One of the many things that makes Americans particular is our freedom. From freedom of religion to freedom of the press, all of the amendments have been a part of our nation from its beginnings and all seem to reside under the umbrella of “freedom of speech.”
Now, of course, these freedoms are what truly make me proud to be an American. However, it is the way we have gone about executing our freedoms that I do not agree with at all times.
Dec. 19 is now on the top of the list of why I am disappointed in the people of this nation. It is not because the result was different from what I wanted; frankly, I believe both candidates were not fit to run our country in their own specific way, but that is beside the point. Dec. 19 was a sad day because that was the day that Americans began to turn on one another.
Social media became a battle ground. People were posting statements saying, “If you voted for (Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton) I want nothing to do with you. You are a horrible person.”
After seeing hundreds of posts like this and statements that were even worse, I decided to stay off all forms of social media for a while.
Lately, the freedom of speech that we had been granted by our Founding Fathers has been completely taken advantage of. People are entitled to their opinion, but did any of their mothers tell them that if you do not have anything nice to say, you should say
nothing all?
Voting is one of the several ways to express your opinion and exercise your freedom. However, it is still a very personal thing to share. When hateful comments are received no matter the way we voted, there is something terribly wrong.
Every four years, we have the opportunity to choose whom we put in the most respected seat of our country. Is that not something to celebrate on its own? Despite whether the one who takes office is our personal ideal, it is the freedom that we are even able to express our opinions that is so special in itself.
In the end, I hope we as Americans never stop sharing our opinions and fighting for what we believe in. Doing so with violence and hate is only dragging ourselves backward. No matter the outcome, we are the people of America, and we must stand together in love and harmony.
