An Open Letter Series: To America
I am supposed to be working on my open letter series, but I see a problem that needs more attention right now, so I'm changing up what I was going to write about next. This is an open letter to Americans.
To all citizens:
I'm not usually one to care much for politics. I see the corruption, and I turn my head because, frankly, I don't know what to do with it. That being said, what is happening in America today needs to be addressed.
From my perspective, we are no longer a nation united. We are a nation divided, and that fact saddens me immensely. Since when has it been okay to disown someone based on who they voted for? How did it come to this?
Fear.
Fear is a powerful emotion. I realize that. But it shouldn't control our understanding that everyone has a different opinion, and everyone sees life from a different perspective. If we are so much against discrimination that we vote one way based on that, then how can we think it okay to discriminate against others who saw a different perspective and voted for that reason? Don't get me wrong, I'm just as afraid as the next person, but I would never throw away a friendship based on whether or not that person voted for Hillary or Trump. That, to me, is ridiculous.
I feel that I can say this because I am personally affected by the results of this election. I'm twenty years old, and I am technically disabled, which means that healthcare is an important part of my everyday life, and that care is at stake. However, I am not freaking out in the slightest.
Why not?
Our government has a system of checks and balances in place for a reason. Laws can't just be changed on a dime, and I have faith that our legislature will pull through on my behalf, and the behalf of those like me, when the time comes.
In addition, I know that Trump is not stupid. He may even surprise us all with how well he does. We won't know until he comes into office, and, to be honest, I'm pretty sure that, had Hillary won, someone would find reason to complain about that one too. With this many people to satisfy, there is no way that everyone will be happy with the results. However, we are all adults, and we all know how to behave properly.
This isn't it, so stop fighting against one another. The rioting is childish, and the disunity is killing any sense of national identity that we once had.
I should not be afraid to speak my opinion when I go out into public. I should not be afraid to lose friends over a presidential election. I should not despise my future president, regardless of who they are.
The fact of the matter is that we, as a nation, chose Trump. For those of you who did not vote for him (And no, that does not mean I did. I will remain as ambiguous as possible for FEAR of losing friends or respect by revealing my candidate.), please realize that, while your opinions matter, they should not be considered superior to the opinions that are different from your own.
Good cannot be born of evil, and this hatred for one another is pure evil.
To the disabled/chronically ill community:
You are afraid for your safety if medical programs such as Obama Care are shut down. I get that, but getting rid of Obama Care does not have to mean disaster.
Obama Care has its benefits, but it also has a lot of faults.
For one, I am a twenty year old college student who can't work because I can't handle a job and school at the same time, but I don't qualify for disability unless I had once had a full time job for at least four years prior to the disability. I've been in this condition since before I was legally an adult. I have never been in a position to work, and, because of that, I will never be able to get disability even though I need the help. The next option would be to draw on social security, but I can't do that either because they wouldn't pay me enough for it to even be worth the trouble. Has anyone thought that perhaps this is our chance to change what is faulty? To make it better?...
I know that Hillary had more to say about our well-being. I know this is scary. All I'm asking is that we look at the situation and move forward in grace. This division is not helping the cause. A nation is only as strong as its citizens, and we are showing a massive weakness in our thinking when we act as we have been for the last several months (And, more importantly, since the results of the election came in.).
My mom has always said something that I feel fits into this argument really well. She tells me that if I want to see change, then I have to be it.
What does this mean in light of the current situation?
It means that we need to take advantage of how our government is designed to work. We need to write to our government and let them know what we need. We need to be willing to stand up and raise awareness so that we can't go unnoticed.
Trump can't change the entire healthcare system on his own, and it will not just suddenly shut down on January 20th when he is sworn into office. This is where we come in. We have to advocate for ourselves, and we have to let those who Trump has to convince of any plans he might have that we have ideas.
We are the solution to our own dilemma.
In conclusion:
I have faith in my God, and I have faith in my country. Open your eyes so that you may have faith too. Let's put the violence and insensitive words towards one another away so that we can move forward peacefully.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to share.
