I first want to thank you for reading this post, it takes a
lot of courage to read another person’s point of view. I know that you may not
like everything you read and this won’t sway your view of our new President.
However, I am deeply sad and need to explain why to the people in my life.
I have accepted that Trump is my president, but I will not accept the example
he sets for our future. I promise I will not bring up Hillary, as the election
is thankfully in the past. This post is about the present and what is soon to
come.
Feminism has somehow turned into such a negative word. This
confuses me as the very Webster definition of feminism is: "The theory of the political, economic, and social
equality of the sexes." When I hear people that have helped make me the woman I
am today label others as “those feminists”, it saddens me to my core. I was blessed to
grow up with a loving family in a city where the founder of American Equal
Rights Association, Susan B Anthony also called home. Rochester, NY has been at the center of women’s rights for over 166 years. Though much has changed since
1851, we are still far from the goal Susan B Anthony spent her life fighting towards. I am tired of looking into boardrooms packed with men in business suits
and seeing a maximum of one woman. You would think I would be describing an
investment bank office, but nope I’m describing a fashion and lifestyle media
empire. No industry is biased with the gender gap and that is one of the many
reasons I joined the Women’s March. It made me happy that 3 million men and
woman around the country gathered to communicate our concerns to President
Trump. However, it was short lived by Trump ignoring his citizens and taking a
step towards removing yet another right from women. Within a week of taking
office, he has moved to make it nearly impossible for any clinic to afford to
educate woman about and/or provide safe abortions. The worst part of this is
this action was done without one woman present (pictured above). Yet another example of men
controlling the future of millions of women in the United States.
President Trump has made it known of his dislike of Hispanics.
Though Puerto Rico is a United States territory, to support such an attack on
the remaining cultures would be hypocritical of me. I may also have European
ancestry in my blood, but I too suffered the nasty reality that society often
attacks those who are different. I cannot count how many times teenager me
would cry myself to sleep after enduring bullies calling me “mustache girl” or “spic”,
because I drew the short stick during puberty. Throughout President Trump’s campaign,
he has gone as far as to link Hispanics to economic hardships in the United
States. I know you will not like what I say, but I urge you to keep reading.
There are plenty of jobs available in this amazing country, but you have to
choose to evolve and fight for them. Look at industries that have a demand and
find your way in. Most of the time you can find a connection with your current
industry and other times you will need to start from the bottom and work your
way up. This country is known for providing an endless amount of opportunities to
those that work hard, but you cannot give up and blame others for your hardships.
To do this would be one step closer to recreating the extreme violence of our
past, such as the Holocaust, Rwandan, and Armenian genocides.
In addition to President Trump's blatant disrespect to women
and Hispanics, he has openly attacked immigrants. I kindly remind you that 2/3 of our population is the direct result of immigration. This includes a long list of American icons: Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, Alexander Hamilton, Neil Young, and Babe Ruth are just a few of many. If the United States
didn’t open their doors to my grandparents after WWII, my very existence wouldn’t
have happened. Should we exercise caution? Absolutely! Security measures have
and will always continue to be necessary with immigration. However, shutting out a quality that helped establish the United States would be incredibly reckless.
Growing up a granddaughter of two very brave grandparents: a man who survived the oppression of Hitler’s
regime and a woman who lost her home to the Russians have always inspired strength in me. We must not blame an entire group of
people for the violent acts of individuals seeking to destroy humanity. The day
we stop showing mercy to those looking for refuge, is the day the extremists
win. That will be the day when nothing is left to fight for.
Finally, the environment needs protection from this administration. Living in denial of this fact for the next 4-8 years will be extremely detrimental to the future. UN Messenger of Peace, Leonardo DiCaprio does a much better job explaining this than I ever will. I recommend you take the time with an open mind to watch his powerful documentary, Before The Flood. President Trump has issued a ban from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees to supply the public with updates on the environment, which is very alarming. We have the right to know the status of our precious earth and what we can do as a society to make a difference. What’s even more alarming is President Trump has nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the EPA, who has deep ties in the fossil fuel industry. This conflict of interest prevents our society from evolving from a disgusting source of energy that is both inefficient and expensive. I urge you to continue to shift towards green solutions, despite any false claims that are undoubtedly coming our way. I personally would love my niece, Nevaeh to grow up in a world where elephants and polar bears are still alive.
If you made it this far, I am incredibly proud of you for taking the time to listen to my thoughts. I feel a little better having written all of this down. If you were to take anything with you, I hope it to be as follows:
- Equality is power
- Blame nobody for your hardships and keep fighting for your dreams
- Exercise caution and mercy to your neighbors
- Stay green
Thank you!
Nicolette
