O ne of my favorite quotes comes from the poet Tyler Knott Gregson: “Out of the darkness, we can make light.” In so few words, he conveys a very simple concept: There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, but only if we seek it. Silver linings do not come freely. It can be difficult, I know, to believe there will be light in the wake of this presidential election. After all, as I went to sleep early Wednesday morning with Donald Trump just shy of 270 electoral votes, I thought the world was going to end. Being quite the dramatist, I literally thought the world would implode or explode sooner than America would elect Trump into the highest office of the country. But, as it always does, day came, and the world didn’t end. Nov. 9, 2016, was just another day, albeit an extremely gloomy one. A depression seemed to settle over campus as students trudged to and from class (or skipped class entirely) with morose faces and empty eyes, wondering how, how, how could this possibly be reality? But don’t mistake this depression as defeat. No, we were merely taking our rightful time to mourn. And when we were done, when the shock had settled and our hearts finished sinking, we found strength and solidarity in each other. That is our silver lining. Of course, it’s disheartening to know that the glass ceiling is still very much intact, that America will seemingly elect anyone, no political experience required, into office as long as they’re not a woman. My heart breaks for my Muslim and Mexican peers who suddenly have to fear for their lives, and I’m angry that the results of the election have emboldened closet racists to threaten and harass people of color, even here in Ann Arbor. I’m sickened by the acts of hate and intimidation expressed on campus. I’m scared that all the social progress made in the last eight years on behalf of the LGBTQ community, women and minority groups will be eradicated. I’m disappointed that rape culture is so real that half of the country is willing to allow a man who brags about sexual assault to be the face of the country. I’m frightened that, with a Republican- controlled House and Senate, no one will stop our future president from building a wall, defunding Planned Parenthood, deporting undocumented immigrants (many of whom grew up in America and know no other country as home) and so much more. Yes, I am disheartened, angry, heartbroken, sickened, scared, disappointed and frightened, as many of us are. But that’s the important part — we are not alone. Walking across the Diag and seeing messages of acceptance and kindness scrawled across the red brick in the wake of the election, it’s clear that this university is devoted to diversity, safety and compassion in such a polarizing time. The swirling chalk around my feet — with messages such as “You belong here” and “Love trumps hate” — moved me to tears. The vigil on the Diag the night after the election was haunting, as candles illuminated the faces of hundreds of students who showed up to support marginalized peers and mourn together. Students again stood in solidarity with those who felt endangered after the election. Music, Theatre & Dance senior James Ross Kilmeade organized a protest against intimidation Saturday night after a student was threatened and forced to take off her hijab. Other students have volunteered on Facebook to walk those who feel unsafe home at night. Despite this horrible incident, it is heartening to see that, for every act of hate this election has procured, this university and its students respond in love. I may be disappointed in Michigan as a state for voting the way it did, but I couldn’t be more proud of the University of Michigan for striving to make the campus welcoming and safe for everyone. It would be easy to sit back and say, “We’re screwed,” but the overwhelming action stemming from pure passion shows we will not take this loss lying down. In the midst of this darkness, the love and compassion of students is the light we need. As we enter this trying time together, we must preserve our small and tentative light, harvest it and let it grow with love. In other words, we cannot stop. We must continue to fight together against hate, racism, xenophobia, sexism and homophobia with peace and unity. We must continue to protect our Black, Mexican, Muslim, LGBTQ and female peers from those who feel emboldened to be awful. We must continue to make our voices heard. We must make this loss worth something. We must make something good out of it. And when the going gets tough, we must catch the rare silver linings. Though she did not win the electoral vote, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, which shows that a majority of this country doesn’t support Trump’s message. This election, despite its result, has sparked important conversations on race, immigration, women’s rights and so much more. The American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood have received an outpouring of support and donations in the days since the election. A map of the Electoral College if just millennials voted is overwhelmingly blue. We students, in all our anger, passion, generosity and empathy — we are the future. And in these dark times, we must be the light. Opinion