By Nick Amon —

This past election day was nothing short of a national spectacle, as hopes were crushed, arguments were ignited and people watched anxiously as the presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton ended.

Supported by a surge of rural American voters, Trump defeated Clinton and secured his spot as the next POTUS. Naturally, many took to the internet and social media platforms to either parade his victory, criticize the results or simply sulk in the aftermath.

As the majority of us have already seen over the past several months, tensions between both Trump and Clinton supporters have continued to reach unprecedented heights. Among the tensions, a U of L cheerleader let her emotions get the best of her this past election night and decidedly chose to engage in an ugly back-and-forth dialogue on Twitter that may leave her without a spot on the team.

Cheerleader Brynn Baker came under fire late Tuesday night as she tweeted, “You all want sympathy so bad lmaooooo stfu about racism, sexism, whateverism. Literally just stfu and find the $ to leave America then.” As many individuals responded to her tweet with criticism, Baker went on to respond to one of the tweets with an even further insulting message saying, ““You’re so pressed for nothing lmao. You act like you came off a boat.”

I know what you’re thinking. Sadly someone actually thought tweeting these things, let alone thinking them, was a good idea.

Immediately following this incendiary tweet by Baker, many took it upon themselves to bring the situation to head spirit coach Todd Sharp via social media, calling for him to address the matter.

“These conversations over the last day are not an accurate representation of our program, our values or our coaching staff,” Sharp told WHAS. “We are investigating this matter and will take appropriate action upon the completion of such.” Sharp has since announced Baker has been put on investigative suspension and also alluded to other cheerleaders being involved in the investigation as well.

This all boils down to one question, a question that’s intentionally geared towards a cheerleader who took it upon herself to further the crusade of ignorance and add salt to the open wounds of millions of Americans who already feel slighted by Trump’s victory. How blind to the situation can you be?

All political opinions aside, what made you think it was a good idea to talk to an individual of color on social media in an antagonizing manner that references slave ships? Let’s not forget your Twitter avatar was a picture of you in a U of L cheerleading uniform with a Cardinal logo plastered across the front of it. Way to represent your school.

Hopefully, the investigation surrounding the issue delivers swift consequences for all of the cheerleaders involved in this deplorable exchange of dialogue. Last time I checked, you’re supposed to be cheering for U of L, not the unraveling of the school’s diversity initiative.

This situation could’ve played out differently had Baker chosen to keep her close-minded opinion off of social media in the first place and put it back where it belongs, which is nowhere. Instead, now we have yet another ugly blemish associated with the university, all in part because of the racist, sexist and “whateverist” views of one individual.