Melanie Perez, editor- in-chief
Election day was arguably the worst day in American history – the day “America” voted to “make America great again.” While undoing years of fighting for equality of genders, races and class.
I guess America was “great” when we had slavery, segregation, no women’s rights, put Japanese in campus in WWII, and virtually wiped out the Native Americans.
The country has spoken – Donald Trump has won the presidency – by 51 electoral votes. And what does this decision say about our country?
It says that slightly over half the country supports a man who sexually assaults women, hates Mexicans, and thinks all Muslims are terrorists.
Trump might have won the presidency, but he won a deeply divided country.
Unsurprisingly, Clinton called to concede and congratulate Trump, and President Obama invited Trump to the White House to discuss the presidential transition over the next few months.
This is more than anybody can say about Trump, who both said that the election was rigged and that he wouldn’t accept the results of the election.
The worst part about Trump’s win is that our political system completely enabled his brashness and bigotry.
The way our political system works is that we have checks and balances – executive, legislative, and judicial branches all check the others. But the biggest issue with Trump being president is that non-republicans have no possibility of checks and balances of being the country’s “saving grace.”
Republicans have control over the House of Representatives, The Senate, and the Supreme Court. And while there are many Republicans who do not support Trump, it is unlikely that they will block his policies. Part of is party etiquette. But the other major factor is that past behavior is an indicator of future behavior, so it’s unlikely they’ll stop him in the future.
I literally fear for my life. I woke up Wednesday morning knowing in my bones that the U.S. will literally never be the same.
I’ve always tiptoed around life – I’m both a woman and a minority (Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Costa Rican) – but that was when we were fighting the good fight in a world with a black president who showed all minorities that we can make it in a white male-dominated world.
But now, am I going to have my citizenship questioned? Do I have to simply “put up” with sexual harassment and assault?
How can I feel safe in my country if my president boasts about sexually assaulting women? How can I feel safe in my country if my president spreads hate everywhere he goes?
I feel like I died and went to hell, because a transition to a life with the hope of totally equality and inclusion to a life filled with hate and fear isn’t easily done. And I’m questioning if it’s even worth it. Hello New Zealand.