To all citizens:
I'm not usually one to care much for politics. I see the corruption, and I turn my head because, frankly, I don't know what to do with it. That being said, what is happening in America today needs to be addressed.
From my perspective, we are no longer a nation united. We are a nation divided, and that fact saddens me immensely. Since when has it been okay to disown someone based on who they voted for? How did it come to this?
Fear.
Fear is a powerful emotion. I realize that. But it shouldn't control our understanding that everyone has a different opinion, and everyone sees life from a different perspective. If we are so much against discrimination that we vote one way based on that, then how can we think it okay to discriminate against others who saw a different perspective and voted for that reason? Don't get me wrong, I'm just as afraid as the next person, but I would never throw away a friendship based on whether or not that person voted for Hillary or Trump. That, to me, is ridiculous.
I feel that I can say this because I am personally affected by the results of this election. I'm twenty years old, and I am technically disabled, which means that healthcare is an important part of my everyday life, and that care is at stake. However, I am not freaking out in the slightest.
Why not?
Our government has a system of checks and balances in place for a reason. Laws can't just be changed on a dime, and I have faith that our legislature will pull through on my behalf, and the behalf of those like me, when the time comes.
In addition, I know that Trump is not stupid. He may even surprise us all with how well he does. We won't know until he comes into office, and, to be honest, I'm pretty sure that, had Hillary won, someone would find reason to complain about that one too. With this many people to satisfy, there is no way that everyone will be happy with the results. However, we are all adults, and we all know how to behave properly.
This isn't it, so stop fighting against one another. The rioting is childish, and the disunity is killing any sense of national identity that we once had.
I should not be afraid to speak my opinion when I go out into public. I should not be afraid to lose friends over a presidential election. I should not despise my future president, regardless of who they are.
The fact of the matter is that we, as a nation, chose Trump. For those of you who did not vote for him (And no, that does not mean I did. I will remain as ambiguous as possible for FEAR of losing friends or respect by revealing my candidate.), please realize that, while your opinions matter, they should not be considered superior to the opinions that are different from your own.
Good cannot be born of evil, and this hatred for one another is pure evil.
To the disabled/chronically ill community:
You are afraid for your safety if medical programs such as Obama Care are shut down. I get that, but getting rid of Obama Care does not have to mean disaster.
Obama Care has its benefits, but it also has a lot of faults.
For one, I am a twenty year old college student who can't work because I can't handle a job and school at the same time, but I don't qualify for disability unless I had once had a full time job for at least four years prior to the disability. I've been in this condition since before I was legally an adult. I have never been in a position to work, and, because of that, I will never be able to get disability even though I need the help. The next option would be to draw on social security, but I can't do that either because they wouldn't pay me enough for it to even be worth the trouble. Has anyone thought that perhaps this is our chance to change what is faulty? To make it better?...
I know that Hillary had more to say about our well-being. I know this is scary. All I'm asking is that we look at the situation and move forward in grace. This division is not helping the cause. A nation is only as strong as its citizens, and we are showing a massive weakness in our thinking when we act as we have been for the last several months (And, more importantly, since the results of the election came in.).
My mom has always said something that I feel fits into this argument really well. She tells me that if I want to see change, then I have to be it.
What does this mean in light of the current situation?
It means that we need to take advantage of how our government is designed to work. We need to write to our government and let them know what we need. We need to be willing to stand up and raise awareness so that we can't go unnoticed.
Trump can't change the entire healthcare system on his own, and it will not just suddenly shut down on January 20th when he is sworn into office. This is where we come in. We have to advocate for ourselves, and we have to let those who Trump has to convince of any plans he might have that we have ideas.
We are the solution to our own dilemma.
In conclusion:
I have faith in my God, and I have faith in my country. Open your eyes so that you may have faith too. Let's put the violence and insensitive words towards one another away so that we can move forward peacefully.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to share.
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