In our society today, it's difficult to have an unbiased opinion. One news station to the next, always having a very perspective on politics and it can be very challenging to find the truth, without any melodrama. With this in the back of my mind, I went to a Trump rally in Tampa, Florida, and tried to be unbiased.
It started off with me coming home from work and my mom telling me, in almost disbelief, my brother was doing something on the following Tuesday night. Knowing my brother's habits, I briefly assumed he would be going to a car show or taking a girl out, which is something he does fairly frequently. Something like that would be nothing out of the ordinary, and when she said, "No, he's going to a Trump rally with some friends," I laughed.
I literally laughed.
And one thing ended into another, and boom, my brother signed me up and we were set to see our president Tuesday night.
By the time Tuesday rolled around, I was very excited to be in the same room as the president. While waiting in the long, never-ending line to enter the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, the crowd buzzed with excitement, dressed in anything from a full blown suit to tee shirts. It was astonishing how many people showed up from different parts of Florida to listen to what President Trump had to say.
My brother and I only stayed at the rally for 30 to 45 minutes, trying to escape traffic (we still sat in the parking lot for an hour to get out). In this period of time, Trump gave out endorsements for the governor of Florida and reminded us Florida voted primarily Republican, but in two elections, Florida voted Democratic to elect Obama into office. He also discussed how the unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanics, and women had never been lower and how the stock market was up since his election. He proudly declared, "After years of rebuilding foreign countries, it's time to finally rebuild our country."
Months ago, President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum, which were supposed to encourage companies to buy steel from American mills, which would create new jobs. Multiple new steel mills are now being built or are reopening across our nation, one of which is a 240 million dollar mill located in Florida.
Trump stated that 401K performance was up and noted that the 700 billion-dollar military budget was approved and record-breaking, also managing to "secure the largest pay raise for our great warriors in a decade." He is also encouraging the Pentagon to create a 6th branch of the military, the Space Force.
We left shortly after this part of Trump's speech and sat in traffic, reflecting and processing his words. It was an overwhelming sense of patriotism, something I'd never experienced before.
Older citizens thanked my brother and me for coming, claiming it was nice to see a younger crowd supporting politics. It showed me how important it is for young adults to actively participate and learn about politics. It's even more important to listen, research, and analyze the information you've been given, and even set aside your own personal bias to see a different perspective. I recommend attending a rally, even if it's for a politician you don't agree with, to grow your understanding of our world and build your own sense of place.
