Devil's Advocate (Volume 37, Issue 2, November 2020)

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE STANTON COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

NOVEMBER 2020

STANTON MOCK ELECTION

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE Adviser: Larry Knight Editor-in-Chief: Caroline Robbins Managing Editor: Katelyn Colley Layout and Design Editor: Tatum Bowen Photography Editor: Tyler Pottenburgh Digital Media Editor: Fabrizio Gowdy Public Relations Manager: Elise Gideon Assoc. PR Manager: Cameron Kight Art Director: Eden Kershner Videographer: Ella Jasson Section Editor (Features): Charlotte Rogers Section Editor (Opinions): Jessica Malosh Section Editor (Sports): Aulani Marley Ty’Hana Aldridge, Sarah Hiott, Tatum Register, Jillian Williams, Jennifer Zheng Gavin Grady, Lilliana Harrell, Piper Jones, Austin Mendillo, Denise Soriano

Contributing Advocates The Devil’s Advocate is searching for contributing writers, photographers, artists and Contact Editor-in-Chief Caroline Robbins at crobbins.137art@gmail.com, Managing Editor Katelyn Colley at sunsetcolley@gmail.com or Digital Media Editor Fabrizio Gowdy at fabriziogowdy@gmail.com.

Ads and Sponsorships The Devil’s Advocate is dependent on our advertisers and our sponsors. When you purchase an ad with us, it reaches a diverse student population that can help your business.

We can also design your ads. Our prices are: $45 (1/4 page), $70 (1/2 page), $75 (insert), $135 (full page), $150 (back page). For an additional $5 fee, we can advertise your business on our website. Contact Editor-inChief Caroline Robbins at crobbins.137art@ gmail.com or our adviser, Mr. Larry Knight, at knightl1@duvalschools.org.

Follow Us on Social Media

Twitter: @scpnewspaper Instagram: @scpnewspaper YouTube: Devil’s Advocate Newspaper Facebook: Stanton Devil’s Advocate Snapchat: @scpnewspaper Spotify: @scpnewspaper

photo retrieved from Google Images

The Pulse

Opinions

3

8

THE PULSE

CHANGING A BROKEN SYSTEM

A breakdown of student opinions on hot-topic issues discussed in the recent election discourse, featuring quotes, statistics, and photography.

The usage of the Electoral College votes instead of the National Popular Vote to decide the president is a detriment to the democracy of the United States.

Photography

8

4

TRUMP BEATS BIDEN ON POLICY

DEMOCRACY MEANS election means to them in regards to the importance of democracy, voting, and being an American citizen.

and successful policy behind the president and why he should be considered for re-election.

9 Features

TRUMP VS. COVID-

6

AMERICANS

MOCK ELECTION RESULTS A comprehensive data analysis of the results of the mock election featuring the information given by the student population.

the United States on Jan. 20, President Trump has managed to respond to this pandemic in a manner that has resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 Americans

10 DEBATE ETIQUETTE The presidential and vice presidential debates this year included alarming acts of incivility and disrespect from moderators and candidates alike, making them a point of controversy this election.

10 DIVERSITY IN POLITICS With hope for more leaders to represent America’s diverse communities, results question when American politics will include diverse voices that

11 EDITORIAL A look into how the recent polarization of the American political climate has impacted the reporting of news, government structure, and unity of the citizens as a whole, and what needs to be done to address it.

Printed at Florida Sun Printing Please recycle this magazine.

2 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

VOL. XXXVII, NO. 2

THE PULSE

Student Voices The Supreme Court

think Congress needs to know about all of the other about. Is our nominee going to protect the Constitution and uphold what that means?”

Racial Injustice

“All lives are valuable and worth so much. It is unfair for anyone to treat people otherwise. Everyone deserves kindness and love no matter their skin color.”

COVID-19

make me feel very good mentally. I was happy that my family was able to stay safe, which I feel very school is back now even with the safety precautions

—Katie Andrews, 9th hurt by it.”

Climate Change

The Economy

“The economy is declining right now because of COVID-19 and our country depends on tourism and consumerism and we are not getting as many consumers because everyone is staying indoors.”

“Climate change is bigger issue than people are making it out to be. people who say ‘oh, I really something that

—Aniyah Adamson, 11th fact.”

—Deacon Taylor, 10th

—Zoe Larson, 9th

“My political instincts are generally moderate, and I think this election is no exception. I tend to favor candidates who have the ability to bring people together to work for the common good. I hope that this election moves the country toward that end.”

—Mr. Ben MacKay, AP U.S. History Teacher

NOVEMBER 2020

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 3

WE THE PEOPLE “Even if If I could vote, we have the Electoral College, so I have no decision.

This election does not mean much to me.”

—Ariana Louise, 12th photo by Piper Jones

“Politics are overrated. This election is tricky because both candidates, to me, are overrated.”

—Sakhia Minor, 10th photo by Piper Jones

“This election has many broad implications that I don’t know about...the best way we get our iedas out there is by voting, which I can’t do.”

—Martin Wall, 12th photo by Gavin Grady

“This election is important for protecting our rights. The way people vote will really impact our nation.”

—Anastasia Aston, 12th photo by Gavin Grady

OF STANTON “This is my first time voting. I’m proud of that because I think this election changes how our country thinks, no matter who is elected.”

—Brogan Denard, 12th photo by Piper Jones

“Depending on how the election goes, the environment will be different at school.

I think a majority of kids here support Biden, so if he wins there will be a positive response from this community.”

—Sophia

Tintle, 10th

photo by Lilliana Harrell

“This election defifinitely impacts the future of this country.

It determines where everyone stands on the biggest issues.”

—Manuel Dos Santos, 11th photo by Piper Jones

“Everyone is affected individually depending on which candidate is elected. This election can particularly affect the death rate for COVID-19.”

—Marie Nash, 9th photo by Gavin Grady

6 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 7

OPINIONS

Trump Beats Biden on Policy

By FABRIZIO GOWDY,

iiiiiPresident

photo by Austin Mendillo

Donald

Trump

is

an

vocabulary and a Twitter addiction.

But we aren’t choosing a friend, we’re electing a president. And on policy issue after policy issue, the Trump Administration has delivered. iiiiiUnder the Trump Administration,

since 1953. As a net energy exporter, we are no longer as dependent on oil from the tumultuous Middle East. On the economic front, Black, Hispanic, and Asian unemployment fell to record lows. President Trump and congressional Republicans enacted a tax cut that, according to The New York Times, saw virtually every taxpayer receive at least a modest tax break. Trump renegotiated NAFTA, an agreement Biden voted for, which devastated the industrial Midwest, replacing it with the USMCA. iiiiiIn the Middle East, Trump crushed ISIS and killed its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi; as Vice President, Biden opposed the Bin-Laden raid. The Obama-Biden Administration gave us the Iran Nuclear Deal, in which we exchange for empty promises. The Trump Administration forcing Sudan, Bahrain and the U.A.E. to recognize Israel’s legitimacy. Saudi Arabia will likely follow, and there is hope

for lasting peace in a Sunni-Israeli alliance. iiiii have started a new war; by contrast, the Obama-Biden administration deployed military personnel to Syria and Niger and began bombing Libya and Yemen. Trump has worked to bring our troops home from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan and end the “forever wars” Biden helped start while in the Senate. In the process, Trump has faced resistance from the military-industrial complex and the East quagmires. Unsurprisingly, over 300 former Bush invasion of Iraq, have endorsed Biden. iiiiiContinuing on the foreign policy front, for all his warm rhetoric toward Russian President Vladamir Putin, Trump has ultimately been tougher on Russia than the ObamaBiden Administration. Whereas Obama and Biden stood by as Russia annexed Ukranian territory, Trump has armed iiiiiBiden has refused to call China an adversary, cozying up to Xi Jingping and the autocratic Chinese Communist Party. He supported giving China most favored nation status, cheered as China’s economy grew at our expense, and ignored the unfair trade practices and massive intellectual property theft enabling that growth. Although imperfect in his approach, Trump has confronted China

iiiiiWe’ve been told President Trump is a racist white supremacist, but recent polling suggests he’s outperforming Mitt Romney among Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters.

