Let me start off by premising myself as a liberal-moderate who has yet to vote in any election. After the past few years, I’ve been hesitant to vote, but as of right now? Well... let me get back to you on that.
Across the nation, one man with the palette of a suited-orangutan is sweeping polls and parties apart like a blistering vortex — using a smoldering gale of (what I call) ignorance. Obviously enough, the man is Donald Trump. Already a household name, this man has split the closest of friends with his especially-gargantuan presence, innovating a new era of political awareness for the United States of America.
Whether you love or hate him, it can no longer be denied (at least to me), Donald Trump is taking the GOP nomination, and yuppie, liberal voters helped give him the position.
Yes. You did, government and law guy who wants to work for the NAACP. Yes. You did, too, girl who bought three copies of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg coloring book. Yes. You did, every single student, wandering the halls of libraries and academic buildings humming songs from "Hamilton." You have all let Donald Trump win.
“Not so!” you say vehemently. “That can’t be so! I would never vote for Trump!”
Well of course you wouldn’t. That would upheave your staunchly-liberal personality. You would never vote for a man who re-tweets Mussolini (see here) quotes, right? You would never support a man who says a female reporter like Megyn Kelly (see here) bleeds out of her ears, yes? You would never even give the time of day to a man who directly refers to his own ding-dong size (see here) on national TV, of course? Obviously not.
But you’ve let him win, and here’s why.
You’ve only spent time in an atmosphere that confirms your own biases, filling up your stomach with regurgitated factoids about Hillary-this or Bernie-that. You’ve tumbled headlong into the Tumblr void, followed enough Facebook posts to fill up a Sea World tank, thumbs-upped enough YouTube attack ads to fill up a Netflix queue. Yet where has it all led when your seven or eight — also staunchly-liberal — comrades share your links with seven or eight other Donkey Party fans?
In actuality — it accomplishes nothing. A Gallup article from 2012 (see here) explained that since 2009–2010, there’s become a failing in Democratic voters. Many have gone on to become the common American, millennial voter — an “independent” voter — but some have gone over to the other side. This has led to a sweltering Republican-opinion majority — in states, voters and national mentality.
Yet, when liberals sit around and reproduce Bernie memes on their home pages, or Hillary buttons to flaunt about their liberal arts colleges, they come no closer to stopping what some have called the “Trumpocalypse.” They are, in fact, furthering the gap between two polarized parties.
There is a disappointingly strong dissenting of opinions in the American people, and far too-much demonizing — but on both ends. Liberal students hardly do more, it seems, than watch comedic geniuses like Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Steven Colbert, Larry Wilmore, Bill Maher and so many others eloquently break down public gaffes made by conservative figures, and say what is so painfully obvious to see in these clips — politicians, like all people, are fallible figures.
But what these laughable sets forget to discuss is how there is a strong, bloodthirsty sense of warmongering emanating from the youth of America, a sense that frightens elderly members of the political system. Yes, we want to end racism. Yes, we want women to receive equal rights and pay. Yes, we want people of differing gender identities to receive fair recognition. But our methods of dealing with the ignorant have gotten sloppy. It’s no longer a moral crusade — it’s just a crusade. Every other day is some Armageddon or Ragnarok, with a filthy mass of discontent people trying to upheave the political system as if it were the Reign of Terror, waiting to axe of the head of the rotting fish.
But just like the Reign of Terror — while poignant in case — will lead to pointless bloodshed. Eventually, I fear, all discontent voters will become “independent,” a badge that says we’ve checked out, instead of checking in from a different location.
What will happen to all of us, if we can’t rationally speak together across party lines and force ourselves to accept some type of compromise? Even our greatest presidents had to find ways to force fairness to all people — minority, majority or otherwise. It’s their job to do the lawmaking, but it’s our job to elect the lawmakers. Let’s do it right, starting with this election.
Trump could very well win the GOP nomination. Is it bad for Republican voters? Not in the slightest — they’ll be a more unified and innovative party than ever by electing the dark horse candidate? Does it spell the end of Democratic voters? Do we have to all move to Canada and hope the nuclear blast range doesn’t get us? Do we have to make one last post before old Donald shuts down our social media sites and wipes his clementine-colored buttocks with the Declaration of Independence?
Not even in the slightest. We’ve had whack job presidents before (see here), and we’ve survived as a country. Let’s not forget what makes America great: The freedom to disagree with tooth and nail, the freedom to think whatever you’d like — even if it isn’t liberally ideal — and the freedom to choose the best path for either yourself or everybody else.
So go on, Young America. Do the best job you can, and don’t crack under the pressure of others to call Trump a “monster” or whatever other name I can’t type now without blushing. Instead, have a conversation with your parents, grandparents, neighbors and so on (when the time is right, naturally) about why you think that Donald is — or is not — the economically smart, safe or sane candidate to choose.
Happy voting.
