To our readers:
Election Day is over. When we went to press, the results of the presidential election were still unknown. Votes are still being counted. From where we write now, the future is uncertain. From where you read now, it may, or may not, be more clear.
In the days leading up to the election, businesses were boarded up around the city and the country, and poll workers and election officials were preparing for in-person voting. The country was told to brace for an unknown aftermath in the days and weeks after Nov. 3.
We believe there are two things that are still relevant on this Wednesday morning after election night: the democratic right to exercise our right to vote, and that Black lives matter.
On Oct. 26, just 15 minutes from St. Joe’s campus, Philadelphia police officers shot and killed Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man, while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Wallace is the 897th Black American killed by police in 2020, according to the Mapping Police Violence Project. The list keeps on growing.
It has been an unprecedented year, with many unknowns. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. But we are simultaneously reckoning with confronting the pandemic of systemic racism. This year will undoubtedly be looked upon as one of the most turbulent in U.S. history.
Our institutions of democracy have endured serious challenges these last few years, with a rise in political partisanship and divisive politics. A study by the Pew Research Center found that nearly two-thirds of registered voters say they feel fearful about the state of the nation. Yet, a day before this Election Day, at least 97 million Americans voted early or by mail, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
As student journalists, our responsibility is to reflect the viewpoints and concerns of our community. To this end, The Hawk staff had socially distant, open discussions with students, faculty and staff about their concerns for the future of our country. The people who spoke to us expressed common concerns about a divided country, systemic racism, women’s health care rights, the impact of the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the impending global environmental catastrophe.
We have been told that this presidential election is the most important election of our lifetime, maybe even in our nation’s recent history. We agree. The stakes are high—the pandemic and issues of racial inequality are on the ballot, and so is the future of our health care system, our economy, climate change and gender equality.
Our right to vote is one of the many tools that we use to improve and enhance our democracy. It is important to recognize racial and economic inequality. The voices in this issue are somber, yet hopeful about positive change.
Voting is the one way we can make this change happen. Protests are equally important for change, as our history has shown. It is important to acknowledge white privilege and the power that it has to allow us to change our world for the better, for all of us.
Part of The Hawk’s mission is to be a platform to elevate diverse voices. Please continue to share your experiences and thoughts with us during this election year. You can DM us on Twitter or Instagram (@sjuhawknews). If you prefer email, write us a letter at [email protected].
-Jackie Collins ’21, Editor in Chief & Ryan Mulligan ’21, Managing Editor
