Opinion
2016 election indicates a regression of tolerance
By Eva Lynch-Comer ’19
October 27, 2016
Tags opinion
This past Tuesday, Oct. 25, the Bias Incident Report team sent an all campus email describing an incident where a student “was subjected to comments from 8-10 men” who were outside of the Howard Diner. These comments were “sexually and racially harassing in nature.” After reading about this, I felt outraged, angry and sad for the student who had to deal with this treatment. What is even more sad, is that I am used to hearing about incidents similar to this one. The recently-released recording of Donald Trump talking about sexually assaulting women is quite similar. His words are fresh in my mind.
My question is, why, in 2016 are these things still happening? Why, in this day and age, are women still subjected to sexual and racial harassment? How is it that this is acceptable in any way shape or form in the United States of America? We are supposed to be a progressive nation that seeks to liberate all those with a history of oppression and all those who have been exploited. Yet today, unarmed black mens’ lives are being systematically ripped away. Our presidential candidate Donald Trump is using rhetoric of racism, islamophobia, sexism, ableism, bigotry and unthinkable hate that is unacceptable for a person who is supposed to represent the United States and run our country. What do other countries think of us, with a presidential candidate such as Donald Trump? What do our youth think?
Right now, there are mixed messages as to what we as a nation stand for and believes in. Trump’s behavior and his perpetuation of sexism are a reflection of the misogyny and intolerance still present today in the U.S. Is this how we want other countries and the youth of this nation to view us? As a people who will tolerate the dehumanization of women and other oppressed groups? Trump has repeatedly attacked women all the time, half of our population, so why is he still allowed to run for president?
As a person with intersecting identities -- I am a Black and Latina woman -- I am disappointed with where we are now and I wonder how this resurgence of hate will impact our future and children today. After some research, I found a study made by the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center entitled, “The Trump Effect: The Impact of the Presidential Campaign on Our Nation’s Schools.” The study found that the campaign is causing children of color to feel more anxious and scared in school. The campaign is “inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom.” They surveyed 2,000 K-12 teachers and found that more than 40 percent were reluctant to teach about this year’s election, and more than one-third noticed an increase in anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant sentiment. More than two-thirds of the teachers reported that students—who were mainly Muslims, immigrants or children of immigrants—expressed their concerns about what would happen to them after the election. They said that while some children are fearful, others are chanting “Trump” as they bully others. Through this study we are able to see that some of Trump’s influence has extended to the classroom, negatively impacting the youth of our nation.
I feel as though we have regressed as a nation. I remember learning about our country in elementary, middle and high school. I learned that our nation wasn’t founded on equality, but oppression. But I always felt that this country at least likes to keep up the image that we value the lives of everyone and seek equality for all. Now, it seems that the image doesn’t matter anymore and everything has gone awry. The French journalist Jean- Baptiste Alphonse Karr said, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” and I am seeing that to be true.
I have to wonder, at what point will enough be enough? I am tired of hearing about Black unarmed men being murdered. I am tired of hearing all the horrible things our presidential candidate has to say about women, immigrants, Muslims, Latinx people and other marginalized groups. We are all beautiful beings of power, and we all deserve to have our humanity respected and acknowledged—not stripped away by a presidential candidate. I shake as I write this article, from anger but also because I am afraid. Myself and other marginalized people live in fear and it is unjust. We seek to live healthy and full lives but we can’t. History is repeating itself, we are re-visiting the darkest parts of our history, and it is most unsettling and disheartening.