Divided States of America

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Melting Pot. The Land of Opportunity, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. A country supposedly built judgment, others had no problem referring to Trump as a “racist,” “homophobic” “buffoon” and Biden as a “mentally unstable,” “incompetent” “pedophile.” on unity and equity is, in reality, Students have attacked each other on home to much turmoil and injustice. social media, online forums and even in person due to clashing political views.

Despite learning in history classes Many feel silenced, because they know that we are a “great melting pot” that if they speak their opinions, they society, we tend to reject new ideas and will become a target of the opposing change, and that is evident through party. While it is important to express our actions and the corruption we have our beliefs and difference in opinions, created. In a time when we need unity it is not acceptable to weaponize those the most, we are failing to hold our opinions and use them against others. leaders, and ourselves, accountable for our actions toward one another. We have seen protests and riots spanning from the U.S. Capitol to our own state

Every four years, the disagreements and capitol. Peaceful human rights protests discussions start up as we begin to select have ended with tear gas, rubber bullets our nation’s next president, but the 2020 and bloodshed. An innocent man, who presidential election has been far more pleaded for his life as he was unable turbulent than years prior. This election to breathe, died after officers knelt year has been filled with fighting, rioting on his neck for over eight minutes. and even a group of insurrectionists who Two officers took their own lives after were unhappy with the election results fighting the Capitol insurrection and storming our nation’s Capitol. As a witnessing the corrupted state of our nation that is supposed to pride itself on nation. There has been so much pain, the differences of its citizens, this one on both a physical and emotional level. disagreement is enough to split us apart. But rather than finding ways to fight

In a survey, 208 students shared their our common enemies--the ongoing opinions regarding the 2020 presidential pandemic, systemic racism, climate election, with 41.8% supporting former change, political extremism and

President Donald Trump and former poverty, we have fought one another.

Vice President Mike Pence, and 42.8% supporting President Joe Biden Having a society where everyone believes and Vice President Kamala Harris. the same thing is an impossible and ignorant wish, but it is our civic duty to

While some students expressed concern sit down and listen to what others are over sharing their beliefs in fear of saying and work toward solutions, rather than fight. We must be willing to change our minds when presented with new evidence. But even if our opinions do not change, listening and understanding the views of others creates empathy, which can lead our society to a place of compromise and understanding.

We can fight the pandemic. We can amend society’s flaws--the hatred, violence, anger and hopelessness we have faced. We can conquer nativism, fear, inequality and disease. We can make the country better, shape it to be a land of liberty and justice for all, as it should be.

But we, the people who form this democracy, must be committed to making changes in order to do so. Before we can hold each other accountable, we must first examine how we have each contributed to society’s problems, taking an honest look in the mirror. Then, we may put forth the effort to ease this tension by listening to each other’s ideas and embracing differences rather than fighting them. We the people, who truly seek a more perfect union, may obtain it only if we view one another as companions rather than adversaries.

The more we continue to fight and hate, demonizing people who do not agree with us, the more tension will begin to grow, until it is so deeply rooted it cannot be stopped. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”