Watching the election was supposed to feel good. I anticipated witnessing a historic event, the way our polls predicted, with our country’s first female President-elect. In disdain, I watched as the map turned from grey to red. History was indeed being made but not as forecasted.
With our new President-elect, the tension in our nation has moved to the forefront. For some, the past week has been no different than the week before, while others have not had the privilege to sit back with their minds at ease.
I am not writing this article to say that Hillary Clinton should be our President-elect or that Donald Trump should be. I am writing this to be the voice for those who feel they have lost the opportunity to have theirs heard with the election results.
No matter who you voted for, hate towards the oppressed should not be tolerated. To hate another human because they have an identity that differs from yours is unacceptable. Saying that you agree, that you are not a homophobic, racist, sexist and you do not want to deport all immigrants is not enough. If you supported the candidate that belittled and demeaned several groups of people, your actions have made you a hypocrite.
Suppressing the voices of the oppressed encourages hate and does not endorse change. Christian, heterosexual, male and white are the dominant identities in our society. Though some with these dominant identities want to support positive change and do, most are offended because they do not want to be called hypocritical.
Being at the top, unharmed, in this election is not good enough for those with a dominant identity. Having security in their finances, job and even identity does not give them adequate satisfaction. Not worrying about whether or not they will be attacked or if their home is safe does not do it. Removing their hood or looking to see if they are being followed do not cross their mind. Worrying about if their name keeps their race ambiguous when they apply for a job is not an issue and neither is worrying about their sexual preference or their religion.
If you bring down another culture, ethnicity, race, religion or sexual orientation or support someone who does for your own benefit, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
Editors Note: If you would like to submit your own opinion piece to the Pleiad regarding the national election, ideas can be submitted to pleiad@albion.edu.
I’m being oppressed by Donald! He hasn’t done anything to me yet, but I’m oppressed by him! There were ZERO hate crimes before he was elected, and now they’re everywhere! America is doomed!
Thanks for this! I’ve been hearing so much indignation from self-identified Trump/Pence voters about being unfairly lumped in with racists, homophobes, misogynists, and xenophobes when the sad reality is that their vote allowed all of those awful things to penetrate the highest levels of our government. If only some of them had been as vocal in their opposition against hatred as they are now in their complaints about not being treated fairly. If you really want to learn about not being treated fairly, have a conversation with the person of color, same-sex orientation, immigration background, transgender identity etc. etc. in your social circles. You may not have to look very far.