Dear Mr. President,
Since November 8th, you’ve put on a strong face. You’ve encouraged Americans to come together and move forward. Both you and Secretary Clinton have urged people to give President-elect Trump a chance to lead. You’ve reminded us that yes, the sun will continue to rise, despite the unexpected, even feared, outcome of the 2016 presidential election. We’re now stuck with this decision, and rightly, you’ve asked Trump’s detractors to be open to his leadership. My question, Mr. President, is how?
How do I give someone a chance to lead that has made vulgar and hateful comments about people of my gender and minorities?
How do I look past his blatant racism and desire to abolish the influx of individuals of one specific religion, when the first European settlers to our nation did so as a means to avoid religious persecution?
How can I trust someone who flagrantly reported false news as fact, then consistently lied when confronted with the truth?
How can I be open to someone who is petty and vindictive, often holding grudges and retaliating through Twitter rages at all hours or slander in the press?
How can I not be afraid for our country when there is an open seat at the Supreme Court and conservatives are talking about inflicting laws that would impact a woman’s reproductive rights?
How do I accept his victory, when Secretary Clinton won the popular vote and I cannot understand the continued need for an electoral college, because if all Americans are equal, why would their votes not be weighted equally?
And most importantly, Mr. President, how can I give a man the chance to lead, when my husband is deployed in the Middle East, and I am terrified that Donald Trump will take some action that will prevent my husband from making it back home?
So yes, Mr. President, the sun will continue to rise. I know how that process works. And as a baseline for accepting normalcy, that bar is incredibly low. What I need from you, the only president that I have voted for and has actually won, is some insight on how to accept and move forward, when I am heartbroken and afraid.
Mahalo nui loa
Sincerely,
Julie Yaste