It is currently 7.35 in the morning here in Germany, I have been awake for almost five hours and the events of these past five hours have moved be so deeply that I felt the urge to discuss them and share my opinions on what has happened.
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If you don't live under a rock, you will know that it was Election night last night - for us Europeans while it technically still is election night for the Americans. I'm invested in global politics, so I have been keeping up with this election for over a year, and now it has come to its climax.
I cannot believe all of these events that have been unfolding ever since the first polling stations closed. I cannot believe the sheer mass of people - we're talking several dozen million - who voted for Donald Trump. It is beyond me. I myself do not agree with what Hillary Clinton says to one-hundredt percent, but when you compare those two canidates, the choice between them should come to you naturally.
Hillary Clinton does not have a white vest. There's been the shady email affair that has been discussed widely and deeply and was announced to not have happened at all by the FBI less than 48 hours before the debate. She has experience with politics, and some of it is bad.
However, when you compare her to Trump, I cannot fathom how you could vote for the latter.
If you voted for Donald trump, you voted for racism. If you voted for Donald Trump, you voted for sexism and misogyny. If you voted for Donald Trump, you voted for xenophobia. If you voted for Donald Trump, you voted for discrimination of all minorities in the United States.
Even if a miracle will happen and Clinton can still turn this around with only a handful of results to be announced, the results this election has brought us are truly horrifying. Even if Trump was to lose, millions, if not up to a hundred million Americans chose to support racism, sexism, misogyny, xenophobia, exclusion and discrimination. Are you able to comprehend what it means that so many people support such hateful beliefs? This has opened up whole new abysesses of human spitefulness.
With your vote, you went against everything that your country stands for.
The US is a nation of immigrants, built up by immigrants, and unless you're Native American, every single one of you will find immigrants in their faimly tree if they go back far enough. How can you turn to a xenophobic man, who openly discriminates other races, makes fun of them and threatens to destroy their lives?
The US is the land of the free and the land of equality for all. Equality for all races as well as all genders and people of all sexualities. But how can you have equality when your president opposes same-sex marriage, when he makes fun of the LGBT community?
And how can you have equality for all sexes when one white man can determine whether or not it is legal for a woman to get an abortion if she really does need it to continue living her life? There cannot be equality between the sexes when your president is a man who belittles women, who thinks they are not respected enough to work in high positions. A man who has double digit accusers for sexual abuse and gets out of it by claiming that "most of these women aren't even attractive enough" for him to go after them?
And how can you have equality for all sexes when one white man can determine whether or not it is legal for a woman to get an abortion if she really does need it to continue living her life? There cannot be equality between the sexes when your president is a man who belittles women, who thinks they are not respected enough to work in high positions. A man who has double digit accusers for sexual abuse and gets out of it by claiming that "most of these women aren't even attractive enough" for him to go after them?
There is more to this, I could possibly go on for hours, But know this:
If you voted Donald Trump, you too are responsible for immigrants, both documented and undocumented, fearing for the safety of their families. You too are responsible for queer citizens' fear to be who they are, especially if they are not out of the closet yet. You too are responsible for Muslims being afraid to openly practice their religion. You too are to be held responsible if Trump's trade policies lead to millions of people losing their jobs all over the world, including in your own country.
If you voted Donald Trump, you too are responsible for immigrants, both documented and undocumented, fearing for the safety of their families. You too are responsible for queer citizens' fear to be who they are, especially if they are not out of the closet yet. You too are responsible for Muslims being afraid to openly practice their religion. You too are to be held responsible if Trump's trade policies lead to millions of people losing their jobs all over the world, including in your own country.
Is no one aware of the fact that it is not normal for so many people to be afraid of the possibility of one of the canidates being elected as president?
As a German, I remember the last time this happened in my country. The last time a well-spoken man promised to fight for his citizens, he did the opposite. It resulted in hate crimes, in persecution, and eventually, in a war.
As a German, I remember the last time this happened in my country. The last time a well-spoken man promised to fight for his citizens, he did the opposite. It resulted in hate crimes, in persecution, and eventually, in a war.
I'm not trying to meet trouble halfway, I'm simply analysing all of the facts and utterances we have experienced during the past year. After tonight, nothing will be like it was 24 hours ago, and the change is mostly likely to be for the worse, especially for all the non-white, non cis American citizens.
What is important to realise and remember in those remaing minutes before Trump takes the last state he needs in order to win the election is the fact that you cannot back down.
Whether you're Hispanic, Black, queer, trans, Muslim, or disabled, you are who you are. This result will not change this. And you should fight for who you are and for your rights. You cannot allow yourself to be run over or pushed aside. You have a right to have rights, no matter who runs the country.
Whether you're Hispanic, Black, queer, trans, Muslim, or disabled, you are who you are. This result will not change this. And you should fight for who you are and for your rights. You cannot allow yourself to be run over or pushed aside. You have a right to have rights, no matter who runs the country.
It might not be easy, but we'll find a way to work through this.
I am telling you this as a German. Through my veins runs the blood of people who lived under one man who was of the hook, who were persecuted and eventually fled the country. Through my veins flows the blood of the oppressed. They are the ones who never backed down, never gave up themselves or the fight they had in them. You might think of us as pests, but we are damn hard to get under control.
I am also telling you this as someone who is invested in global relations and politics. Know that there are people, entire countries not only rooting for you, but working towards making this better. There are govermenents who will not be Trump's puppets and be let themselves be commanded.
I am not exaggerating this situation. I have American friends telling me that they do not know what to do, that they're scared. This is really and this is happening.
Everyone made a choice last night, and now we have to work through the results that choice brought.
It is the only way.
It is the only way.
As Maya Angelous said:
"You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise."
"You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I'll rise."
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Love this, Franzi. You're so much smarter than most of the people in this country and I wish more could see it like you do... or care. As someone with numerous Trump voters in their extended family I'm so depressed to even be associated.
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