Like many people across the nation Tuesday night, I, too, was shocked at the outcome of the presidential election. Entering Election Day, nobody, from pollsters to political pundits to the general public, suspected that Donald Trump would win enough states to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold. Sure, there were pathways for him to win, but none seemed very likely. Now that I have had several days to collect my thoughts and reflect on this historic election, I would like to use this blog to share my sentiments:
First, I think it is important to acknowledge who won this election for Donald Trump. It was mostly the rural, white, and older populations of men and women, who felt as if their voices were not being heard by the elite in Washington DC, who turned out to vote for Trump. In contrast, on the other side of the ballot, most minority and young voters chose to back Hillary Clinton. I think that, above all, what these demographical trends show is the immense division between the racial and age groups in America. Hopefully, as a result of this election, more people become aware of this divide so that it can be fixed.
Donald Trump’s victory Tuesday night was also a sign that the racism and hatred that America has buried for so long are bursting at the seams. And unfortunately, they appear to be slowly seeping through. On Wednesday morning, I woke up to a Facebook feed that was filled entirely with people’s expression of fear and anxiety about the election results. Additionally, in the days since the election, there have been numerous reported hate crimes that have occurred across America. Most of them involve the aggressor chanting the things Donald Trump himself has said about immigrants, Muslims, and women, from “Build a wall” to “Grab her by the p***y.” Here is a compilation of some of the hate crimes that have been reported thus far. In light of these recent events, it’s easy to understand why people who are immigrants, minorities, women, LGBTQ, and disabled are appalled and anxious as a result of Trump’s victory.
As an immigrant and a brown man myself, I would be remiss if I did not admit that the color of my skin has been on my mind this week more than ever before. In all the years I have lived in the US, this week has probably been one of the most challenging weeks I have had. Now, whether I am in class or walking downtown, I am more alert of the people around me and more aware about the things they say in my presence. I have noticed that the way I behave in public has also changed since the election. Now, if there is a large group of people walking towards me and if it is a predominantly white group, I will cross the street or take a detour to my destination so that I do not risk the chance of being confronted and told to go back to my country (it has happened before in the past). I know that this fear is probably unfounded and that the percentage of people who disagree with Trump’s racist views far outnumber the people who do, but I cannot help feeling a sense of apprehension. I think this fear is also heightened while living in Centre County, where the majority of the population (excluding the Penn State community) does not look like me and is home to many people who voted for Donald Trump.
At the end of the day, barring any major surprises by the Electoral College voters on December 19th, Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States—the highest office in the free world. The entire nation will look to him a symbol of strength in the face of tragedy, and he will be the rock that anchors us during the challenges that are sure to come. As much as it pains me to say it, we must put our full support behind President-Elect Trump for the sake of the country and for the sake of preserving our democracy. However, we must simultaneously use our collective energy to survey his every action and every word, while swiftly denouncing any acts of racism, misogyny, and hatred that occur.
P.S. – On the bright side, hopefully this election is the impetus needed to finally replace the Electoral College with a revised voting system that makes American a true representative democracy and one which better adheres to the popular vote.
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