President Trump is a bad thing - that's a fact

Trump has won. We should just accept that and stop complaining. Right? Wrong. The aftermath is only just beginning.

It goes without saying that most of the world did not expect Donald Trump - businessman, TV personality and infamous p**sy-grabbing misogynist - to win the Presidential Election. Yet, here we are, with a man who is literally endorsed by the KKK, set to move into the White House early next year.

Since Trump’s shock election win, I, along with most people I know, have expressed sheer horror at how the election turned out. I will continue to defend the view that such a bigoted man, with practically no political experience, has no place whatsoever at the helm of a major country, with significant global prowess.

However, I’m disappointed at the number of people on social media, both in the UK and America, who have quickly let go of whatever opinions they held before the election and are now blissfully ignoring the grave reality of the situation. Our own Foreign Secretary, Boris, has literally said that European leaders should stop the 'whinge-orama'.

Yes, Trump is unlikely to actually carry out many of the ridiculous policies he’s pledged over the past year-and-a-bit; I for one don’t anticipate that President Trump will be successful in achieving his campaign pledge of convincing the Mexican government to fund the construction of a huge wall on the border between Mexico and America. But that’s not the point.

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At this stage, Trump is irrelevant. His previously pledged policies mean very little, nor do his new ones. Whoever is appointed to his team has limited significance. He could spout any amount of garbage he likes, and it still wouldn’t mean that much. The real damage has already been done.

A spike in racist, homophobic, sexist and all other kinds of bigoted attacks has already been recorded, quite similar to that which we saw in the aftermath of the EU Referendum. Trump’s disgusting rhetoric has infected so many Americans throughout his campaign period, that many of them have begun to actually act upon the messages he’s supported and promoted.

Horrifically, there have been reports of Muslim women having their hijabs ripped off and being jumped by men screaming about Trump; a gay man was reportedly bottled whilst on a date with another guy, and pictures have emerged of hate graffiti written on walls, one even showing a swastika. Some universities are already issuing warnings to their students.

Increasing in severity, vulgarity and aggressiveness, the reports continue to roll in.

America, once hailed the ‘Land of the Free’, is being ripped apart by white supremacists, raging chauvinists and a whole multitude of bigots.

Tragically, Trump’s election has validated and symbolised that this kind of behaviour is socially acceptable. His vilification of minorities for his narcissistic political gain is being practised on the streets, and he even has the audacity to call for unity amongst the American people - on Thanksgiving.

Whilst it was easy for Trump to say all of the racist, transphobic, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic things that he has throughout his controversial race to the White House, it will be much harder for him to undo the normalisation of hatred. Actions do have consequences, after all.

We cannot forget this in our attempts to be optimistic about the future, and Trump must not be forgiven.

President Trump is a bad thing - that's a fact

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