While watching the election results roll in with the rest of the school in the Union, there was one sentence that kept recurring among the group I sat with—“If Trump wins, I’m moving to _____.” The blank was usually some European country where everything seems perfect, but there were a few friends talking about Australia, or Chile, or the classic Canada. I joined in too, announcing that I’m moving to Stockholm. In fact, I was looking at job postings in Stockholm earlier in the day. And why shouldn’t I move to Sweden, one of the best countries in the world for women, where there is universal health care and a six-hour workday? Why would I stay in an America ruled by Donald Trump? Moving abroad seems like an obvious solution to the problem.
Then I checked my privilege, since moving abroad is only a solution to my problem. I’m not from a population that is up against serious danger or increased marginalization. Although my access to birth control may become more difficult, my life realistically isn’t facing any dramatic changes.
While I recognize this privilege, we as Davidson students must also recognize the privilege inherent in the rhetoric regarding making the move to Canada or a similar country. Davidson students are global citizens, game changers, and passionate about the things that they care about. Ideally, Davidson students are the change that they want to see. And for that reason, America needs Davidson students to fight. Now is not the time to flee for the sole reason that you are not pleased with our president-elect.
This keeps bringing me back to the words of Issac Bailey, a Davidson graduate and journalist who addressed the senior class this year at convocation. In case you didn’t go, Bailey kept coming back to the mantra “fight when you must, dance when you can.” He urged us to stand with others in their discomfort, instead of retreating into our own personal comfort, and to fight with those who cannot dance right now. We could leave the country, find our personal comfort abroad, and grow our cultural capital, or we can stand in the discomfort and uncertainty that America as a country faces. We can fight alongside those who are tired of fighting. We can work together to create the kind of country that we need right now.
We want to jump ship since it seems like the ship will sink. But the hole in this sinking ship could very well be remedied or have its damage lessened by a plug. We are the people that can find or work together to build that plug and work to amplify the marginalized voices to create a country that we wish to live in.
I realize that this all sounds optimistic and that optimism is a feeling that not everyone has the privilege to experience right now. But if you are thinking of leaving America just because of a Trump presidency, I ask that you reconsider. Think of ways that you can ally yourself with those who are genuinely at risk.
And if you are feeling helpless but want to direct your efforts to something more meaningful than your travel plans, consider donating money or time to one of these about-to-be-marginalized organizations. Learn as much as you can about local government and what to look for in the next election cycle. And remember, we are all in this together.
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