At the time of writing, there are only four days till the US election, and studying remotely from the USA, it’s all anyone can talk about. You’ll begin a conversation about cupcakes and easily veer towards ‘who do you think is going to win?’ Every YouTube video I watch begins with an ad backing the re-election of my local representative, or one from the opposition criticising him. Switch on the local news and it’s all about who’s leading in the polls and who endorsed who.
I’m in New Jersey, a state which hasn’t voted Republican since 1988, and yet the political division is evident everytime I walk down my local high street. A Democrat running for local council proudly displays her reelection sign in her window, with her neighbour displaying a large Trump-Pence sign in his front garden. I’ve only lived in America for two years, but it feels as though the country has gotten more and more divided since I’ve been here. The handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the confirmation of a new Supreme Court justice a week before the election are key issues that have divided the nation. It’s saddening seeing the country so split up.
Having only lived in America for a short while, I can’t vote. It’s frustrating having a vision for this country and being unable to work towards that at the ballot box. Yet it’s heartwarming to see people who can vote doing so- people I know and those I don’t. Seeing people’s voting selfies and ‘I voted’ stickers. Hearing about Pizza to the Polls- an organisation sending free pizza to polling places with long lines. People in Philadelphia (an hour from me) doing the Cha-Cha Slide while waiting in line to vote. Seeing people who can’t vote use their voice in other ways- making calls on behalf of their representatives or donating to nonprofits.
I can’t say I’m a history buff, but there’s a quote from Abraham Lincoln that really sums up my feelings- ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ In the midst of what’s being described as one of the most important elections in years, this quote rings true today. At the moment America is so divided, and this division is only hindering the country. While the country is not a monolith and it would be impossible to get everyone to agree, it is my hope that the results of the election will bring positive change. My vision of America is one of unity- united in our efforts to fight the pandemic, united against intolerance and hate. It is the United States after all.