Editorial: A Year after Trump

By 17-18 Editorial Board|November 1, 2017

Photo credit: Anika Bhavnani

Protestors gather in front of the Indiana State Capitol on Nov. 12, 2016 — immediately following the election of Donald Trump. Almost a year later, the country is more divided than ever and unity among all is needed to prevent further tragedy.

“The people united will never be divided.”

This was the chant heard ‘round the world for weeks following the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Immediately after votes poured in, protests, counter-protests and impeachment efforts erupted all around the country.

But no matter how many times that chant has been shouted through megaphones from street corners and in headlines, our country appears to be more divided than ever.

Donald Trump’s presidency has already seen the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, four devastating hurricanes and numerous other significant events. While we understand Trump is not the culprit of these events, the division in this country continues to overwhelm us. As president, Trump should have been a uniting force in the face of tragedy, not a divisive one.

When Nazis are considered “very fine people” and peaceful NFL protesters are “sons of b*****s,” it is difficult to feel like we are living in a unified world. Trump’s clear favoritism towards conservative, white, Christian, heterosexual, American-born, cisgender men is not comforting to the millions of people who do not fit this category.

The president is obligated to represent all and make choices on behalf of all he governs, not solely promote his own political agenda. If Trump wants to last the next four years and enact meaningful change, he needs to reevaluate his current beliefs and practices; he should work on compromising with the entire American population.

 Radicals from all around the nation now feel emboldened to share harmful rhetoric since their president is supporting it. Trump’s divisive ways are being emulated in too many facets of society.

At Archer, we have been combating this harmful rhetoric effectively by increasing student-led affinity groups and clubs. From Latinx students to queer students to Jewish students, more minorities have been given a platform to voice their opinions and concerns in the Archer community.  

People have been more willing to share what offends them, what we the school can improve on and how to be a successful ally. Student attendance, but especially teacher attendance, at Black Student Union [BSU] meetings have been at an all time high according to BSU Executive Board Member Dominique White ‘18.

Archer students are becoming more active and engaged in learning about others and are willing to truly listen and change their ways based on the information they learn at school. This positive outlook on issues allows the Archer community to grow as a unit and understand peers’ different perspectives. Hearing from those you love and respect is a great way to enact change because it brings humanity to the massive problems we see all around us.  

Similar to the practices we are learning at Archer, there needs to be more peaceful discourse in our country about understanding different political and social concerns. Shedding light on global issues in need of acknowledgment and creating an open dialogue will progress our nation. Rather than negatively charged rhetoric, the nation should embrace effective conversation just like the Archer community is doing. Voices should be used to unite during this time of polarization and conflict, not further divide.