Trump recently rolled out a plan to invest $500 billion in Black businesses, make Juneteenth a national holiday, and designate the Klu Klux Klan a domestic terrorist organization. He also signed a major criminal justice reform bill into law. The First Step Act aims to undo the damage done by Biden’s 1994 Crime Bill, which destroyed African American communities with harsh, “tough on crime” policies. Biden’s bill resulted in a generation of poor, disproportionately black men being locked up on minor drug charges. iiiiiTrump has appointed three textualist Supreme Court Justices who will interpret the constitution’s original public meaning. Biden would appoint justices who would force nuns to pay for birth control. iiiiiWe’ve been warned Trump is a threat to institutional norms. And yet, it is the Democrats, not Trump, who are currently threatening to pack the Supreme Court, nuke the iiiii they were four years ago, according to a September Gallup poll. Trump’s policies are understandably more popular than Trump himself. This election will come down to what Americans value more: policy or personality. I value policy.

Changing a Broken System

By TATUM REGISTER, iiiiiIn 1787, the Framers of the U.S. Constitution were concerned that larger states would dominate smaller states in votes for the election, which ultimately contributed to the establishment of the Electoral College. However, in the modern age, the Electoral College has become outdated, and as a result poses a threat to American democracy. It is the antithesis of the basic democratic standard of “one person, one vote,” as the electorate can override the choice of a national majority of voters. Now, voters are more serving as statistics for the Electoral College, rather than directly deciding the president. iiiiiiAccording to the Library of Congress, the Framer’s preferred to strictly have wealthy, white, landowners vote, and this decision to bestow only these “enlightened statesmen” with the power to vote for presidential candidates is undemocratic. These electors base their vote entirely on the majority winner of their state while photo by Austin Mendillo

infographic by Jessica Malosh

silencing the votes of those who voted for the minority. In a narrowly won state, electors can ignore the will of 49.9 percent of the voters. Furthermore, in trying to give smaller states more representation, the Framers actually made the process less democratic, as not all of the citizens’ votes are directly voting for the president. iiiiiThe Constitution states that electors are commonly nominated by state party conventions. To qualify, one must have a current membership to the party, hold current voter registration, and in some cases, be required to vote for

A faithless elector is an elector who doesn’t vote in favor of the state majority; to avoid them, some states have mandated for electors to vote in accordance with the state of the Electoral College because the state is still voting for the majority winner. This argument is shaky, as regardless, the votes of the Electoral College still take superiority over the votes directly from the people. iiiii a presidential candidate already has the majority of votes in a state, why not just go by the national majority vote?

Therefore, the electoral system is an undemocratic system, as it doesn’t really matter who the people of the state vote for if the electors from that state will override the vote of the minority. The body serves a meaningless purpose in the election process, and if its votes are supposed to be a States should abolish the Electoral College and use the National Popular Vote. iiiiiOpponents argue the Electoral College is not a threat since certain states have set in place laws which hold electors accountable for voting against the state popular vote. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 32 states have laws attempting to bind the votes of the electors to the state popular vote. According to Fair Vote, an organization that advocates for electoral reform, more than half the states in America, including Florida, have such laws. The seven faithless electors in the 2016 election who avoided these binding laws could have been the key to having the Electoral College vote matching the national popular vote. Their decision to not vote with the state reveals the need to replace the Electoral College.

