I woke up on Nov. 9 and cried. It was 8 a.m. European time and Donald Trump held 265 electoral votes. I knew it was over. This is no laughing matter. This is no joke. This is a frightening reality.

A pit of anxiety is seeping through my body and I feel empty inside. My faith in Americans is shattered. To the 11,000 people who voted for a dead gorilla, did you think this election wouldn’t affect you? Our country has elected a bigoted and parochial man who embodies sexist and racist values. A misogynistic man who is homophobic and xenophobic. A man who does not believe in global warming. A man who has lied repeatedly, made indecent comments and tweets like an ignorant individual. Our country elected a man who wants to “build a wall” and keep people out when the Statue of Liberty so clearly states, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”

As a female, I am both very sad and disappointed to see that majority of our country supports a man who undermines and has committed sexual assault, yet claims to have the utmost respect for women. I had hope for Hillary Clinton, I had hope for America. This further complicates the role of women in our society and we must look at this and realize that gender should not dictate an individual’s competence.

I hear Trump’s voice and cringe. I wonder how a human like this can hold the same office as the many great leaders who have come before him. It rattles me to my core that our future president is someone whom I cannot look up to, find decency in nor support. I had hoped we could end his harmful and disdainful rhetoric. I had hoped I would wake up and finally escape is daunting presence.

Electing Donald Trump is not just a domestic problem: His presidency is going to disrupt nations across the world. I am struggling to comprehend how this happened; however, we must find a way to move forward. Our country cannot remain as polarized as it is. It is time for a change and Donald Trump is not the answer.

Caroline Schagrin, 
Syracuse University
Magazine Journalism
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications