Nation Comes First

By Thomas Tiger Zhong,  Courier Co-Editor-in-Chief

Unexpectedly for many Californians, Donald J. Trump rose to power as the president-elect on November 8th, 2016, and many struggle to settle with the idea of a Trump administration.

As the election season closes, we look back at the polarizing process.  From ads filled with personal attacks, to talk show hosts mocking candidates, people’s attention fueled the turning of politics into theater.  Controversies, as serious as Clinton’s emails, and as absurd as Trump’s hand size, stirred the American public within the two major parties.  Sander’s wildly successful campaign tore apart the Democratic party, while Trump’s offensive rhetorics and his unclear political identity pushed Republicans away.  When Clinton and Trump became their party nominees, tension rose from regional to national.  The three presidential debates, along with many more controversies, thickened the heated polarization until the election day, and as the result rolled in, even more chaos came.  In major cities across the nation, many walked onto streets and protested to voice their opinions.  Logan students planned several walkouts to the city hall and the Union City police station to protest against the presidency that does not represent them and the voicelessness of teenagers in the political world.  Republicans in blue states are targeted and attacked, while Democrats consider secession and re-election.

However, I want to ask everyone to think logically, not reject emotionally.  We the nation, as founded by the Fathers, were built on the premise of upholding a nation before anything else.  Otherwise, our great nation would only fall apart into factions, leading to further polarization.  Polarization, which has been worsened by the election, should not arise from our differing political identities.  The shared national identities of all of us, apart from our labels Democrats or Republicans, should be America’s top priority.  Priority as protest and secession would only lead the nation backward, rather forward.  Forward is the only way to fight and achieve for what we believe in.

In your sorrow, I ask you:

To grieve is not to deny.

To worry is not to fear.

To embrace is not to give in.

To unite is not to lose.

Hillary Clinton says in her concession speech: “[t]o the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this. I have…spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I have had successes and I have had setbacks. Sometimes really painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your professional public and political careers. You will have successes and setbacks, too. This loss hurts but please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.”