For me, it was a choice between progress and bigotry.  It was a choice between a woman who has served this country for decades and a businessman who has used tax law loopholes to avoid paying taxes for nearly a decade.  It was also a choice between electing the first female president or choosing yet another white, male president who also happens to think that “grab them by the p***y,” (can I point out how much it saddens me to be able to put quotations around those words?) is a phrase that should ever be spoken, let alone acted upon.

Keeping all of this in mind, I think that anyone, regardless of his or her political beliefs and affiliations, can understand how it is that I feel betrayed by my country after the election last week.  It is not a feeling I like.  I have always been immeasurably proud of my country, regardless of our governmental flaws, wacky democratic structure and social double standards.

I have always been an American through and through, but now, that integral piece of my identity has been rocked.  Immediately after seeing the election results, I thought that the United States as I knew and loved it was gone forever, but I was mistaken.

I’ve had a week to think and process, and I believe that we still have hope.  We are, as President Lincoln said, a “government of the people, by the people, for the people” and we “shall not perish from the earth.”  Too many have forgotten that our president does not rule us; our president serves us.  As such, the people of the United States hold the power, and all we have to do to ensure that EVERY American has equal rights in this country is to make sure our voices are heard.

The large majority of us on Dickinson’s campus are feeling a range of grief, anger, despair and betrayal, but I think we should give Trump a chance.  We do not have to love him like we do President Obama, we do not even have to like him or trust him, as we would have Secretary Clinton.

We only have to respect the decision that so many other Americans made last Tuesday night.  It is clear that the United States in in a time of political upheaval, a time ripe for change.  Let’s work together as a nation to ensure that the changes taking place are changes that protect the rights of everyone.

If we stand together and work towards a common goal, progress is possible.  Trump cannot take that from us.  We have the constitutional right to assembly, peaceful protest, free speech, free press, and so many points of access in the government.  Let’s exercise our rights to ensure that Trump knows what America stands for.  Let’s stand up for each other because we are “Stronger Together.”  Let’s “Make America Great Again” and trump bigotry.