A Letter to My Trump Supporting Friends

My Trump Supporting Friends,

Up until this past election, I always thought losing friendships strictly from politics was the most idiotic thing. I mean not everyone we encounter is going to have the same viewpoint as us. That would be rather boring if you ask me. I love that I can debate with y’all for hours (literally) about any given topic because it not only challenges my views but also allows me to see it from a different perspective. And even though by the end, I’m often left with a headache and a lot of frustration, the idea of two people being so passionate about something has a cool kind of beauty to it. However, this past presidential election is much different than any other. The amount of arguments I’ve gotten into is endless, and there’s no telling how many twitter followers I’ve lost (and am still losing) from my daily anti-Trump tweets.

In the beginning of the election, I would always get mad at myself for taking offense to some of you guys’ support for Trump; I assumed I was just being petty. As I listened to you voice your support for him, I would stay quiet. But on the inside, I was screaming while experiencing about 5,000 different emotions. But why was I so angry and bothered by it, it wasn’t personal, it was just politics. For the longest time, I kept my discomfort to myself not wanting to be labeled as “butt-hurt” or as just another “angry black girl.” However, as the election progressed, it became harder and harder to stay quiet. Finally, I reached out to one of my minority friends in our friend group (I should mention most of my friends are white) and told her how I felt every time I seen or heard one of our friends voice their support of Trump. Turns out she felt the exact same way. We ended up ranting for the rest of the day about the level of frustration and hurt we felt towards it. Then it hit me, we had every right to be angry and hurt and frustrated along with any other emotion we felt because it was personal.

Unlike any other President, Trump is a bigot who resorts to bullying and belittling anyone who challenges him. Everything about his campaign was personal. Him mocking the mentally retarded reporter, him calling Hillary Clinton a nasty woman, him vowing to build a wall to keep out the “rapists and criminal” immigrants, him rating women not on their personality and intellect but rather on their appearance, him bragging about being allowed to grope women simply because of his celebrity status; the list is truly endless, and we would be here all day if I attempted to name every single thing, but you get the point. This man is not respectful by any means. He constantly singles out minority groups and minimizes them. So to know of his policies and of all the things he has done, how can you still support him, yet call yourself my friend? Excuse me, but I think it would be a bit weird if I didn’t get mad.

I know what you’re thinking, everyone has a right to their own opinion, and just because you support Trump doesn’t make you racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. And you’re right, it doesn’t. However, it does label you a bystander. Someone who is present at an event or incident yet does not take part of it which in my opinion is worse. Your support shows you see nothing wrong with his bullying and bigotry as long as you’re not the one committing it or affected by it; that it’s okay to treat people a certain way. This very acceptance of his behavior then leads to other people believing that it’s okay to be prejudice against, bully, and call-out certain groups because after all, our president is doing it, so why not?

I know this may seem like an attack, and you are probably offended, but my goal here is not to “drag” you.” Like I said before, I understand everyone has a right to an opinion, and I respect that, but you supporting Trump is highly offensive. And before you disagree and write me off please just do one thing: be aware. Take a step back from your privilege and truly educate yourself. Watch the “fake” news, read the articles and “alternative” facts, see what he stands for and how his policies and actions are affecting the ones around you. It’s easy for us to ignore certain issues when they do not directly affect us, but that is something that cannot happen. We must stay woke, and fight for each other.

Written by Nia Quinn

Instagram: @pia_nia_

Twitter: @NiaQuinn

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