On Inauguration Day, March 4, 1797, Washington, Adams, and Jefferson entered Congress Hall in Philadelphia – then the nation’s capital. There, John Adams took the oath of office as the new president of the United States. Afterward, as they got ready to leave, Adams stepped aside at the door to allow Washington to go through first. But Washington was well aware of the historic significance of the moment. He stopped and asked Adams to leave first. After all, he said, Adams was now president of the United States, and Washington was now just a private citizen. Adams led, followed by Jefferson, and Washington went last.
In this election cycle I used my privilege as a citizen to abstain from voting for a presidential candidate. My choice was based on the idea that if you thought neither of the contenders would benefit the country the ethical decision was to refrain from voting.
The people have spoken; the politics of the election are over. Donald Trump is now our elected President.
In our system of a Constitutional Republic, regardless of what the different choices might be, the nation goes on functioning. That is the beauty of our democracy.
Many years have passed since I arrived with my family to this country. We came because where we lived you could suffer for the mere fact of not agreeing with the government. Today, my vote will not affect my future. Our new president will work for everyone including the citizens that did not vote for him. His past history is now irrelevant. His successes will benefit me, as well as his failures will hurt me. It will be in everyone, and my, interests that he will become a great president.
We all desire to live in peace, to be employed with economic security, to have affordable health care, not to have worries about our children’s education or our retirement years, to insure that the less fortunate are helped, that all are given equal opportunity regardless of age, sex, race or sexual preferences.
We will follow our president’s lead.He promised changes and to work with the opposing party and we will hold him accountable. We hope that both political parties will unite in order to achieve these goals. We the people are tired of politicians that place party’s interest over our country.
It is our duty as partisans to be an example. I, for one, will give Mr. Trump a clean slate and promise to be observant and praise or criticize his policies, but always being respectful of the office he holds.
Comment: Not voting, is a vote for the opposite party.