The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com 4A — Friday, November 18, 2016 — Rev. Jesse Jackson addressing protesters at the Students4Justice Walkout Wednesday afternoon. “ NOTABLE QUOTABLE We will outlast the meanness, we will outlast hate. We will outlast violence. Love will conquer hate. ” Our silver lining FROM THE DAILY Response to #NotMyCampus T his week on campus, students continued to react to both the presidential election results and the multiple hate crimes that have occured in Ann Arbor since, culminating Wednesday when nearly 1,000 students joined Rev. Jesse Jackson in a walkout protest against racism and violence. However, one reaction stood out because of its different focus. Earlier this week, students and others began circulating a #NotMyCampus petition condemning and commenting on both recent protests and a Nov. 9 vigil on the Diag in response to the election results. Appended to the petition were personal statements by community members expressing feelings of misrepresentation by the administration and exclusion from their community for their conservative viewpoints. While it’s vital that campus is a space where all feel comfortable engaging in thoughtful dialogue about their political leanings, we feel this petition misunderstands the fact that one cannot equate these feelings of exclusion to fearing for the safety of their life, a salient concern for students in light of recent indicents of violence on this campus. We recognize that the roughly 10 percent of students who voted for President- elect Donald Trump feel excluded, and these feelings are legitimate. Research suggests that the kind of polarized rhetoric surrounding this election could have adverse effects on the social progress that occurs when we have conversations with those who hold different views than our own. It must be understood that many students who voted this way do not feel aligned with Trump’s offensive ideology and voted for him for other reasons. But we must also emphasize why the majority of our campus community is frustrated by the students who signed the #NotMyCampus petition. We fear the petition signers may not understand how those who are fearful for their physical safety see a vote for Trump as a vote for racism and other discriminatory ideas to reign in our world. It is impossible to divorce the idea of Trump from the offensive rhetoric and racist beliefs his campaign promoted, legitimized and normalized. It is concerning that the students who voted for Trump — regardless of whether they personally support such rhetoric — could put aside his alarmingly exclusionary and offensive claims and promises, seemingly not understanding how this kind of speech can harm our country and our campus. The statement under most scrutiny by the petition is from a speech University President Mark Schlissel gave at the Nov. 9 vigil, in which he stated, “Ninety percent of you rejected the kind of hate and the fractiousness and the longing for some kind of idealized version of a non-existent yesterday that was expressed during the campaign.” With these remarks, Schlissel made two parallels: A vote for a candidate other than Trump is a vote against hate, and by extension, a vote for Trump is a vote for hate. Though somewhat indirect, this second parallel — along with administrators’ extensive outreach to students both over email and through presence at protests — understandably made many students who voted for Trump feel ostracized. We feel that Schlissel’s quote was not attempting to condemn students who voted for Trump, but rather prioritizing students who are grieving, suffering or fearing for their livelihood. But we also believe Schlissel should and could represent and support the 90 percent of students who voted against Trump without rejecting the 10 percent of students who did by affirming student safety and concerns without wading into ideology. It is vital that Schlissel understands this and urges our community to come together instead of deepening the divide. We do want to acknowledge the proactive approach Schlissel and other administrators have taken. In the recent past, from the #BBUM movement to the protests against racist posters to the creation of this year’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, administrators have been criticized by students for not engaging with students enough and not providing genuine support when students are both frustrated and hurting. This week, Schlissel and many administrators and staff have been present and supportive. In comparison to the University administration’s past responses to students’ concerns on campus, Schlissel and other administrators’ responses to hateful rhetoric should be commended. Everyone in our University community must be careful not to denounce conservative or Republican ideology and increase the harmful polarization that has made Trump the president-elect. Though the 10 percent’s feelings of exclusion should be heard, these same students must, in turn, hear and understand why marginalized communities and their allies feel their votes supporting Trump are votes supporting racism. Only when both sides have listened and heard this can we begin to move forward toward a more productive, safe and united campus. Don’t let BDS divide us ALONA HENIG | OP-ED M y