After an extremely divided political campaign in the United States, Donald Trump has come out as the winner of the 2016 presidential election. This result is particularly controversial and carries a lot of anxiety among citizens. Although the presidency has limited powers, and this is a reassurance for those who support the opposing party, the American people are not satisfied that Republicans have also taken control of the two chambers of Congress.
Without the system of checks and balances, it could guarantee absolute power of the Republican party. A lot of Republican members of Congress do not agree with Trump’s propositions, but they feel obligated and pressured to vote along party lines. The level of anxiety has also risen among the Latinx, LGBT, Muslim and female community thanks to the election results.
One of the worries of the American people is the extremely radical policies. Mike Pence has announced that he wants to take back the same-sex marriage decision and Trump wants to appoint Supreme Court justices that will eradicate the Roe v. Wade decision. Policies like “stop and frisk” present a problem for citizen’s liberties in their daily lives. The policies that give rights to the LGBT community and women are going to be subject to change. Since the liberals will have a limited voice, the groups mentioned above will be particularly vulnerable to the changes that affect them directly. A lot of people have expressed their fear to live in a country where they are not recognized and do not have a voice.
During his campaign, Trump has attacked minorities directly. His constant narrative about illegal immigrants and his intention to deport them has caused a change in the lives of the Latinx community. Latinos, in particular, have been affected by the hate speech against them, and this has been demonstrated at elementary school levels — bullying of students of color has increased. A lot of Latino students, regardless of their legal status, have been defamed because their classmates tell them that Trump is going to send them to their home country. Muslim students have also experienced similar situations, being called terrorists, and are mistreated because of their religion and culture. The families in these communities wonder about the quality of their futures in this country and are not sure of their place in this new America.
The phrase, “Make America Great Again,” generates a number of questions, like “Who really has a right in this country?” All citizens are guaranteed their rights under the Constitution but, thanks to this election, a man whose limited knowledge about minorities and their problems now has power, causing panic and tension among these communities.
The most important question of the election is if Donald Trump could be a president that represents all types of Americans. The months leading up to his inauguration are going to be stressful and full of concern for those that don’t support the direction he is going to take this country. But in the end, whether you voted for Trump or Hillary Clinton, all American citizens need to remember that we all belong to the same country. The divide will only bring more problems and we should work together, be tolerant, understand the fears of our neighbors and denounce injustices to press the government to not be so extreme.
