then we must be ready for anything. If he tries to erode our freedoms, then we must fight back in every way we can.
As American citizens, we all deserve equal rights under the Constitution no matter the color of our skin, our sexual orientation, gender or religious beliefs. Abraham Lincoln explained during his famous Gettysburg Address that this nation was “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all [people] are created equal.” We must continue the fight against institutional racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia so that our nation “shall have a new birth of freedom.”
Donald Trump’s presidency is a threat against all the gains that have been made for equality in this country, but if we stand our ground, these battles will not have been fought in vain.
We cannot run away from our problems or refuse to acknowledge the things that we disagree with. As Americans, living in what is supposed to be a free and equal society, it is our duty to stand up and fight for change we believe in. Macklemore said it best: “I’m not moving to Canada, not fleeing the nation; No time for apathy, no more tears and no complainin’. Gotta fight harder for the next four and what we’re faced with.”
Thomas is a senior majoring in history and psychology. What do you think of the 2016 President-elect? Please send all comments, questions and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
