It's no question that things are a bit rocky in America right now, and for the last week and a half I've spent more than a few hours trying to figure out where I stand in all of this, and while I'm still not entirely sure, I think I might at least be heading in the right direction.
I've always had a particular interest in the American Civil War, and through the long hours spent on the couch watching Ken Burns' "The Civil War" and days nestled deep in books covering the many battles fought between the North and the South, I could never fully grasp what it must have been like for them. For those out on the battlefields, how did it feel to fight against your fellow Americans? What was it like to fight against your brothers? As I toured the Lincoln home in Springfield and paid my respects to my favorite President this past summer, I wondered what it was like in his relatively large shoes. As President, how did it feel to watch the country you were supposed to be running, split apart?
But most of all, how did America truly get so divided in the first place?
Even with everything going on, our country isn't headed for another Civil War, but for the first time in my life, I'm finally starting to grasp what it must have been like back in 1861. Our lives may be drastically different— I mean, I don't know about you, but I haven't traveled by stagecoach recently— and our issues may have evolved, but something still rings true— we're divided.
And let me tell you, America, as much as I might be disappointed in the results of the 2016 election, I'm even more disappointed in us.
Still, let's not focus on what we're doing wrong here, because where there's a deep divide in our country, and there's a long, long, way to go, there's already enough focus on the negatives to last us a lifetime. Instead, let's discuss what we're doing right, and how we can continue to change for the better.
Over the past week and a half, I've seen students at my college come together to peacefully protest. I've seen professors and staff sign a statement of solidarity when the administration would not. I've seen absolute strangers participate in healthy discussions on the results of the election. I've seen friends support friends, strangers support strangers, and people support people. I've seen a renewed spirit for activism sweep across campus, and I think I've seen more hugs and genuine, friendly smiles than I have in a long time.
We still have a long way to go, and there are absolutely problems that plague every community, college or otherwise, across the country. There's an endless road ahead of us now, one that will present new challenges, frightening situations, and a fight for what is right, but even on the worst days, I think back to Abraham Lincoln. We might be frustrated, we might be sad, we might be angry and we might be frightened, but you know what? He probably was too? And somehow, just like we have every other time we've faced a challenge as a country, we'll come out on the other side somehow, because this isn't the end of America. It's just another bump in the road.
