Trump’s victory in the U.S. 2024 presidential race has left many Americans afraid of what the years ahead might bring. Trump has promised to seek revenge against a long list of Americans he perceives as his enemies, including U.S. government officials, generals, journalists, CEOs, and both Democratic and Republican politicians. On Nov. 6, however, after winning the election, Trump struck a more presidential tone, pledging to work for “every citizen.”

Watch the above video as Straight Arrow News contributor Dr. Rashad Richey reminds Americans that there have always been streaks of darkness in American society, but says that people, not politicians, have been the true heroes of American progress.

The following is an excerpt from the above video:

Well, let me tell you what has happened now. The United States of America was founded on principles that are adversarial to decency, founded on the principle that you could own another human being, that you could violate their body, you could violate their very existence with no penalty of government. That’s the DNA. But you can always nurture beyond the nature. And this country had an opportunity to nurture beyond the nature.

There are many who supported Trump who would tell you, well, they don’t like the, you know, rhetoric and some of the racism, and obviously they will say publicly, they don’t like the fact that racist organizations endorsed, officially endorsed Trump, or that he meets with white supremacists.

I want you to think about the things that made this country actually great. It was never divisiveness. It was coalition-building. Think about the people who raised the collective consciousness of America, not politicians, but people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who never held political office, and others.

For those who may feel disappointed, I want to remind you that the individuals who make this country great are not its politicians, but its people. Never forget.