I don’t feel like I need to reiterate everything that has been said by every Trump-opposer, but I do feel like I can articulate it in a different way.<\/p>\n
I grew up in a bubble, as did many other privileged white people. I will acknowledge my privilege-I was raised in a small suburban town with great schools just outside the city where I would later attend one of the most reputable universities in the country.<\/p>\n
Lucky for me, I’ve always been an open-minded individual, but attending NYU has taught me more than I ever knew about the world we live in.<\/p>\n
The sad truth is that some people have either not had the opportunity, or taken advantage of chances\u00a0they have to stray outside of that bubble.<\/p>\n
Donald Trumps election to presidency poured a bucket of cold water on a sleeping portion of America.<\/p>\n
Conservatives and liberals have different ideals. That’s why we have these two major political parties. There are major differences. But I do not oppose Donald Trump simply because I don’t agree with his political views. I don’t oppose Donald Trump simply because he is a celebrity with little political experience. I don’t oppose him because of the color of his skin or his hair. What I am in opposition of, is having the leader, the face of our country, someone with so much power, being an individual who has demonstrated blatant racism and sexism. This isn’t my opinion-it is fact.<\/p>\n
A fact is\u00a0by definition a truth known by actual experience or observation. And Trump has made his views and values more than apparent through his speech and actions, of which all Americans have had the opportunity to observe over the last year and a half.<\/p>\n
He showed us, unabashed, that this is who he is and this is what he stands for. No one needs to teach him the grade school lesson that if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. He wanted to vocalize his opinions and he has every right to<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The problem with his opinions, is that they go against the basic values and morals that our country has worked hundreds of years to bring to the forefront of people’s minds, to encourage equality and freedom for every citizen, to not let people live in fear because of their differences.<\/p>\n International relations are of utmost importance to our country, especially in this time of terrorism. How can we have the president of our country being discriminatory against other races and nationalities, when it is vital that we work together during this strenuous\u00a0time?<\/p>\n So maybe this doesn’t affect you<\/strong>. Maybe your life won’t be that much different for the next for years. But it will undoubtedly affect someone else’s.<\/p>\n I am fortunate enough to go to a school where I see firsthand how this impacts people’s lives. Not only in the diverse students and staff, but also in the diversity that surrounds me in New York City. In the days since election night I have seen tears, I have heard cries, I have been caught in the middle of protests. And I can empathize with every individual in that crowd.<\/p>\n Donald Trump’s election has shown me that what our country is truly lacking, is empathy.<\/p>\n I am not afraid to share my political views anymore because I take pride in them. I take pride in my values and morals and beliefs, and for the first time in my life I have truly been encouraged to share that with others. There will always be those who disagree. We all were raised different ways in different places, experiencing and not experiencing certain things.<\/p>\n