As a political science major and a student in the class “Election 2020”, I had been following this election quite closely. This election was quite unprecedented, to say the least, due to the global pandemic, increased voting by mail and racial injustice protests across the country. Therefore, I was on the edge of my seat on November 3rd, as votes were being counted, and projections were being made for which candidate would win each state. As expected, we did not get the results of the election that same night. The close race combined with the increasing voter by mail left us in suspense as we waited days to hear who won the election. On the morning of November 7th, as I was on my way to get brunch with my friends, an article from the New York Times came onto my feed: “Joe Biden Has Won the 2020 Presidential Election.” The wait was finally over and the winner was finally declared. When I found out the results of the election, I was relieved. Although the election was close, which is disheartening, I feel that the results of the election showed that hope and unity can triumph over hatred and bigotry. In the words of CNN correspondent Van Jones: “Well it’s easier to be a parent this morning [November 7th]. It’s easier to be a dad this morning. It’s easier to tell your kids, ‘Character matters, being a good person matters.’”
So what now? Where do we go from here? I am excited to see where the future takes us and to see if there will be a sense of unity restored to the United States, but with President Trump spewing false claims of voter fraud and refusing to concede, a happy ending to this story seems unrealistic. In all honesty, I am not sure if the intense polarization and hatred in the United States will subside. After all, the Civil War ended around 155 years ago, yet racism and racial inequality still plague our society. The effects of the Trump administration will have long-lasting effects on the country. From rebuilding relationships with our allies to trying to strengthen efforts to combat coronavirus, the new Biden administration has a lot on their plate, and with Trump refusing to cooperate with the transition team, Biden’s job is becoming more difficult. It is going to take much longer than one four year term of a Biden presidency for the United States to heal. This past year has been trying to say the least, and this Trump presidency has completely changed my perspective of the United States as a whole. When I look at the American flag, I no longer see an emblem of liberty and freedom, but a symbol of hate and partisanship. A flag paraded around by many of Trump’s supporters who condone white supremacy and racism. It is difficult to love a country where so much hate and animosity resides. I would like to think that people can unite behind the idea of America, a land of freedom and liberty as we move into this new era. However, that is difficult when we all have drastically different views of what America is and what it stands for.
