On the Election:
If you were to confront me back in January, I would tell you that nothing brought me more of a sense of civic pride than thinking forward to the time in September when I would be able to tap into my rights as a citizen of the United States and cast a vote in the General Election of 2016. I cannot express how drastically that viewpoint has changed. Over the primary season, a shadow of discouragement, desolation, and despondency has descended upon myself and Generation Z’ers alike. Our enthusiasm and eagerness to cast a ballot, engaging in our protected Constitutional rights is now all but decimated, completely crushed by the outlandish nature of the campaigning on both the Republican and Democratic side. Child’s play. That is what we observe. Actions and words meant for the Elementary School playground have infiltrated the once esteemed arena of political debate. Name calling, incessant slander, penis jokes, and a resort to demagoguery over actual political and economic propositions are only some of the elements associated with this churlish campaign season. Political rallies, once a quintessential place for freedom of speech, expression, and petition, have now morphed into sectors of rampant drunkenness, brutality, mob-savagery, and fervent discrimination. Misogyny, racism, xenophobia, and ethnic and religious segregation are merely few of the constituents of such rallies, these days.
What ever happened to the time where politically minded citizens could gather and showcase their support for an individual in a democratic and civil manner? Not even that, but in the past, individuals who were interested in bettering their quality of life, attracted to the words and proposals, whether economic or social, of a certain candidate, would take it upon themselves to be politically-oriented, even if only for a few months. Rallying is regarded as the pinnacle of democratic expression, a highpoint of citizenship where we are called to embrace our country and express our pride for this nation of alleged freedom, liberty, and justice. But the trend we are observing nowadays speaks to anything but those notions just mentioned.
The conduct of a Donald Trump rally is the essence of barbarism. Drawing a vast concourse of supporters, Trump has managed to secure his position as the Nominee for the Republican Party on the 2016 ticket. His immense popularity is surely attributed to the fact that he speaks candidly on all issues, never ceasing to let listeners in on his own racist, absurd, shallow, and actually risible thoughts and visions. Yes, the blasphemy of his rhetoric is enough to provoke laughter; it’s just that ludicrous. For a man whose claim to fame is as a lifelong business tycoon, (the initial wealth being inherited from his father, might I say), he surely shows absolutely zero substantial knowledge on any political matters. This is completely evident in watching any of the debates, as Trump weaved and shimmied his elusive self out of any question, redirecting his responses to his preposterous plan to “Build a Wall” and ban all Muslims from entering the United States. Trump alters his political agenda every other day; this only helps to expose his very real uncertainty on any matters or affairs of the day, further pointing out the reality that he is a completely incompetent candidate. If you were to engage in a political conversation with him on the side, it is most likely that A) he would not be able to comprehend and keep up with the material mentioned or B) he would immediately shift the subject matter to something he was comfortable with discussing, like his chauvinist, supremacist views. Oh, and don’t forget about his unchecked ego that grows by the second. After all, he does claim to have the best words, the biggest dick, and the greatest sense of masculinity. That’s all that matters, right? Our nation loves to hear a 70 year old man talk about the length of his genitalia and how that is directly related to his deemed proficiency as a candidate, don’t we?
What is happening is profane. It is sickening. It is vile. It is abominable. America, the land of the free, a beacon of light, prosperity, and opportunity? I’m not all too sure. America, the vanguard of democracy, of liberty, of security and protection for the diverse many who reside within? Strike two. America, where, no matter what sectional rivalries still exist, we are bound together by a collective cause: pride in our nation? You’re out.
Ever since the political quagmire of the Tet Offensive in 1968 and the aftermath within the United States, America has lost faith in its governmental leadership. With Watergate and the ensuing resignation of Nixon, it’s clear to see how our trust in our elected leaders has faltered. Yet, even after the heydey of the 1990’s economic boom, we, as a nation, have never restored that same sense of fidelity in the Capital. A lot is to be said for that. There are many factors that account for the fact that people have continually lost faith in our government. Dirty politics, corrupt agreements, pork barrel politics, gerrymandering, as well as many other unconventional tactics that expose the improper imposition of money-driven ego into the political playing field are all factors in this decline of popular support. Both the left and right side are responsible for this unnerving trend. People are simply fed up with empty promises, false smiles, and futile words. What can be done to salvage what little respect and admiration they have left?
