Why I Care About This Election So Much
I know a lot of us are sick of hearing about the election. I’m pretty sick of it, too. Yet at the same time, opening conversations and listening to each other are the only ways to move forward. So maybe it seems counterproductive that I decided to take a day of silence last Wednesday, but that was all I could do.
On Tuesday night, my country told me that I didn’t matter, and that was devastating. But I thought it was important for me to spend less time talking that day and hear other people’s feelings and views instead. I definitely think it’s important to respect each other’s ways of dealing with the recent events. I’m so grateful that I was greatly supported on Wednesday in all of my acts of peaceful protest. A friend of mine had the wonderful idea of sitting on the our school’s main field during second period, and I was pleasantly surprised that many teachers encouraged participation in the protest. A few of us sat in the lobby and I began tearing a copy of the New York Times because of its ridiculous coverage of the change in Toblerone’s shape. Suddenly, there was an enormous pile of newsprint between us. When my friends and I had made the scraps into the word “love”, I felt like we were actually doing something productive. And the fact that so many people liked it really cheered me up. Choosing the word love was significant to me because this election cycle has been all about hate, hate, hate. Since election night, hate crimes have already gone up. Responding to all of this with the word “love” is a way of taking the high road. It was more meaningful than responding with something negative because it triggered sincere responses and conversations. For once in a long time, I felt strong ties to my school’s community. Though many of us were grieving, I’m glad we were doing it together. Being at school on Wednesday really helped me process my feelings and begin to take in the outcome of the election.
I’ll be honest, I’m still in shock. The week leading up to election night, I was so convinced Hillary Clinton would win. It still doesn’t quite feel real to me. Yet at the same time, I’m afraid. As someone who relies on financial aid, I’m worried about how our economic policies will change. As someone with health issues, I’m worried about affordable health care. As a woman, I’m afraid for planned parenthood and abortion laws. As a person of color, I’m worried about mass incarceration, police brutality, and immigration laws. And I know these things will not affect all people, but it’s still important to recognize that all election outcomes affect millions.
In my school’s bubble, it’s very easy to separate ourselves from people outside of our circles. We place blame on those we don’t know. We point fingers at others when, at times, we should be calling ourselves out. And if something doesn’t directly affect us, we shrug it off. I know I’ve done it too, at times, but I’ve finally realized how dangerous that could be.
Even in our own circles, it’s hard to empathize with one another. But if we try our best to put ourselves in each other’s shoes and consider different views, we can come closer to reaching universal understanding. Maybe then, there will be less hate. It’s funny how in a country founded by immigrants and people of different religions and backgrounds, people who once would have bonded over those differences are now tearing each other apart because of them. It is disappointing to live in a time with so much unnecessary hate and violence. But if we can understand why it is all happening, maybe then we can put an end to it.
Many of us are sad right now, maybe angry, or confused, or even happy. And those are all valid feelings. While we may not agree with each other’s reactions at this point, we simply have to validate them before we can move on.
