It’s been an odd week. President-Elect Donald Trump isn’t something most thought they would ever say, but it’s real, and despite the anxiety of many of my “Yellow Dog” friends, it’s not the end of the world.

We all need to calm down and siphon through all the politics to the reality, because it’s significantly different.

I’m a believer that words do matter, and we’ve heard some nasty ones from all sides the past 12 months, but don’t get carried away with all the rhetoric from the campaign.

Let’s just clear up a few points that have Trump’s opposition scared and maybe some of his supporters falsely anticipating.

1) Trump’s not building a wall. It’s not happening. A lot of people seemed to take it literally that he was going to build the Great Wall of Mexico on our southern border, but that was campaign talk.

2) There isn’t going to be some massive round-up of Muslims and “illegal immigrants” all over this country. It’s not happening.

I know it was a regular talking point during the campaign, just like the “Build that Wall” chant and “Mexico is going to pay for it.” But like both of those – not happening.

3) “Lock her up.” It was a headline grabbing chant during the Republican national convention and Trump thrived on it saying on more than one occasion as soon as he was elected president he would reopen every investigation and do all he could to put Hillary Clinton in prison.

Funny thing happened on the way to the White House. After being declared the winner, Trump said this moments later in his acceptance speech, “Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.”

That wouldn’t have sold well at the convention. During his 60 Minutes interview Sunday night, he was over the top in graciousness toward the Clintons and said we need to move on.

4) I don’t understand for the life of me people protesting the outcome of the election. You had a chance to protest with your vote. We’ve voted. Donald Trump has won.

Many point to the popular vote, pointing out that Hillary Clinton actually got more votes nationwide than Trump. That’s true, but we have an electoral college system, which for us in Mississippi is rather critical to give us a tiny say in national elections. Donald Trump won the election fair and square. He is our next president and he deserves every chance to prove himself.

Pres. Barack Obama hosted the Trumps at the White House last week and standing right beside him told the American people via the media, “My No. 1 priority in the next two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful,” Obama said. “If you succeed,” he told Trump, “the country succeeds.”

This is a man who didn’t lack for harsh words about Trump during the campaign. Speaking of which, I don’t have time to list all the things Trump has said about Obama the past few years. But what did he say about the president last week after wining the election?

“He is a very good man.”

It’s politics. It’s why many can’t stand politics. The truth can be hard to find under all the muck.

Joel McNeece is publisher of The Calhoun County Journal in Bruce. You may email him at joelmcneece@gmail.com.