Dear President Trump,
Congratulations on securing the presidency. Your ascension to the White House truly marks a milestone for America. The politicians, pollsters, commentators- their steadfast predictions of “this is how politics work” has been, trumped, to say the least, by your win. You have accomplished what many deemed as impossible.
I want to begin by saying- I was a Hillary supporter. Though I did not embrace her campaign fully and pardon her mistakes, the emails, Benghazi, etc., I supported her policies and and believed in the values she emphasized. I am proud to say that my vote went to her campaign. But now that the dust has settled, I realize that my support for Hillary was fueled by my vehement opposition to a Trump administration. I believed you to be a farce; a joke with highly questionable morals that through some unimaginable way, became America’s leader.
Our country was built on divided ground. It was built on the cotton fields in which slaves from Africa toiled, the railroads in which Asian immigrants died to build, and the coal mines that destroyed the lungs of thousands of European immigrants. We were built on racial, socioeconomic, and cultural division. America chose to believe this grand facade that the wounds of our past had healed over time, that we had found unity despite our original differences. Your ascension to the White House has proven that our wounds remain as deep as ever. They had simply been temporarily patched up with flimsy bandages that barely held the seams together.
I woke up the morning of November 9th, crying. My tears were not for the loss of a female president and they were not because I believe you will ruin our country. My tears fell for what precedent your presidency has set in our country. By electing you, we have told our daughters that the men who grope them can get away with it. By electing you, we have told our sons that they may do whatever they want to women and still find great success in life. By electing you, we have told minorities, women, and LGBTQ members that we were never really that serious about passing legislation to support them. A Trump presidency, especially with Mike Pence as your second-in-command, represents everything that I oppose.
Yet despite my feelings of opposition, I cannot help but feel sorry for you. Mr. Trump, you have made history. There will never be a person in America who will forget what you have achieved. Yet your victory will forever be tainted by your public image. Having a non-career politician in the White House represents the epitome of democracy. Yet your administration will forever be plagued with the memories of misogynistic comments, racial slurs, and the incitement of xenophobia.
As I scrolled through my Facebook this morning, I read dozens of posts all adorned with the hashtag, #notmypresident. Mr. Trump, your road to presidency has not been easy. You have toiled against the media, against Hillary; you have burdened the weight of having to defend yourself over and over and over again. I can guarantee you, as president of the United States of America, you will burden so much more. You will become the president of a nation that is divided to the core. You will enter the office with half the nation hating you. You will face scrutiny unlike any other president before you. But regardless of what people say, you are their president.
Throughout your administration, people will be waiting for you to fail. People will be watching your every move, snagging onto your every word. Everything you say and do will be subject to interrogation from the public. People will want you to fail.
Mr. Trump, I hope, for the sake of the entire country, that you do not fail. The fate of our country hangs in the balance and Americans everywhere will eventually look to you to save it. There is a reason, though at this moment I cannot grasp exactly why, half the nation wanted you to take the presidency. Half the nation believes that you will be the president to make the change they are looking for.
Don’t let them down.
I hope that your time in the Oval Office will bring you clarity. I hope you learn compassion, integrity, and humility. I hope that you recognize that you are not always right, that those career politicians you despise for not having created change could be your saving grace. You are the first non-career politician to take the White House. Mark your legacy appropriately.
Your administration will begin with great upheaval and civil unrest. You will be protested against, your moral character insulted, and your actions examined more closely than ever.
The opposition that faces your administration is a force so overwhelmingly large, despite the fact that as a nation, America has never seen what Donald Trump can do in office. I implore you to overcome these challenges with a rational mind. Hold your tongue. Think before you act. For all America knows, you could be the greatest president we ever have. It is your turn to show the people your ability.
Mr. Trump, you have never held and will never again hold a more important position than the presidency. The country you now stand to lead is in need of your guidance to bring it back together; to remind Americans that we stand together, despite the inner turmoil we face.
So I hope you succeed. I hope that you are able to prove your doubters wrong, that you will be a great president that will make change for the better. I hope you will be able to put your personal views on women, immigrants, race, LBTQ, and other religions aside and focus on what is pertinent.
The next four years and the future of America is in your hands.
Sincerely,
A Proud American Citizen
