Six bankruptcies, two impeachments, the incitement of a riot at the Capitol, being found liable for sexual abuse, 34 felony counts and four pending criminal cases did not prevent the former president of a failed term to be reelected. Undoubtedly, America needs a solid backbone to lead our country and move forward, but we may have just elected a dictator instead of a president. As our incoming vice president, Senator JD Vance, said eight years ago: Trump may be “America’s Hitler.”
It’s essential to remember the newly-reelected Donald Trump will have minimal guardrails blocking him from making irrational executive decisions. Early on Nov. 6, news organizations called that Republicans will have majority control of the Senate, possibly foreshadowing a Republican majority in the House of Representatives as well. There will be no one to challenge or “check” Trump’s behavior. By giving Trump this power, we allow his supporters, who mimic his personality, to act unjustly toward others. We condone their behavior of talking down to women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color and other marginalized groups.
The point of writing this is not to bash Trump supporters, because not all have adopted Trump’s hateful rhetoric, but these voters still decided Trump’s behavior was not a deal breaker. Yes, issues like the cost of living are a significant concern for most Americans, but America is more complex than that. It is supposed to be a place filled with opportunity and freedom for all, where education itself is not at risk and where we feel safe and heard. Yet, we live in a country where we have elected a sexual abuser into the highest level of power.
My message to anyone whose rights are threatened by the reelection of Trump: If you are feeling scared, worried or unheard, many others around you feel the same. Go out into your community and voice your opinions, because they won’t go unheard. We, as young people, are the stepping stones for our country’s future. With time comes change, and we will make those changes, no matter how hard the journey is.