There needs to be a way to bring back honesty in politics. There needs to be a push to bringing about transparency in Washington, having that openness trickle-down to the masses below. There needs to be some connection between the Oval Office and the farmer plowing his acres of open land in South Dakota. People feel ostracized, they feel excluded. This is a direct cause for them indulging into their Lockean “right to revolution”, which is translated through their support for Donald Trump, as his claim to “Make America Great Again” promises a complete revamping of Congress, the Presidency, and politics in the United States, in general. It surely is not an easy feat, but there needs to be middle-ground. Obviously this is easier said than done, but the chilling fact remains that people are willing to side with a loud-mouthed reincarnation of a Fascist dictator over trusted and elected representatives. This loss of trust, this severed tie between voters and Washington needs to be restored. It must begin at the local level and work its way up, gradually passing legislation that benefits the classes in need, giving them some recognition and sense of inclusion. From then, statewide electorates can work more closely with local officials, proposing and enacting actual laws, which have a true effect on the citizens, not a proposition that merely benefits the wealthy or exclusively one social class. We need to oust unchecked ego from politics. We have a brand new generation of ambitious, aspiring citizens. It is our fight, our duty to restore this connection, bring about a rebirth of political activism and involvement, and to reach out and affect, in a positive light, the many who have felt left out and downtrodden from decades of crooked policies. I know that there are many technicalities associated with law-making and office-holding in general, but we have completely lost the goal. The vision went astray. I’m aware that my point of view holds an inexperienced, unseasoned vibe. I understand this sounds lofty and ideological in nature, but in order to take the first steps in the right direction, we must comprehend our flaws in the past. Only then can we begin the crusade of restoring political connectivity in America and of renovating this country to become the land of truth, opportunity, and prosperity that it is promised to be.
One cannot dismiss the fact that a major rift exists in the United States. What Donald Trump has done is exploit and harness the Anti-Washington sentiment, fostering age-old feelings of support for the Confederacy during the Civil War. It’s no question why such a surge of Confederate flags as well as racist and xenophobic comments have become mainstream. We’ve let Trump get away with murder. His back-and-forth stances on just about everything not only showcase his ignorance, but go lengths to criticize many. Why should we let him choose one day how he stands on the issue of abortion and then alter it the next? We need to understand that he has a history of misogynistic, crude commentary, and it only continues to be expressed. That’s who you want leading the country and being your leading diplomat? He jumps to the most ridiculous conclusions that the majority of Mexican immigrants are vandals, drug-traffickers, and racists. America, a country that was built by diversity, constructed by the “can-do” work ethic of many immigrants who so courageously toiled, long and hard, making this nation a leading, modern land of infrastructure and civilization. Does he not understand how many immigrants were essential employees in building Trump Tower? Trump proposes to ban all Muslim immigrants into the country. This is quite possibly the most absurd announcement I have ever heard. Place yourself in the shoes of the many displaced and fighting for survival overseas. America, the motherland of humanitarian aid? Imagine, Mr. Trump, that you are in need of sanctuary and are turned away merely because you have Scottish blood in your ancestry. Because, by the most minute of chances, you could pose a threat to the new country you’re entering. Instead of trying to find a solution to border control and still provide security and protection for the millions of refugees in desperate need, let’s just make it easier and subject anyone with Muslim background to the same treatment, ban ‘em from entering. Let’s just continue to treat them like they’re beneath us, right? Because we’re white skinned? And that ultimately makes us better?
They are people too. Their religion is a peaceful one. Like all sects, there are fundamentalist splinters. That is what we go after. Oh, but that’s right, let’s not denounce any KKK interaction or endorsement even though they function largely to incite hate and terror. We continually make an effort to differentiate amongst social lines. Ethnically, religiously, sexual-orientation based, social class, gender-oriented, racially speaking, financially
WE. ARE. ALL. PEOPLE.
We are all citizens of this world. We spend so much time and effort trying to place people in certain categories and assign them characteristics and stereotypes. Why? To make ourselves feel comfortable? To empower ourselves? We are behind as a nation, divided over every matter. We immediately jump to sides without trying to understand all perspectives. Every situation becomes a political brouhaha. Meanwhile, other countries continue to blow us out of the water in terms of education, science, technology, and political reform. We need to unify, to put our differences aside and look towards the greater goal: refurbishing America, instilling in us the pride to be an American. Only through this will begin to see a movement towards strengthening the economy, diplomatic ties, and social reforms. We are Americans. We must embrace our history, revel in our successes, but overcome this hurdle which poses the threat of separation. We cannot let bigotry and ineptitude influence our points of view. We cannot jump on the bandwagon, feel pressured, and follow along. We must embrace our citizenry, our individuality, and unique opportunities as Americans. The power is in our hands now. It is what we make of it.
