Millennial’s beef with Donald Trump

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(Joshua Murray/Amherst Wire)

I hate generalizations about different generations, especially those surrounding Generation Y, commonly known as millennials.

Lately, the most frequent adjectives thrown around to describe millennials are whiny, narcissistic, lazy and entitled.

Over the past week, our generation has drawn a good deal of criticism over the nationwide protests rejecting President-elect Donald Trump.

Our response to Trump’s victory at times may come off as “whiny” to elder generations, but older generations also spent some time protesting — burning draft cards and participating in the Free Speech movement.

I like to believe my constituents understand that things don’t always go the way you want them to, and that’s life. But the fact of the matter is, the majority of our country did not want this to happen.

I do not believe it is wrong for any person of any generation to take a stand against what they might construe as wrong.

Are millennials wrong for rejecting a man who has ties to the KKK, makes disparaging remarks about immigrants and belittles women? Does it make us entitled to not want a man who has ties to a known white nationalist and Anti-Semite? Does it make us entitled to not want a man who thinks he is buddy-buddy with our frenemy Russia?

Are millennials “whiny” for not wanting a president who has no governing experience? Shouldn’t we be entitled to a president with a solid resume — especially in this crazy world we live in?

I’m having a tough time fathoming that a man who advocates for torture and said he wants to take out family members of ISIS is going to be the commander-in-chief. A man with no governing experience, a man who advocates for war crimes, is going to lead the most powerful military in the world.

Most if not all of Trump’s remarks have hit me in one way or another — but this issue in particular concerns me. It’s personal.

I’m not being whiny and entitled by believing that this man is neither capable nor stable enough to be in charge of my brother, who is deploying in a few short weeks.

If millennials are labeled “entitled” to want a president that doesn’t stand for hatred, violence and intolerance, then I’ll accept that label. Heck, I’ll even get it tattooed on me.

If there’s one label we do shed, it’s being called lazy.

Email Amy at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @AmyFRusses.

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