One great thing that sets the United States apart from other countries is that, no matter what kind of heat the campaigning is under, we put aside differences after the election of our president and try to make the country a better place, or we have, as it is called, a peaceful transition of power.
After someone new is appointed into power, we do not have civil wars to try to overthrow the government, except for, you know, that one time. We do not live in a country like Libya, Iraq, Sudan or Syria, who are currently in vicious cycles of internal wars.
The U.S. tends to elect representatives who are polar opposites from the last one in power, see George H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and George W. Bush to Barack Obama. This time is no different; Obama and President-elect Donald J. Trump are less alike than apples and oranges broccoli.
Some leaders of the Democratic Party have announced they will not be attending the inauguration of Trump to protest things he has said or done.
The 65 current Democratic Congress members, including Memphian Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), skipping the inauguration are not only giving up their right as members of the U.S. population to witness a new president being sworn in firsthand, but they are also allowing people to see a perceived discord in the government.
While these 65 U.S. citizens are absolutely given the right to protest through the great first amendment, their boycotting of the inauguration just makes the country seem more divided after a historically divisive election.
At this time in American history, the government needs to attempt to be united. They need to attempt to represent U.S. citizens – all U.S. citizens, Republican and Democratic, conservative and liberal, left and right. They need to attempt to set an example of civility and acceptance for younger generations.
If people in our own national government do not respect the new president, and openly show that, why would average citizens assume any respect for their local public service officials like police officers and teachers?
Yes, some of the things the president-elect has said and done are reasons for questioning, and he should be held accountable for those statements and actions, but he won how every other American president, besides General George Washington, has won. He won the most Electoral College votes; therefore, Trump is a “legitimate president.”
In the third presidential debate on Oct. 19, 2016, at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Trump told Fox News’ Chris Wallace that he would keep the American people “in suspense” on whether or not he would accept the results of the election. He did not want to give an answer before the election occurred, a move which horrified many in the opposition.
Those people horrified with Trump’s refusal to accept the results are the same people not accepting the results now. Protests under the slogan #NotMyPresident are exactly what not accepting the results of an election looks like in practice.
It is time for these Democrats to stop being hypocritical and try to work to make this country the best it has ever been with the help of a willing public and a hopefully eager new president. I refer to the campaign slogan of a favorite soon-to-be past president of mine, “Yes, we can.”
We. Can.
Together.
Not by one person alone, but by all hardworking citizens, the U.S. can be made into a better place for everyone.
