Though I am immensely happy with the way so many Americans are mobilizing against Trump I can’t help but to feel a little slighted by the fact this national upset is what’s prompting this cataclysmic reaction to upend the country. The kind of racism/misogyny The Donald used to incite crowds to violence is the very same racism/misogyny that has been pulsing through America for years, no matter who was president. These claims of surprise and upset are warranted for those who weren’t living under the burden of dealing with prejudice every day, but it still calls attention to how oblivious or comfortable the country has been with the plight of minority groups for centuries. We’ve become so accustomed to not expect serious change to this white supremacist power system because challenging it without the support of the entire country seemed futile.

It took an incredible upset to really wake this country up and I get that but it’s still irritating to hear, “I can’t believe the country would do this” or “How are this many people so racist/selfish?” This election’s outcome really calls attention to white privilege. I can’t help but to think this much protesting/outrage would definitely not have happened if Clinton got elected. I do believe the country was moving in the direction of, “Wait our entire system is inherently flawed,” but our system has been flawed as long as this country has been a country and it all started with the settlers and their decimation of the Indians. The horror and ugliness continues and manifests itself in new and frightening ways still.

How we as a country so loftily ignored centuries of slavery, over a decade of internment camps, countless deaths of civilians in other countries in the name of freedom (that number rises everyday), and are finally now aghast at the culmination of this history is for lack of better words intensely frustrating. 

I was distraught after the election results. For a second I thought we were moving in a more progressive direction, more inclusive and that it would be a slow moving process but that it was starting. Instead, I was in awe of the amount of red states as the night of the election went on, but in retrospect, it shouldn’t have been surprising. Everyone wants to blame all these various factors for the reality we’re living in but honestly this is the real America. We’re finally facing all of the deep rooted pain and suffering that’s been plaguing minorities (this includes anyone who’s not a straight white Christian American male) and I’m happy but there’s also a pang of sadness mixed in there.

Regardless of these sad feelings, I am crazy excited about the way millions of Americans are protesting and shouting from the rooftops to let the establishment know, NO MORE. There are a lot of people who knew this country couldn’t keep going in the direction it’s been going, and this the glaring kick in the ass we needed to really make America great. Period. NOT AGAIN. AMERICA HAS NEVER BEEN GREAT FOR EVERYONE. I seriously hope some things come out of this colossal change in perspective, including more diverse views on the news, a reexamination of our Justice system, holding officials accountable for decisions they make that harm countless innocent people in other countries, a national acknowledgement that racial socio-economic inequality is a direct result of slavery, more programs to remedy this issue, and finally begin making steps to close the unbelievable wealth gap and recognize the undeniable classism that is rampant in our society.

Again, I am happy about this amazing movement, but let’s not forget our history this time, and really take into consideration the hundreds of years that have led us here.

And let’s keep having these uncomfortable conversations. They’re terrifying and so completely necessary to continue evolving.