I’m sitting in front of my television watching the results of the election Tuesday night and wondering what to write about. How I can write something not politics-related?
I’m sick of politics at this point. Everyone else is, too, but with how this election has gone, how can we talk about anything else?
I’ve listened to newscasters describe this as the biggest upset in United States political history. This upset is not only in terms of who won but the vast amount of people who are now scared for their future.
We all joked and joked about how funny it would be if Trump were elected when this all started. By the end of the night on Nov. 8 and into the following morning, nobody was laughing. There were only cheers or very saddening silence. I want those who were cheering to take a moment and think about who will be affected.
Yes, I know it is unlikely that our president will ever have the power to deport millions of citizens, but the prospect is still terrifying.
I wanted to believe so strongly our country would never let hatred win. Looking back on our history, I really shouldn’t be so surprised.
Our history books are scant as is, so who knows how many people are aware of the terrible bloodshed on our hands. Not until college did I learn how American militia held guns to Native Americans in order to force them from their lands.
Not until college did I learn the disgusting double standard that existed within interracial relationships in the not-so-deep south.
I learned in my first semester of college just how much of a stain Christopher Columbus left on the fabric of human history.
I believed myself to be fairly educated in terms of what we have been through and what we are going through. The national standard of history that is taught in high school or middle school fails to inform students what we grew from.
How can you expect a nation that cannot afford higher education to be educated and make the right decision?
With a basic historical education provided by the state school board standards, you know the terrible history of the rest of the world.
What’s even more terrifying is the fact that history is a liberal arts degree. It’s not guaranteed everywhere.
America wants change so badly, and change is what it’s going to get in the next four years. Or maybe the government will be stuck at a stalemate, because suddenly, they’ll realize that they chose wrong.
That’s wishful thinking. Mainly, I’m appalled that the citizens of Indiana could vote our very own governor into the White House despite knowing his strong feelings about the LGBT community and women.
Please, save your comments of “It could be worse.” I know it could be worse. It has been worse — in our own country.
You can’t argue that without considering who this is bad for, who it could be worse for, who has to suffer from these decisions.
I guarantee the people telling me it could be worse have nothing to worry about. This is not a comforting statement. It’s a way to feel guilt free.
mmgarbac@umail.iu.edu
