I will admit that I voted for Donald Trump.

No, admit is not the correct word to use. Because to admit something implies shame, guilt and regret. I am a proud member of the group of people that Hillary Clinton referred to as a “basket of deplorables.” It sickens me how misrepresented Trump supporters are.

It is a shame how many people were afraid to openly support Donald Trump. They call us the “silent majority” for very good reason — because of the backlash that people can face for supporting Trump. I often wore my Trump hat around campus to remind my fellow students that nobody should feel shame in supporting a political candidate in our great democracy.

I voted against a candidate that calls me a deplorable, despite having served on Student Senate before, representing the interests of those who elected me. I voted against the biased political press, who called us uneducated, despite having achieved strong academic performance. I voted against a party who has discriminated against Asian-Americans through affirmative action, and who called blacks “superpredators.” These are some of the reasons why I voted against Hillary Clinton, but there are many more reasons why I voted for Trump.

Contrary to popular belief, Trump has shown a history of inclusion. Although I am by no means a fan of Trump’s lewd remarks, I find it ironic how many support rappers and entertainers who use far worse language than Trump ever has. If you look at his business history, Trump has been very inclusive. He employs a great amount of female executives, often paying them more than their male counterparts. Most notably, Trump employed a female campaign manager, who went down in history as the first to run a winning campaign. Trump picks the most qualified for the job, regardless of their ethnicity or gender, and that is exactly what a president has to do. In terms of LGBT rights, there has never been a better champion from the Republican party, as Trump openly waved the rainbow flag and demonstrated his support towards those with different sexual orientations and identities.

Another admirable trait about Trump is that he is truly a king of comebacks. Although some criticize Trump for having filed bankruptcy four times, he has had over 500 businesses. Considering how the vast majority of startups fail, his record is impressive. Trump rose above his losses and came out ahead. This perseverance is exactly what America needs. During his campaign, Trump was also once again able to overcome the odds.

The corrupt DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile fed Clinton questions during the presidential debate. Clinton had access to much better funding from her corporate donors and greater party support. While it took Clinton Jay-Z and Beyoncé to draw large crowds during rallies, Trump did it with nothing more than an unresolving love of America. Most stunningly, Trump won while spending half of what Clinton did. His campaign was truly “under budget, ahead of schedule.”

There are truly deplorable supporters for both candidates, but there are also hardworking, decent people on both sides. The average Trump supporter and the average Clinton supporter is both worthy of respect and dignity. However, Huffington Post could only cry “racist,” “xenophobic,” “misogynistic,” or “uneducated” so many times before the silent majority turned against them. It is this silent majority that propelled Trump to victory, a people fed up with rabid political correctness.

Going forward, we must remember to respect our country’s democracy. It is OK to dislike a political candidate, but it is never okay to generalize all their supporters as bad people. The best way to understand someone else’s views is by open dialogue. I encourage everyone who backed Clinton to talk to someone who voted for Trump, so they can understand firsthand why someone might have differing views. Likewise, I urge every Trump supporter to do the same.

There may be division right now, but moving forward, we all have to put our differences aside. No matter who is president, I firmly believe any one of us can be successful if we are willing to work hard and smart. We also must unify as a nation, embracing patriotism and love of our country. Rather than dividing ourselves based on race, sexual orientation or gender, we ought to come together and see ourselves as Americans first. Together, as one people, we can, and will Make America Great Again.

— Emmanuel Lai, ’17