Seeing as though no systemic reform has been made so far, the 2020 election will be the latest in a long lasting cycle of undemocratic selection of the president and the silencing of voters with oppositional ballots to the popular vote of their state. The threat of such a disruptive body must be stopped. iiiiiThe Electoral College ultimately silences the votes of Americans and contradicts its original purpose of maintaining democracy. The National Popular Vote is a far better alternative, and should be the sole process in determining elections. This system is outdated and is no longer compatible with modern interests. infographic by Jessica Malosh

8 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

VOL. XXXVII, NO. 2

Trump vs. COVID - How He Failed Americans

By TY’HANA ALDRIDGE,

iiiiiIf you were to ask every student at Stanton College Preparatory School how their year has been, a majority would probably describe it as chaotic.

From the Black Lives Matter protests to of the COVID-19 virus, 2020 has been a rollercoaster. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump has not made this year any better. Since the photo by Austin Mendillo

Jan. 20, President Trump has managed to respond to this pandemic in a manner that has resulted in the deaths of over 223,000 Americans. iiiiiOn March 10, President Trump insisted to the press that the virus “Will go away,” adding, that Americans should, “Just stay calm and it will go away.” The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic the very next day on March 11, with 1,267 cases and 38 deaths in the United States alone. Comments expressing a serious virus that has infected over 1,000 people at this time will simply “go away” shows that the president and his administration either do not understand science or refuse to believe the role science plays in society during a time

like this. It is hard to believe President Trump is taking this crisis seriously in light of such comments he has made. iiiiiDuring the early weeks and months of the outbreak, countries such as New Zealand acted quickly to reach a daily rate of one test per 1,000 residents in 14 days, considering their small population. While in comparison, it took the United States 55 days to reach the same testing rate, a much bigger population, showing that the Trump administration was carelessly waiting to take action. President Trump constantly made it clear that they had an abundant amount of tests to give, so why did it take so long? In addition, the president also delayed the distribution of additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical care facilities and those at risk of exposure in the states. When Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx asked President Trump if the U.S would provide additional PPE, he responded saying they would not act as a “shipping clerk.” If earlier action was taken to distribute these products to those in need and require more testing, there could have possibly been an earlier detection of people with the virus and could have reduced the spread in the earlier months. iiiiiExperts and researchers have also criticized President

Trump on his response to the virus. In an article written

by Business Insider, Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute said, “The Trump administration’s response has been abysmal. It’s hard to imagine they could have done it worse.” Dr. Jha gave Trump’s overall response a grade of “D” and declared it would be hard to give it anything above. Other experts, including Dr. Jha, have also stated the administration wasted valuable time when it came to distributing tests and preparing health care facilities for the virus. Dr. Jha added,

not shocking that many Trump supporters do not feel the need to wear a mask. According to CNN, Tony Germaine, a Trump supporter, told BuzzFeed at a Pennsylvania rally on Sept. 3, “I don’t care, I just don’t believe in it. Because I don’t understand what good it’s really going to do, unless you’re in a high-risk area like a nursing home or a hospital.

I think the left is playing the mask thing to the hilt all the way to the election. In my opinion, they’re trying to steal the election.” The president is giving the American people the idea that wearing a mask is optional and does not play a critical role in reducing the spread. iiiiiIn the midst of his many mistakes, President Trump has accomplished a handful of tasks that have been helpful during the pandemic. During the early months of the outbreak, he called out China for their failure to contain the virus while implementing a travel ban to China and installing airport screenings. Although this is great, it is also important to remember that President Trump has called the COVID-19 virus the “Chinese virus” and “Kung

still at risk of low income even with the PPP, because the president is able to cancel this at any time. iiiiiOverall, President Trump has proven he is not leading us in the right direction to stop the spread of the pandemic in the U.S. Yes, he has done the bare minimum of instituting a partial travel ban on China and providing jobless Americans with stimulus checks, but none of this covers

