This election is seriously stressing me out. I’m the type of person that watches the news every day, I get news alerts on my phone and I have a select number of reporters that I follow on social media. I am very attuned to what is going on in the United States and abroad as well. That is why this election not only stresses me out, but it terrifies me as well. This past week Donald Trump has been riling up his supporters by claiming the election is rigged and to watch polling places closely for voter fraud or suspicious activity, whatever that means. The reality is, Trump is beating himself. There is no secret conspiracy and the media is not out to get republicans. Through challenging the integrity of our voting system, Trump, and his supporters are challenging our very democracy.

Donald Trump is failing because of Donald Trump and he will lose because he can’t just seem to get out of his own way. This newly unshackled candidate that we are seeing is scary. What scares me the most is his supporters. A few have been quoted saying they will be watching the polling locations and essentially taking part in racial profiling.

Now, I live in Indiana and have so my entire life. There is a multitude of Trump supporters near my polling area. I see their “Make America Great” signs as I am driving and I can’t help but wonder if one of them will be attempting to intimidate me on November 8^th. I have faced racism before. I’ve been called things like “Sand N**ger, beaner, and literally any other derogatory thing you can say about Mexicans I have been called. Even though I am half Indian and not Hispanic, it doesn’t matter. I look a certain way and therefore am placed in a certain category by people like that Trump supporter in the above quote.

I’m not one to back down or be intimidated by words or threats such as these, but I am actually nervous for election day. What if someone thinks I can’t “speak American” and attempts to intimidate me and do whatever else he or she deems fit? This election has officially divided people in this country and if you don’t look like what people think an American should look like, then you are subject to not only voter intimidation but blatant racism by Trump and his supporters. By claiming the election is rigged he is planting the seed in many people’s mind that if he loses (which he will) it will be because of voter fraud and the media.

This is simply not true, but these seeds he is planting are sowing hatred and promoting propaganda. Donald Trump and his supporters are threatening our very democracy and constitution. At this point, this election is now about preserving our democracy and there is only one candidate challenging that. When it comes to election day, vote wisely. Don’t be afraid to vote, be afraid of what will happen if you don’t.