WTF - The American Election

I've been trying to piece together my thoughts since about 9:30 pm on Tuesday night when I personally called the election in favour of Trump, and this is what I've come up with.

Someone used the word "crushed" to describe Hillary and it is a fitting word, I am crushed that she did not win.  She was the better candidate by leaps and bounds and what a waste it is that she will not get to be President.  I feel like all of the progress that has been made for women has been set back years and years and it is so disappointing.  But it's more than just progress for women, it's progress for an open minded society that has been set back.  I could not even fathom that there were people out there that legitimately wanted Trump to be President and that hated Hillary so much that they couldn't bring themselves to vote for her, or vote at all, but clearly there are lots of people out there like that.  The people of America voted for him, and I know she won the popular vote, so I'm not painting everyone with the same brush, but these are the results.  There are enough people, and based on this electoral system, it was enough to elect him.  

And not only am I disappointed as a woman that we would not get to see a female president, and that an unqualified male got the job over a qualified female, once again, I keep going from one issue from another where Trump scares me - he wants to deport all illegal immigrants (and go door to door to round them up, Gestapo anyone?), he wants to prevent Muslims from travelling to the United States, he thinks it's appropriate to demean women and disabled people, he wants to end access to abortion, his running mate believes in conversion therapy for gay people, he thinks climate change is a hoax, he said Putin was a good guy, and so many more things that just seemed unbelievable to be spoken aloud, let alone spoken by the next President of the United States.  

I am not a negative person, I try to be optimistic in all situations, so I am just hoping that he said those things for shock value only, and the people that voted for him aren't really that evil, but rather just wanted to mix things up in Washington, and this was their only option to do that.  He says he wants to be the President for everyone and bridge the gap, and I sincerely hope that he does.  

He is just one person, he is not a dictator, there are checks and balances in place, and only half of the country voted for him - America was great before and it can still be great.  People can still go out and live their lives with integrity, call out racism and bigotry, and influence change for the better.  Don't stick your head in the stand, but act to make the world a better place.