advice” was “a shocking level of incompetence.” However, President Trump has chosen to ignore the views of experts and it has only hurt his response to the virus and the lives of Americans. iiiiiOct. 11 marked the eighth month since the COVID-19 virus was declared a global pandemic and since then the virus has only gotten worse. Not only did President Trump’s slow response result in the U.S. leading every country with York Times, but so did his rush to re-open the country and its states. Phase one of his reopening plan allowed restaurants, places of worship, and large venues to open

inforgraphic by Jessica Malosh

with strict protocols. If there was no evidence proving the virus was resurging, phase two would allow non-essential travel to resume. At the time President Trump proposed this plan in early March, cases were steadily increasing with little sign of slowing down. With the president suggesting states to re-open when there were over 32,000 deaths, it shows he is focused more on re-opening the economy rather than ensuring it is safe enough to do so. Although it is up to the state to decide whether or not they choose to open up, it is still looked down upon to suggest it so early on, giving state legislatures the idea that everything iiiiiSimilarly, during the presidential debate on Sept.

29, President Trump mocked Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden for wearing a mask. The president said, “I don’t wear a mask like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. [You] could be speaking 200 feet away from him and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.” Ironically, a few days after this on Oct. 2, President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and more than virus. iiiiiMoreover, President Trump’s distaste for masks serves supporters. An NBC News-SurveyMonkey poll conducted July 26 found that 86% of Democrats wear a mask every time they go out in public, while less than half Republicans not shocking that many Trump supporters do not feel the

disinfectant products to cure the virus and downplaying should do. The evidence provided, including much more, strongly shows President Trump’s weak response and reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic has set the U.S up for an increasingly longer and unnecessary battle with the dreadful virus.

downplaying the virus, sets a horrible example of how Americans should handle the virus. The president also launched the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), giving tax relief to workers and providing those who were would still have their jobs. Those who are unemployed are still at risk of low income even with the PPP, because the infographic by Jessica Malosh

NOVEMBER 2020

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 9

OPINIONS

Debate Etiquette

By JILLIAN WILLIAMS, iiiii“Thank you, Vice President Pence,” interrupted moderator Susan Page, as the vice presidential debate on Oct. 7.

During the debate, Page interrupted he tried to respond to Senator Kamala Harris on the subject of the Obama Administration’s handling of humanitarian aid worker Kayla Mueller’s murder by ISIS. This is just one instance in which the debates this year included alarming acts of incivility from moderators and candidates alike, making them a point of controversy this election cycle. With aggression and disrespect from both parties, voters are left in shock by such poor conduct. While it may seem uncivil to interrupt a candidate’s answer, there is a need to follow the time limits of the debate, begging the question, what should ideal conduct during the debates look like? iiiiiThe behavior of moderators was a hindrance to the success of debates this year. In both debates, moderators photo by Austin Mendillo

interrupted candidates in the middle of a point, sometimes mid-sentence, to inform them their time to respond was up. Similarly, they restricted how much time the candidates had to debate and to make a rebuttal to the other. While one of the jobs of the moderator is to ensure the debates one of the factors in their moderator selections is “an understanding that the debate should focus maximum time and attention on the candidates and their views.” Thus, while the moderators should be conscious of the time, it is not their place to force candidates into set time limits and restrict their ability to make their points and their main focus should be ensuring that each candidate has an opportunity to voice their beliefs. iiiiiThis was especially evident in the vice presidential debate when moderator Susan Page consistently interrupted candidates after their allotted two minutes were

Donald Trump said to former Vice President Joe Biden on the subject of his party’s plans for healthcare, “They’re going to dominate you, Joe. You know that.” Not a minute later, as discussion continued on the subject, former Vice President Joe Biden remarked, “You’re not going to be able to shut him up.” This is only one of many altercations between the two that surpassed normal debate and discussion into disrespectfulness. iiiiiIt is clear these negative exchanges are a concern of the American people as well. This was made apparent by the last question asked during the vice presidential debate,

