Alongside a new president Tuesday, America saw some of its most emotional and blatant display of opinions ever before seen as a result of a presidential election. Naturally, Manhattan was almost suicidal and NYU practically aflame. Hardly an hour had passed by since there hasn’t been a #lovetrumpshate rally marching down the street and tearful emotional breakdowns have been a regular occurrence since.
It’s a beautiful thing, to see people come together. Their passion for what they believe in is laudable; political activism beats thoughtless indifference any day. And it’s wonderful that we live in a country where these people can slew together a list of vitriolic insults about our next president, for we all know it’s not as if he hasn’t done the same. It’s beautiful that we live somewhere to assemble and protest, and say things such as #notmypresident.
But the hateful divide that has ensued is not so beautiful. The nation has not seen such a chasm as those With Her and those, not With Her probably since Civil War times. Though the abject close-mindedness and judgment of character based solely on voting choices plagues both major political parties, Manhattan, as to be expected, is much more so to be many Clinton supporters outright rejecting the validity of right-wingers as human beings. To illustrate, here are some quotes from conversations I ACTUALLY heard between my friends and peers:
- “Yes I loathe Donald Trump, but maybe we should at least try to understand the other side.” “Yeah but I don’t want to understand the other side.”
- “We’re dressing up as Donald Trump supporters for Halloween.”
- —Mid talent show— “Don’t clap! He voted for Donald Trump.”
- —mid-sob, mid-lecture— “My parents voted for Donald Trump and now I’m just so embarrassed I have to call them family.”
- Professor to students: “Do you think Donald Trump voters are real? Do any of you know one?”
- Different professor to students: “”Do you think Donald Trump supporters still deserve respect?”
- “You’re a Republican? I don’t like you then.”
We have become so vastly diverse in cultural background, why do we see no need for diversity of opinion? In such a politically correct place, where are the trigger warnings and safe spaces for those who have their dignity swiped from under their feet if they make a choice outside of the social norm of the region?
How do we know we’re not just brainwashed if no one ever comes to question our belief system? As John Stewart Mill argued, the popular opinion not debated is dead dogma. Yes Donald Trump has tarnished the name of the Republican party and often does not portray the personal morals we as Americans exemplify, but the Democratic party will internally implode if some of those identify it cannot control their emotions enough to accept the fact that many of those who disagree with them are indeed still intellectual human beings. We as Americans must realize that we all have similar intentions at heart; to bring the best to the most amount of people, however differently we may believe the best means to achieve these utilitarian ends are.
