Somehow, Donald Trump is leading the GOP Primary by 13 points.
It's 2016. And a man who wants to force out immigrants, catalog refugee's into a database (*cough* much like Jews being forced to wear stars during the Holocaust), has basically shrugged off sexual assault as just a thing that happens when men and women are together, has degraded and objectified women throughout his entire career, and has openly mocked people of disability could very possibly be our next president.
I'm sorry, what?
I'm not big on politics. Slowly, however, this is beginning to change. I don't pretend to have all the answers here. But I am observant and a critical thinker, so using those skills, I've been able to try and figure out just why Trump is leading. Though, at the end of the day, I'm still at a loss.
It's 2016 and the election this year has never been more important. Let me rephrase that: the millennium vote has never been more important. Because here's the thing: almost every single one of my peers is astounded by how Trump is in the lead. Absolutely flabbergasted. But the generation before us? Our parents and grandparents who have been engaged in politics for longer than we've been alive?
Well. You ask how. That's how. Millennium's are not the majority vote, but they certainly should be. Even if our parents aren't particularly inclined to Trump, they're still curious. And you know, that's valid. We should be interested in these candidates.
Trump is gleefully making headlines by insulting and ridiculing and then laughing it off while his toupee rustles in the wind and the polls just keep getting higher.
You see, I haven't seen anything about Hillary Clinton in weeks. Or Bernie Sanders. And honestly, I can't tell you the names of other candidates without Googling it and that's where a big problem is. Trump is in the lead because, by a large majority, he's getting a hell of a ton more press than everyone else. But to me, it took about .2 seconds of interest before I realized that if Trump was president, we would basically resort to Hitler's Germany. Our parents? Well, they're somehow not so annoyed.
I've been told by people that they respect Trump for speaking his mind and standing up for what he believes in. It's a free country, after all, he can say what he wants. True. But here's what I think:
I think he's affirming the bigots, the racists, the violent and the power hungry by simply agreeing with them. He's saying, "yes, your concerns about the Syrian refugees are valid, so let's take that fear that you have and go to the most extreme to fix it." So even the closet worriers about immigrants "taking over" the U.S. feel like their voice is being heard and they're suddenly engaged.
That's not how our generation is wired, though. Nor should it be.
Our generation is wired for compassion, for justice and ultimately, for love. Christian or not, I've seen our country unite people over the past couple years and come together to form one nation of hope and forgiveness. But have we once see Trump give grace? Have we seen him be anything by angry towards people who want to enter the country as they seek peace and freedom? Have we seen him open up his home or even his office for the concerns of the common man?
Yes, he has power. But he's using that power to instill and validate fear, which then, in turn, makes his supporters feel like they're in control. Is that what we want? To be scared of the man who's making decisions that affect our lives, our children's lives?
I'm not big on politics, but I will say this: to elect Donald Trump as our nation's next leader would be a grave mistake.
Besides, most people thought this whole thing was a joke and he wouldn't make it to the primary's, but here we are... Ashton Kutcher can pop out yelling that we've been punk'd at any time now.
