The election is over, the Presidential Inauguration is in our pasts, and a new United States President sits now in the White House; nonetheless, the divisive war of politics continues.
Aside from my personal political views, I agree that this election has brought up the worst of us. From lost friendships to burnt buildings, the elections of 2016 has to be one of the most memorable presidential runs in history.
Due to my inability to cast my vote, I placed myself as a spectator and not so much as a game player during these past elections, which, to be honest, lifted a huge weight off my shoulders; I can only imagine how hard it was for half of the country to make that huge decision.
From the beginning, we knew what VCU was all about: diversity. From a little after the first day of classes, it was like a tsunami of opinions and judgment coming from every direction toward all different beliefs among the student body at VCU, and as one would expect, liberals flooded the city with every type of political expression.
Democrat voices became louder and louder around campus, and anyone with a different opinion was shut down by his/her own peers. Suddenly the color of your party defined the color of people you liked most. "You're a racist, you're a bigot, you're ignorant" among many other things you, apparently, turned into once you told your friends who you were thinking of voting for. Right before my eyes, I saw many friendships, even relationships, break up due to different political views. Since when did your political affiliations define you as a person?
"We get it." said a current VCU student "all your posts about equality, your name calling, your unapologetic riots... You're trying to make your voice heard, it's your right, right? You love Trump's hate, you want to give voice to the minorities while marching with the majority of the school on your side, you love embracing the rights of other — As long as their beliefs are the same as yours. I avoid telling people what I believe, just so I can keep them in my life. I feel like my opinion is not important, because I am not as loud, and because I think differently"
Now, more than ever is the time to be united. I understand that there is fear and there are doubts of what the future may bring; but, dear Ram, regardless of what you believe in, and whatever political colors you represent, you are not alone. Let's make it real together.
P.S Many students with strong opinions about this topic decided not to participate in the article, in fear of having to transfer schools.
