From the first day since Donald Trump’s presidency was announced, tens of thousands of people have been pouring into the streets to protest the Electoral College’s decision.
They advocated for a recount of votes, called the Electoral College unjust, and held up signs reading “Love trumps hate” and “Not my president.”
The outcry only increased since Hillary Clinton swept the popular vote with two million more votes than Trump, but according to CNN, lost by 74 electoral votes.
Despite more than two weeks passing since the election, not everyone has been able to accept these results. For example, Green Party candidate Jill Stein advocated for a recount of votes in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania: three states that could potentially give Clinton the election. Starting on Dec. 2, 2016 the votes in Wisconsin will be recounted, and Stein is hoping to raise up to $7 million for the other two states.
In my opinion, the recount in Wisconsin, or any recount, is useless at this point.
Unfortunately, it’s time for us all to face the truth: while Donald Trump was elected by only 47 percent of the country, he is our president whether we like it or not, and no amount of “Not my president!” chanting is going to change that. The United States was build on the concept of a peaceful transition of power that is accepted by all the people, as it has been since the end of the Civil War.
Still, “accepting” Trump as our president does not mean laying down quietly and waiting for him, his government, or some of his supporters to potentially take away our rights. It does not mean standing powerlessly in the face of what is to come. What it means is picking our battles.
Tens of thousands of people did not go out into the streets because they thought it would be fun — they did it because they are afraid and worried for their future. Not only was Trump’s presidency endorsed by the KKK, but recent video footage of a neo-Nazi “alt-right” gathering hailing Trump was broadcasted on news stations, demonstrating the rise of the nationalistic, white-supremacist movement. Considering that most of Trump’s campaign was run on blatant sexism, racism, Islamophobia, and ableism combined with conservative ideals, this development comes as little surprise.
There has also been an outburst of hate crimes throughout the country since the election, ranging from mosques receiving letters threatening genocide to water fountains at schools being labeled as “white” and “colored.”
As someone who is a minority, I understand the anxiety and at times sheer terror regarding this situation, as well as the backlash to the “just give Donald Trump a chance” ideology. However, we need to realize by this point that these recounts are most likely not going to change anything, and that regardless of the results, getting all three states to elect Hillary is not only improbable but would actually cause more chaos than this election did in the first place.
Right now, we need to look to what we can actually do to protect our rights.
We need to continue staying informed about both Donald Trump’s plans and the plans of his government so that if any radical or oppressive law does attempt to pass, we will know. We also need to realize that while he is our president, we still have our state and city governments in power, and we still have the right to write and call our representatives and make sure our concerns are heard.
It’s also important to note that by the time the next election will come along, most of us will be able to vote and have an actual impact on the future of our country. By that time, some of us could even get the opportunity to start participating in the country’s legal affairs by working in law.
The biggest thing we can do now, however, is to make an effort to make sure that our community, both inside and outside of school, is a welcoming and supportive place. That means a place where people do not have to worry about being judged and discriminated against simply because they are part of a minority group in this country.
The only way that is all going to happen in the most efficient way possible is if we stop focusing our energy on a fight that has already been lost, accept that Trump is now president, and move on to ensuring that worse things don’t happen.
Related Stories
Milford Higgins • Dec 16, 2016 at 4:06 pm
Very interesting Opinion. Your comment on “…does not mean laying down quietly and waiting for him, his government, or some of his supporters to potentially take away our rights.” Why is your going in position that he is going to take something away? Further, why the statement “his government”? Don’t they teach Government in High School anymore. His government is OUR government. All your types need to do what we did when Obama was elected, accept it and move on. You apparently do not want to move on. I see nothing but worry and the sky is falling mentality in your Opinion.
Leea Ivanel • Jan 18, 2017 at 9:16 pm
Thanks for reading my article, Higgins.
I am well aware that his government is our government – or at least it will be as of this Friday. That does not mean it is the government that the majority of the people in America chose, however, as Hillary won the popular vote by a landslide. That aside, accepting what happened and moving on, as you said, was actually the point of the entire article; I believe it is ridiculous to still be attempting to find ways to take Trump down from power at this point. Also, my worry does not come from pure speculation but rather from the way Trump has behaved during his campaign, essentially gaining popularity off of bashing minorities, and as someone who belongs to some of those groups I do feel as if the President-elect will not do his part to protect us or our rights. Trust me, I hope Trump will prove me wrong and end up being a great president for ALL Americans, but I doubt that will happen.
Liselotte Weill • Dec 2, 2016 at 8:42 am
What happens to the United States!!!