Following the results of the 2024 election, Donald Trump won with a comfortable margin.
It is hard to believe, especially after watching the debate between him and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump made outrageous claims of Haitians eating pets, claimed Harris “turned black,” said that abortions were being performed after the baby is born, and so on.
It is hard to believe that, after watching that debate, with those claims, so many people could vote for him. This country has beaten the British Empire, racist slaveholding Confederates, Nazis, and Soviets. Yet we, in 2024, somehow regressed so far that we have inherited the ideals of all these named groups.
How could a leading world democracy allow for a felon, who has multiple rape allegations, to claim victory over a woman who has worked in all three branches of government and by all and every means is significantly more qualified?
What a direct slap in the face from the entire country to the women who have come forward with their allegations, and to the women dying of septic shock because they are unable to seek out life-saving medical care.
There is a prevailing notion of false encouragement from the Trump voters to “get over it” and for everyone to “be united” and not let it affect relationships.
However, these are the same people who stormed the nation’s capitol building on January 6th, following the loss of their candidate Donald Trump. The same political party and candidate who calls their political opponents offensive nicknames and inappropriately mocks them.
Lindsi McLaughlin, a senior, said to me in a text following the flood of posts on social media in celebration of Trump’s victory, ““Think for yourself” – a nice sentiment that never quite turns into act for yourself.”
The thought does not follow the actions, whether this is societal pressures, complacency, or the difficulty of acting on one’s own thoughts or all the above. I am not sure what part of this is allowing for democracy to prevail.
How can we call ourselves a first world nation, a leading one at that, as we watch mothers die in front of their children from illnesses that we have the ability to save them from? Did the $1,200 stimulus payment have this significant impact for these voters?
A prayer for minorities, for the environment, for the Department of Education, for health care and reproductive rights.
