YikYak, Facebook, and Twitter, have all been buzzing regarding this week’s recent political events at John Carroll. Whether you keep up with the political scene or not, everyone on campus has been on edge. In case you are really out of the loop, this political focus began on Monday morning, when fences were placed in front of one of the ramps to the library, and in front of a portion of the steps leading to the atrium. These fences were apparently put up by a student for her senior capstone project. On the fences were posters with facts about immigration, which seemed to indicate a political stance. By Tuesday night, many students went to the fence to protest their personal beliefs. Supporters of many different candidates were in attendance, and experiencing this protest first-hand opened my eyes to many of today’s issues.
As Americans, we are all in this together. I am a Trump supporter. No, I am not a racist or sexist. No, I do not hate all immigrants--how could I, when half of my entire family, including my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, all immigrated to America from Greece? And most importantly, NO, this is NOT an article meant to change your political beliefs. What I witnessed on Tuesday during the fence protests made me come to a few very important realizations.
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When I first arrived at the protest, I was scared. To walk to the “Pro-Trump” side, I had to first pass through the “Anti-Trump” side. People began yelling and insulting me (and anyone else around me) who was also heading to the Trump side. When I got to the other side, it was not much better. Students from both political sides were screaming at each other, rage building from both sides. I was overwhelmed, and honestly astonished by the entire scene. Even so, it was not long before I engaged in a conversation with a few people who were “Anti-Trump”. I originally meant to only stay for a few minutes, just to check out what was happening. Over an hour later, I found myself out in the freezing cold, debating with my fellow students. Yes, there were people who did not take this situation seriously. They were the ones screaming, yelling, insulting, and being inconsiderate. Then there were students, like the ones I was talking to, who were there to get a conversation started, and to be open to hearing the opinions of others. Both sides of this political feud had students who were there to actually contribute meaningfully to this protest. When I left, I never felt more alive. I felt like I was finally able to get across some of my beliefs, and be heard. I learned new information, and opened my mind to what others had to say. It felt good.
The next day, this feeling soon dissipated. I will not lie, I was upset to see that there were online publications blasting Trump supporters on campus for causing the disturbance. I was there. I saw first-hand that there was blame to be put on both sides. Within the days that followed, almost every single one of my teachers mentioned their “disappointment” at how Trump supporters acted towards a supposedly peaceful protest. When my speech professor started on this topic, I almost expected her to say what every other teacher had said. Instead, she surprised me. She wanted to hear our opinions on the situation. Something funny happened; many of us agreed that the protests were actually productive, actually helpful. It allowed us, as students, to feel like we were being heard. It highlighted the frustration that citizens all across America are feeling in regards to the government and politicians. Instead of pointing fingers and placing blame, we should come to the realization that my speech class has come to: No matter where you fall politically, we all want what is best for the future of America and its citizens. We all want to go forth and make this world a better place. We want progression, not stagnation. We have a right to free speech, and we should use it to help spread our ideas and beliefs. As Martin Luther King Junior once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter”.
Being eighteen, I am excited that I can finally vote and contribute to the political future of my country. No matter who you plan to vote for in the upcoming election, I encourage you to listen to what others have to say. Research your candidate, watch the news, look online, and make an informed decision. Be open to opinions that might be different than your own. Respect what others believe. We all come from different walks of life, and we all have had many different experiences that influence our ways of thinking and our personal beliefs. Do not let politics divide us, either as a school, or as a country.
