Dear Protestors: Time to go Home

I've said that I understand why some people feel qualms about Donald Trump, and I do. I can understand why some people would be worried.

That said, it's time for the protesters to go home. If you have a job or are in school, then it's time for you to stop shirking your responsibilities. If you're working age and able-bodied (and are not independently wealthy) but do not have a job and are not in school, then in addition to stopping your protest, it's also time for you to stop expecting your parents and society in general to care for you.

Protesting unaddressed injustices, unaddressed Constitutional violations, and similar grievances is legitimate: that should happen. Unfortunately, the Left is de-legitimizing the act of protest by frequently defaulting to protest when circumstances merely cause them to be angry.

Donald Trump, flawed though he is, was elected fairly. The process worked without evidence of significant fraud. (This is the case for all of our elections, so it's really time to stop conspiratorially talking about electoral fraud and rigging.) As far as we can tell, he was duly and fairly elected President. Thus, there is no point in protesting because there is nothing to protest.

 you don't feel truly alive unless you're marching in the streets while working men and women try to get home to their families, then wait until our fairly elected President-elect has dropped "-elect" from his title and has actually taken some sort of governing action. He may well conduct himself in such a way that warrants protesting. Merely winning a fair election does not rise to that level though.

If after reading this you still feel that the best use of your time is engaging in utterly hopeless acts of protest, then at least protest something worth protesting. For the first time in our history, in 2016 a hostile foreign government directly interfered with an American election. That is woefully unacceptable, and the fact that our government still has not yet taken concrete steps in response - still has not made it abundantly clear that there are tangible consequences for this behavior - is itself a shirking of responsibility.

All the way around, there is room for more calmness, acceptance, and respect (obviously). Critique Trump along the way - good and bad - when it's justified. We all know that I intend to do the same. Let's not protest until he's had a chance to show us what he will actually do though.

So get off the streets and instead BE the change you seek.

-Trent

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