was clear that the role of time keeper is important after the second presidential debate on Oct. 22, when moderator Kristen Welker was unable to keep the candidates within the time limits and the debate went quite a bit over the time limit, Page took this to an extreme.. While the candidates do share some of the responsibility to make sure their better inform voters on their views. iiiii of United States autonomy in the government of other countries, moderator Howard Smith interceded politely, saying, “Governor, I’m sorry, I must interrupt. President to the tone of moderators in more recent elections, Smith is an example of a moderator who was respectful in his management of the time and understood the importance of allowing candidates to voice their full points. Similarly, another, with little need for continuous debate and rebuttal as they focused more on their own ideals rather than on the shortcomings of the other candidate as we have seen in more recent debates. iiiiiAnother issue is the behavior of presidential and vice presidential candidates towards one another. Interactions by both parties during the debate often proved rude and

infographic by Jessica Malosh

illustration by Eden Kershner

which was written by eighth grade student Brecklin Brown from Springville Junior High in Springville, Utah, and asked how the citizens of America are to be civil to one another when their leaders are not respectful to each other themselves. She expresses the concern of the American people and future voters that, while they are in competition with one another, candidates in the election treat each other with excessive contempt. iiiiiThe debates are an important part of the presidential elections, allowing candidates to express their views so voters can decide who their views most align with. In light of recent years’ debates, it is clear the behavior of both the candidates and the moderators during elections needs to be improved upon in the future, facilitating more civil interactions in order to prevent further division between parties and the American people.

Diversity in Politics iiiii more gender and racial diversity among the presidential nominees compared to previous elections. Some of the candidates included: Entrepreneur

iiiiiSince the beginning of U.S. politics, the number of

candidate, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the

in order to fully meet the needs of every individual with

accurate representation of U.S. society, the gender ratio

iiiiiAs a result of gender discrimination, women are less Even though the presidential election began with a wide range of candidates, the two major party nominees are President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joseph Biden. There was so much hope for more leaders to represent America’s diverse communities, but the results make us wonder when American politics and iiiiiWhile initially there was hope for a non-traditional candidate, we remain with two white men running for president and Sen. Kamala Harris being the only female and person of color running for Vice President. As an Asian American with little representation, seeing Sen. Kamala Harris being nominated for vice president makes us feel reassured there is someone representing us.

10 | devilsadvocatepaper.com

women ending in politics is much less. The patriarchal society puts the burden of household responsibilities on women which means they simply do not have time to carry out political campaigns. These socio-cultural obstacles subsequently discourage women from seeking careers counterparts. Therefore, only 57 percent of women felt iiiiiDiversity is important in politics since those of intersectional identities can insert their experience, which can bring more thought into governing. In seeing how

communities of African Americans, Asian Americans and Latino Americans, there needs to be individuals who can understand what these communities are experiencing.

Every year, thousands of immigrants are arrested by which separates many children from their parents. They are placed in overcrowded detention centers which lack basic necessities for survival, resulting in the outbreak of infections and the death of some children due to their weak immunity. Apart from this, President Trump and Attorney General William Barr perceive the Black Lives Matter protests as “a symbol of hate” and “violent crime,” and disregard the police brutality experienced by African Americans by sending additional federal agents to stop the protest. Lastly, during this pandemic, President Trump’s inadvertently placed all the blame on the Asian American community and as a result incited xenophobic attacks. iiiiiAs seen in this election, there was some diversity in the candidates but this is not enough diversity to represent citizens from all backgrounds. It has only set the bar for the diverse candidates in the next election.

VOL. XXXVII, NO. 2

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE 2020–2021 Editorial Board Caroline Robbins

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Tatum Bowen Fabrizio Gowdy Tyler Pottenburgh

Digital Media Editor Photography Editor

iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate of Stanton College Preparatory School. It is produced quarterly by members of the Journalism class. The editors reserve the right to edit any material submitted into the paper for content, grammar, length and accuracy. iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate is a public forum for student expression, which encourages free exchanges of opinions concerning controversial and noncontroversial community and school related issues.

