I am a Muslim. I am an immigrant. I am a female. I am part of a number of marginalized populations represented by those protesting Trump at the rally last night.

Nonetheless, I call into question the actions of those at the protest as well as those celebrating the cancellation of Trump’s rally in Chicago as a victory.

Of course, I recognize the need to prevent the spread of such hateful ideology; Trump’s rhetoric is dangerous, it is threatening and it must be stopped. However, what happened and the way it happened last night may have been counterproductive in dealing with issues that have existed long before Trump’s campaign, whether they be institutional racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia or misogyny.

The problem with dealing with violent ideology by screaming profanities, abusing authority and creating an atmosphere where people are concerned for their safety is that we are engaging in the same rhetoric that we are criticizing.

At the rally, Trump supporter Bill Vail was cursed at as he was walking through a crowd of protesters holding his crying 9-year-old daughter’s hand, according to an interview with CNBC.

The idea of a Trump supporter who takes his daughter to engage and listen to such horrible ideology is disgusting. However, I challenge the actions of protesters who, instead of guiding individuals to understand the hate they experience on a daily basis or even protesting in a more civil manner, are instead adhering to the same tactics Trump encourages in his campaign.

Creating an environment where people feel uncomfortable, unwelcome and fearful is Trump’s style. Why are we taking on the same gross route?

“They scream about tolerance, but are being intolerant themselves,” Vail said to CNBC. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Trump is a man who preaches identification cards for Muslims, walls for “rapist” Mexicans and hatred for immigrants. Supporters of such a man are now questioning the marginalized population’s ability to be tolerant.

That is detrimental to our cause. It is detrimental to our message.

Even worse, Trump now looks like the good guy to his sympathizers. In an interview with MSNBC, Trump said he cancelled the rally because “I just don’t want to see people hurt.” Those that support Trump, instead of finally seeing the injustices toward minorities, just see another reason to vote for Trump. He is now a selfless hero – he cares about the safety of all people – while the protestors are seen as the selfish villains.

We’ve heard and bared it all. The terrorist jokes, the “go back to your country” jeers, the you’re-not-even-American schpeels, the way the banker talks to our Indian moms versus the white dads, the 75 cents to the dollar, the police brutality, the “stop playing the victim card.”

So after experiencing such a horrifying degree of hate, why do we think it is OK to express any sort of hate to another individual?

Yes, we are frustrated, we are mad, we have had enough. I also will not fail to acknowledge that a large part of the violence also came from the other side. But we must realize that our ideology and our values are far above those represented by Trump and his supporters – we are above violence, and we are above hate. In fighting them with their weapons, we become just another one of them. We must have dignity and love in our actions if we want to spread a message of acceptance and respect.

I also recognize that not everyone was engaging in violent discourse. For those who were peacefully protesting, I respect you for your ability to adhere to the concept of civil disobedience. However, your efforts should be intelligent and strategic. When you stood up at the Trump rally, you essentially put yourselves against the other side, creating a distinct barrier between the two. You incited more fear, in fact you helped fuel the fire of the same fear and hate that Trump screams about at his rallies. Trump supporters gained a justification for their respect of Trump. Sure, you can all pat each other on the back and talk about how you kept Trump out, but you unknowingly secured votes for the man you were protesting against. The aim should not be to just scream or protest about a hateful ideology; it should be to work together to explain your plight to those who do not understand and to find a cohesive solution.

If peacefully talking with Trump supporters is ineffective, focus on the candidates you think will respect your cause. Put emphasis on promoting the good candidate rather than igniting the phobias of Trump supporters. Work from the bottom, educate those who are willing to listen. But be cognizant of your actions as you respectfully demand for your rights. Just like we hate the feeling of inferiority, so does everyone else.

Ultimately, I respect your right to protest. I simply request that you protest with a long term purpose in mind, take the kind of action that will ignite change not fervor. In a struggle for an atmosphere of pluralism and acceptance, there never was room, there never is room, and there never will be room for hate.