Finding optimism in presidential election results necessary for unity
It’s no surprise that there are strong emotions after the election. Many people are scared, upset and all around enraged. Others are joyous and happy with the outcome. No matter how everybody feels about the election, there’s always something positive to see in the end.
Logging onto social media, the all-too common homepage to see is many friends and acquaintances hurting and sad. People are forgetting, however, that they have a few things in common: love and hope.
America can overcome its very polarized differences by loving one another and showing that love truly does trump hate. Together, much to personal chagrin, America has to hope that Trump will be a good president. Wanting him to fail is an unbelievably bad attitude to have.
I didn’t vote for either major candidate, but I know I have to have faith in them. By throwing out hate and fear to one another, America is doing harm, and harm helps no one. An important rule to remember during this time is, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
If the nation can come together, its citizens who hold so many commonalities can make America great. It’s not appropriate to say “make America great again” because, well, America was never great. America is good, but I have no shame in saying that it wasn’t great.
As the great granddaughter of immigrants, I know they had more opportunities here than they did in Poland. Besides the strong Native American population in the state, most other students have the commonality of being descendants of immigrants, too. This country was built by immigrants, by hard-working families, and that’s such a proud point for not only myself but for many others. If the nation could grow 100 years ago into what it is now, there’s no reason it can’t grow into something even better in the next 100 years.
If the country can work together to erase the fear, sadness and anger, then together it can accomplish any obstacle thrown in its path.
As college students, the young millennials leading the charge toward the future, just one person can have the greatest impact on campus, the surrounding community and beyond.
By erasing hate and putting others’ concerns ahead of personal quarrels, America can create an environment that is inclusive for all. America is a place for everyone and not a place for hate. In fact, there’s no place for hate on this campus or anywhere else.
As humans, everybody needs to be more understanding of one another, but especially now more than ever. If a person is worried about this election, we should take it as an opportunity to talk with them. Even if the conversation is one against personal beliefs, it’s important to listen to them and make sure everybody hears the concerns of others.
Despite all of the violence and protesting making news headlines, choosing to be polite and peaceful is best. Rather than expressing anger, the country needs to show its appreciation for its diverse minorities. The sign of a safety pin has become a symbol for security and acceptance. Personally, that’s the most powerful statement to make in the midst of panic.
Every single student is important. Every single concern matters. Not just to me, but to so many other USD students and professors. No one can provide a definitive answer for what these next four years will bring, but it’ll be a wave everybody will ride together as a united country.
