Look, during the primaries I would not have cared if Donald Trump were to become president. He came from the world outside of politics, which I saw as a fresh, new face for our government. In regards to the Democratic nominees, I preferred Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton for various policy reasons. But as the primaries were in full swing and most of the Republican candidates had dropped out, Donald Trump opened his mouth to the public and showed us all who he really is. I will refrain from calling anyone insulting or demeaning names, unlike a certain candidate, so instead I will elaborate on some of his absurd policies and behaviors.

Donald Trump’s stance on immigration is on the extreme radical side of Republicanism. In June 2015, when announcing his campaign, he stated that undocumented Mexican immigrants are “bringing drugs, bringing crime, they’re rapists.” Does this sound at all similar to what Hillary Clinton said about half of Trump’s supporters? She referred to half of them as a “basket of deplorables,” which Trump found insulting. His reaction is quite hypocritical since he made a similar blanket statement about undocumented Mexican immigrants. In my personal experience, I have met many undocumented Mexican immigrants because, in the equestrian world, Mexican immigrants often work as grooms for the large show barns. All of them are genuine people and have families to support.

Trump still believes that the legalization of gay marriage should have been decided by the states, and he stands by this opinion even after the Supreme Court ruled that every person has the right to marry who they choose. He also stated in the third presidential debate that he would appoint a Supreme Court Justice who would overturn the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which guarantees all women the right to abortion during the first trimester, along with additional regulations during the second and third trimesters. This action would take our country back over 40 years when a woman could only get an abortion if they lived in a state that allowed it.

Donald Trump continuously mentions the amount of crime in the United States, but he never suggests regulating gun distribution. Many of Trump’s opponents of this ideology simply want to prevent people who are convicted felons or on the no-fly list not be allowed to possess a gun. According to the Los Angeles Times, if Omar Mateen, the man who is responsible for the shooting in Orlando, “were still on the terrorist watch list — known as the Terrorist Screening Database — the designation would not have precluded him from buying the semiautomatic pistol and assault-style rifle that he used.” Donald Trump, if elected president, will not be an advocate for more intensive background checks on people buying guns. There are various aspects that can be dealt with to prevent more shootings, but one of the most obvious precautions will not be taken if he is elected president.

After directly discussing Donald Trump’s various stances on policies, it is time to discuss one of his more controversial topics: women. America as a whole is slowly making progress towards equal pay for both genders, but Donald Trump’s behavior towards women might hinder our progress. In the Access Hollywood tape that has gone viral between  Billy Bush and Donald Trump, Trump is heard saying “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.” Here he is talking about rape as if it is casual and not a crime. In an interview, Trump says that if his daughter, Ivanka, was sexually harassed at work, then she should find another job. Nothing about firing the sexual harasser. He is telling women that they should run away instead of fighting for justice. President Barack Obama recently approved laws that grant more legal rights to victims of sexual abuse, harassment, and rape. In my opinion, we do not need a president who thinks so lowly of women. We do not want to go back 50 years to when a large portion of America believed that a woman’s rightful place was in the home, taking care of the children, and not in the workforce. Even his own son, Eric Trump, said in an interview that if women cannot handle the sexual harassment, then they should not be in the workforce.

America was founded on standing up for what is right and not hiding from fear mongering. People who are against voting for Hillary Clinton say that she is a murderer. In regards to Benghazi, while she was Secretary of State, Clinton wanted more security at the embassy but the Republican-majority Congress would not allow it. I am not against Republicans if that is what you are taking away from this article. I have similar stances on issues from both Republicans and Democrats, which is why I identify myself as an independent. Hillary’s email scandal will not digress our country like Donald Trump’s presidency would.

I am not able to vote in this election because I am not 18. But I strongly encourage those that are able to vote to go to the precincts on November 8th and weigh the options carefully. Whether you vote Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Green, please be aware of what your candidate’s stances are and their actions in order to be properly educated. This may be one of the most crucial elections in the past decade, and every vote counts.