The advertisements and ideas expressed within the newspaper are not necessarily those of the newspaper Duval County Public School Board. iiiiiThe Devil’s Advocate accepts advertisements from all businesses in the Stanton community. The ad format iiiii

Letter from the Editor photo by Austin Mendillo

iiiii evening, looking at the political state of the nation seems to be a given. And yet there is the consistent challenge issues that often drive individuals apart. The challenge of following our duty to report the facts as objectively as humanly possible was put to the test this issue, as was our ability to write about our own thoughts on the political landscape of the United States of America. iiiiiOur writers, photographers, designers, and artists were all put to the test of having to meet an incredibly short deadline to place this issue in the hands of our students, while also taking on the monumental task of addressing the most polarizing issue of all: politics. And they handled it wonderfully, taking into consideration counter postions, the need for objective reporting, proper data analysis, and the general pressures of handling the making of the newspaper. Their tenacity and willingness to learn new skills are what continue to inspire our work, and their iiiiiI would like to thank everyone who participated in our mock election this year as well, as it is your voices show you the diversity of our school’s political culture, and that our issue fosters new conversations about the present issues facing our nation.

NOVEMBER 2020

Mending Political Polarization iiiiiIt is nearly impossible to discuss politics in the modern climate of the United States of America side. From social media posts to news outlets, accepting the bias of a particular party and completely disregarding the impact that decision has results in the current crisis where there is seemingly no middle ground. This acceptance of a rudimentary, basic understanding of politics and the subsequent removal of nuance has bred a country constantly wary and hostile of its own citizens, only heightened by the 2020 election where these political tensions will be brought to the forefront. iiiiiThe initial divisions between parties have always been prevalent, but this form of extreme dedication to the title of Republican, Democrat, or other party is relatively new. Parties were what led to the progress of this nation as a whole. The divisions meant that there was a way to discuss positions and propose new concepts on how to tackle the issues facing the general battle line, and the forbidden ground between them is considered disrespect to the moral code. iiiiiThe reporting of news in America is what many point to as the central cause of the polarization plaguing the nation. Outlets began to report news with a clear political skew, omitting facts or simply not addressing issues, peppered with accusations or ultimatums. Regardless of how it was done, there was suddenly no reason to hide a political agenda. Nothing remained nuanced, and some media groups welcomed their biases and sympathies which brought them consistent viewership among a set demographic. iiiiiAs it became more and more clear that the only choice was to choose a side, political parties became the sole identity of some citizens. Suddenly identifying as a Republican or Democrat meant one was a “Nazi or a Socialist” in the eyes of some. Suddenly there was no way to have a middle-ground opinion on an issue like immigration or police reform without experiencing a Social media and casual viewership only seemed to augment this, with policy debated among political scientists becoming petty comment wars and easily-reposted hashtags or slogans. established a climate so polarized, that there seems to be no hope for compromise. iiiiiWith the line drawn in the sand of what is acceptable for each side, there is a constant pressure to remain politically correct. Writing an endorsement can alienate the opposing party and undermine the credibility of a news organization in the eyes of the people. Making a post with the wrong terminology can assign someone the role of an unforgivable bigot. As a nation, there is no way to survive with this logic. iiiiiThe nature of progress is compromise, of acknowledging that one side does not know all, and that there is credibility in debate. There needs to be a sense of understanding among citizens, that there are some issues which will be the end-all-be-all for some, but that there is more to the polarization that has wrecked America, there needs to be a restructuring of the political spectrum. A restructuring which evaluates what issues truly needs to be debated. A cultural shift also needs to occur, where debates become a place for healthy conversation, where individuals press has the freedom to report the interests of only one political party, but where the press reports the facts as objectively as possible to encourage critical thinking. When the dust has settled following this election, these problems will still exist, albeit less prominently, but we still need to establish a more nuanced political discourse that allows for true discussion and representation of values as we continue to move in new directions.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | 11