Previously I was not very interested in politics, specifically the presidential campaign. Personally, I always thought that the subject was very dry. During the past few months, this idea has completely changed. To say it lightly, it has been an interesting campaign, mainly for Donald Trump. Donald Trump’s campaign has taken the “fight” for presidency to a completely different level. Because of this, I personally believe that I have learned a lot from just keeping up on social media and the news on Trump’s efforts to become president. Here is what I have learned:
1. Someone can gain respect for speaking their mind
When Trump first entered the election, after hearing his initial comments, I remember thinking to myself “Is he serious?” However, though these comments were controversial, they were also those politicians would not say. America learned that this attribute was something that would set Clinton and Trump apart. In fact, we also learned that many of his supporters claim that they vote for Trump simply because he does speak his mind.
My only issue with Trump speaking his mind is that his comments are completely closed-minded. For example, many of us heard his comments on John McCain, as he stated “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured." People say that this is a classic example of Donald Trump speaking his mind. Though that may be true, it doesn’t justify his statement. John McCain spent over five years in imprisonment and torture, and I find it absolutely disrespectful for Mr. Trump to make comments like this. After the horrific attack in Orlando, Donald Trump tweeted “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islam." I don’t think there is anything for me to say here, as I think this quote says it all about Donald Trump’s character.
But it looks like when Trump speaks his mind, he gets more votes. In my opinion, speaking your mind to advocate the injustices in the world is very respectable. However, as a presidential nominee, even though he is able to gain some affinity with the comments he makes from one group of people, he is alienating the Americans he wishes to serve.
2. The impact someone influential can have on a young generation
As I started school this year, I have heard so many kids talking about the campaign. Just yesterday, a student was wearing a shirt that said “Hillary for Prison” and a hat which read “Make America great again”. I think that Trump’s campaign is so different that it has impacted the younger generations. Never before have I seen elementary and middle school children so interested in a matter of politics. Last year my friends and I were discussing the campaign, and we started talking about Trump’s controversial comments on different races. One of my friends explained to us that she is scared that Trump will become president, as she doesn’t know what that will mean for her and her family.
Many kids posted on social media their fear of Trump becoming president, as they too do not know what that will mean for their family. A survey showed that during this election “more than one-third [of the teachers] have observed an increase in anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant sentiment.” The same survey also heard a heartbreaking story from a Latino boy, who is 5 years old. Many kids have told him that he will be deported and trapped behind the wall; this same boy asks his teachers every day, “Is the wall here yet?” Ultimately, according to splcenter, “[teachers] worry that the election is making them [the kids] ‘less trusting of government’ or ‘hostile to opposing points of view,' or that children are ‘losing respect for the political process.’”
Trump has influenced so many people. We have seen it all from heated arguments to physical fights (i.e the Chicago Donald Trump Rally). It has been horrific to see it all. But now it is reaching down to younger generations. Whether some accept it or not, kids are modeling the behavior of political candidates and are going to bring controversial topics about the election to school. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump does have influential power. But I think the way he uses that power is damaging to all of our citizens.
3. When people are supporting an individual, they disregard his/her drawbacks
Without a doubt, we have seen drawbacks from Donald Trump; for example, the risk his anti-Muslim expressions pose to foreign relations and national security. Though many believe that Trump is a very honest candidate, many have said time after time that some fact checking would show that he is not a very honest candidate. And his extremely discriminatory remarks (i.e most Mexicans “are rapists”) are also an issue with Trump. Trump has also made several sexist comments (i.e his comment on Megyn Kelly,"you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever") during his campiagn.When addressing these issues, Trump supporters basically say something along the lines of “He didn’t mean it. He wasn’t trying to be harmful.” Never before has a presidential nominee been able to say these things and been able to escape with little to no consequences. As the president, one should be serious with every comment he or she makes. If we as citizens have to assume when the president is being serious or not serious, then we shouldn’t depend on a nominee like Donald Trump. What I think is most interesting is that many people support Trump solely because he speaks his mind. But when he does speak his mind and it’s clearly wrong, his supporters simply claim that he didn’t mean it and/or wasn’t serious.
Like I said, I was never fond of politics, but after watching this year’s election I have gained the understanding of the importance of politics. So thank you Donald Trump, you really have opened my eyes to the world of politics today. (#sarcasm)