parents were born and raised in Israel, and lived there until they were 28 years old. They’re my only family members who don’t currently live in Israel, so the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very near and dear to my heart. Human rights have also always been important to me. Last year, I met two Palestinian refugees around my age, and they welcomed me into their home. They offered me tea and cookies and showed me love, despite coming from a country whose military evicted them from their homes. At that point I knew I had to do something. It’s incredible what three letters can do to a student body. As soon as “BDS: Boycott, Divest, Sanctions” is heard, we shut down — we pick a side. Some consider it a divisive movement, but I don’t believe the resolution’s intention is to divide us. I genuinely believe the Palestinian students and authors of this resolution are not solely at fault for this division — we all are. It’s easy to stand divided, to surround ourselves with comfortable conversation and put down the other side. And at times, I do it, too. I sometimes shut down and tell myself BDS isn’t constructive and will drive us farther from peace. If we reject this proposal, however, then we must find an alternative, one that will also work to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and one that will ensure self- determination for both Israelis and Palestinians. We must find ways to strive for peace and collaboration in this effort. My goal, along with J Street U’s goal, is to end the occupation in Gaza and the West Bank. We strive to find a two-state solution — a way for both peoples to obtain and maintain sovereignty and liberty from one another, with neither side having power over the other, which is so clearly not the case right now. The BDS movement is scary because it’s seen as a threat to Israel’s security and, globally, doesn’t recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state. I understand this is a high priority for many students and faculty members at this University. When we hear BDS, we, specifically Jews on campus, are concerned Israel is in danger. This fear is valid — it comes from a genuine place, but that fear cannot overpower the legitimate suffering taking place throughout the occupied territories. That being said, economic pressure is an important part of creating change, so I’d like to propose an alternative. We, as a campus, need to fund peace projects. There are numerous organizations in the United States, Israel and Palestine working toward peace, such as Hand in Hand, B’Tselem, The Third Narrative and OneVoice. These are really incredible organizations working on the ground to bring people together and end the violence and hatred evident in this conflict. Avoiding one another and working solely to shut one side down rather than hearing what they have to say will not bring us closer to peace. Just yesterday, Students Allied for Freedom and Equality hosted an event open to everyone to come and learn and ask questions and discuss. We, as members of the pro-Israel community, need to take it upon ourselves to attend those events. Let me also add that we are all Wolverines here. As equal students on this campus, we all pay tuition, attend challenging classes and walk through the same Diag. CSG is a governmental body seeking to represent us all and it’s time to come together. If we, here in Ann Arbor, can’t work together and challenge ourselves to listen to one another, what does that say for any hope across countries? We have a responsibility to mobilize and work together. We must include members of all perspectives in the conversation. We have to put ourselves in conversations that may hurt and frustrate us to ultimately come out with a better understanding. One campus’s BDS decision, whether approved or not, doesn’t end the atrocities happening overseas. I call on us to carry this momentum into tomorrow and the upcoming weeks, months and even years. Work to change your lens, to undo your bias. Don’t let this be an issue we care about today but forget about tomorrow. The issue is incredibly controversial, but that is good — it brings passion. I invite you to join us at J Street meetings to learn and grow together. I encourage you to attend and listen to SAFE presentations as well as pro-Israel events. We are on such an incredible campus with so many opportunities to challenge ourselves available to us, so let’s use them. These issues are hard and I’m sorry for the hurt they cause, but if we want to see change, it has to start with us. LAURA SCHINAGLE Managing Editor 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. SHOHAM GEVA Editor in Chief CLAIRE BRYAN and REGAN DETWILER Editorial Page Editors Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Carolyn Ayaub Claire Bryan Regan Detwiler Brett Graham Caitlin Heenan Jeremy Kaplan Ben Keller Minsoo Kim Madeline Nowicki Anna Polumbo-Levy Jason Rowland Ali Safawi Kevin Sweitzer Rebecca Tarnopol Ashley Tjhung Stephanie Trierweiler EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Alona Henig is a sophomore in LSA and a co-chair of J Street UMich. ASHLEY ZHANG | COLUMN ASHLEY ZHANG Ashley Zhang can be reached at ashleyzh@umich.edu ALONA HENIG CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.