August 17th, 2016: It was officially announced that Donald Trump would be attending the Expo Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia for one of his well-known rallies. Shortly after I heard the news, I reserved my ticket for the event; anticipating with some reservation with what I've gotten myself into.
When I first heard the news that the Republican presidential candidate was coming to Fredericksburg, I had mixed emotions. I was quite nervous, simply because, this man, who has sparked an outrage across the nation, was coming to my hometown. Yet, I felt excited, because I could finally see him firsthand, and experience one of his rallies through my own eyes.
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Before I begin, I'm writing this article on behalf of keeping it neutral. As we all know, Virginia is a swing state, meaning we've not proven in past elections to be completely Republican or Democratic. So, we can be swung either way, depending on the election. Currently, Clinton is beating Trump in several polls taken from Virginia, 46 to 33 among registered Virginia voters.
I, personally, don't love either one of the presidential nominees that we have running for our country's presidency. Thus, I decided to go to this rally, for Trump, because I wanted to witness history in the making. I wanted to be able to see through a different lens, and gain a different perspective in the political field. I'm a young adult who is still educating myself on politics, and someone who strives to be open-minded to different opinions, before deciding my own opinion. Anyone who's closed-minded and doesn't want to hear what I have to say can easily critique me all they want, but this rally truly was an eye-opening and educational experience.
August 20th, 2016: This billionaire, and presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has arrived.
It was an extremely hot day, yet thousands of people waited in the winding line for the infamous, Mr. Donald J. Trump. Police officers were at every corner, and vendors were walking up and down the lines trying to sell pins, hats, and t-shirts. There was a wide variety of people from all over the United States, ranging from Maryland, to New Jersey, and even a few from California. People of different races, social classes, ages, and different states were all gathered here, awaiting Trump's arrival.
As we waited in line, tons of reporters/ broadcasters were swarming the streets looking for interviewees and awaiting their big night for their close-ups. Three boys walked up and down the line, giving out free snacks, and everyone was quietly talking, closely to their neighbors. Protesters, against Trump, were at the entrance of where the rally was taking place, but they weren't violent at all. They were simply holding up signs, and everyone minded their own business.
When we entered the facility, it was a huge room full of patriotism, and hope for a better tomorrow. A little boy in a soldier's hat hugged closely to his father, American flags were hung everywhere, people were dressed head-to-toe in American gear, and "Make America Great Again" posters were bobbing up and down in the crowd. The rally began with an immensely powerful prayer for our country, as everyone bowed their heads in respect. A young lady, sang the national anthem, as everyone sang along, with their hands close to their hearts. Trump, eventually mounted the stage and began his speech. Needless to say, the rally was peaceful. Yes, that's right, it was peaceful.
Trump didn't make any outrageous comments (besides the usual), nor did he seem to cause an uproar at this rally. The only fault at this rally, was Trump calling our city "Fairfax" when we're "Fredericksburg," but that was about it. I'm happy I got to see, firsthand, what this man was about, what a Trump rally was like, and behind-the-scenes from what the media shows us. It's important to make your own, educated opinions, and though, I am not completely for this candidate, I didn't see a problem in attending the rally and hearing what he had to say. All in all, my experience at this rally surprised me with how peacefully and smoothly it went.
So here's a huge thank you, to the police officers, secret service, fire and rescue department, and everyone else who kept our town safe, and protected everyone who attended this rally. A thank you to those who kept their comments to themselves, were respectful of one another, and caused no violence at all. After all, we all just want the same thing for our country - freedom, safety, and a better tomorrow.
(And here's a close-up of the legendary Mr. Trump, thanks to my good friend Natalie, who was lucky enough to be in the front row).
