I recognize how hard these past two weeks have been for many people, especially on our own campus. As a conservative, I care about you — and I doubt that I’m the only one. The election results made me uneasy as well. I refused to vote for Hillary, but I couldn’t bring myself to vote for Trump either. It is crucial to understand that just because someone is a proud conservative doesn’t mean they actively endorse Donald Trump. That man to me is just as iniquitous as he is to many of you, I promise.
The way I see it, the election was just about picking the lesser of two evils, and to be honest, I would rather have Trump as president than Hillary. However, this should not automatically make me a disgusting human being or a disgrace to the female population.
I have observed eye rolls and whispering when a conservative speaks up in class, and that needs to stop. As a school, we should try to unite despite our differences. I don’t actively support Trump, but I want those who do to feel like they are able to say that in conversations with students and faculty alike. We all come from different backgrounds and have contrasting beliefs, but how lucky is that? Although this sounds cliché, we should celebrate our differences instead of putting each other down for them. I am graduating this year, and all I want before then is to know that everybody on this campus is allowed to speak their mind and not face repercussions for it.
Do I think the vigil held last Wednesday by the Young Democrats was a little excessive? Yes. But do I understand why they did it? Yes. Just as the Democrats should try and accept other beliefs, the Republicans on this campus need to recognize that those who are upset about Trump have a complete right to be; just because they cried doesn’t make them “soft.” I know fully well that there are reasons behind those tears, and those reasons consist of legitimate concerns and fears.
So what now? We need to allow those who are hurt to feel hurt, but then unite together and stop the hate between people.
Not everybody on campus has the same values, and I don’t think it’s either party’s job to tell the opposing side that they are fundamentally wrong. Believe what you believe and stick to that instead of putting others down for not agreeing with you. Nobody has to be best friends with everybody, but if we could all just try to understand each other by really listening, rather than immediately taking sides, then maybe we can find a way through this presidency, together.
