The Pain and Beauty of Trump's Presidency
(First posted June 17, 2020)
In the last four years, I watched my country unfold in ways I never thought were possible. I grew up believing rumors about the "land of the free" as a post-racial modern world of peace and acceptance. In his presidency thus far, Donald Trump, a blatant beacon of hate and prejudice, taught me that this isn't the country I thought it was. America isn't the country I was taught to believe it was. I realized my white privilege when I was 18 years old. Eighteen. Don't get me wrong; I always knew people of color had harder lives, but I didn't comprehend why until college.
I learned cold hard truths that have opened my eyes about this country:
I have never feared for my life around a police officer. Nor have I gotten pulled over without a valid reason.
I have never been told to act a certain way around the police.
I have never been watched in a store out of suspicion that I will steal something.
I have never felt like an outsider, or that I didn't belong, because of my race.
I have never had to consider how the color of my skin will put me in danger.
Once I was no longer blind to these facts, I knew that this isn't really "the land of the free". The reality is, as a white person, I have privilege that makes my life significantly easier. I didn't do anything to earn this privilege; I just happened to be born into a white family. My unprecedented privilege has given me access to incredible opportunities at the expense of minority groups. Although I consider myself incredibly hardworking, motivated and driven, these characteristics aren't why I've had so many opportunities in this country. My privilege is truly why so many possibilities, experiences, and internships have essentially been handed to me.
In educating myself on this topic, I've understood a hard truth: Every opportunity I've had occurs at the expense of minority groups in America. Don't get me wrong, it's not easy to recognize that. For white people, it's not their work ethic, ambition, or abilities that build success and fortune. White people owe their success to a system made in their favor, a system that limits people of color from the same opportunities.
It breaks my heart that people will live completely different lives just because of some superficial differences like skin color. It will never make sense to me that, just because of my melanin, I will never be criminalized, racially discriminated against, or defined by my race instead of a human being. Donald Trump is the walking embodiment of white privilege, dominance, power, and ignorance. After growing up in the Obama administration, Trump revealed the white dominance that this country was shaped upon, and how power is truly left in the white man's hands.
Trump proved to me that American society prioritizes white lives, and those with power can do anything. When I refer to people with power, I mean white, male, straight, and rich. Donald Trump, who is all of those things, has injected so much hate into this nation without even breaking a sweat. It is men like Trump who can become president, governing the country tailored to their privilege.
This presidency has been an emotional rollercoaster for me, especially as I continue to educate myself in politics. For a couple of years, I was embarrassed to be an American. I was ashamed of my country for electing this man, and I was embarrassed by my country for tolerating racism, homophobia, sexism, and discrimination in a land that cherishes "equality." I stopped celebrating the fourth of July, I stopped reciting the national anthem, and no longer felt proud to be an American. I felt very strongly in my belief that, with Trump in office, there is no reason to celebrate America. In the last few years, I've witnessed police brutality and racism thrive, gun laws go untouched after countless school shootings, LGBTQ+ discrimination be legalized, and the government control women's bodies.
Trump has taught me that, with power and privilege, anything is possible. He has allowed so much hate and oppression to freely exist just because he can. I always thought that America was a country where anything is possible, especially growing up with the first black president. The education system doesn't teach you about your privilege, or really anything beyond slavery or Jim Crow laws. I believed that America was a land of opportunity, diversity, and possibility. In finally recognizing these realities, I didn't want to associate myself with my country anymore. I genuinely believed that America had to be the laughing stock of the world. With Trump representing this country as a whole, I wondered what other nations must think of us.
Recent events have made me reconsider what it means to be an American, and that my mindset doesn't have to be so hopeless. In the past few weeks, I've realized one great aspect of Trump's presidency. While he has divided the nation, his actions have shown the potential of this country. In the face of hate, my outlook has changed into feelings of hope, especially with my generation. Donald Trump has uncovered how resilient Generation Z is and how we respond to evil and inspire the world to listen.
Despite the bump in the road that is Donald Trump, my generation is a beacon of hope that America can genuinely work towards being "the land of the free." Growing up alongside the technological revolution, America's youth is accustomed to always being connected. In the last few weeks, I've witnessed my peers use social media to advocate for BLM, educate themselves, and use their voices to fight. Social media has been a tool to organize protests, fundraise, and spread a message for progression.
I believe, with my generation as future leaders, America can change. Generation Z can make a difference, fight against injustice, educate themselves, and project their truths with just a couple clicks of a button. Generation Z is unique in that they will never know a world without technology. While being the "guinea pigs" of the technological revolution has many downsides, these modern tools have kept America's youth connected, educated, and aware. My generation is left to clean up the mess that older generations left behind. We have access to limitless resources that show how our Earth has been mistreated. Young activists like Greta Thunberg are demanding change, and modern means of media and communication have allowed these messages to be heard. Teenagers like Thunberg show that this generation is angry, educated, and unafraid to speak up.
We aren't strangers to trauma and heartbreak, being the first generation to fear for our lives in the classroom. In the last few years, I've witnessed an exponential increase in students losing their lives to gun violence. School shootings became a reoccurring nightmare that the world eventually became desensitized to. Innocent children were brutally murdered again and again, and Donald Trump's approach, or lack thereof, contributed to my disappointment in this country. Older generations never had to do lockdown drills or seminars in the case of a school shooter. My educational experience heavily consisted of fear and uneasiness, something older generations simply cannot relate with. The loud thud of a textbook falling on the floor is enough to put students in a state of panic. When the power went out at my school one day, my first thought was, "Is there a school shooter?"
What frustrates me the most is this: It doesn't matter how many innocent people are killed or how terrified students may feel in school. The NRA is a huge revenue source not just for Trump, but for many politicians and leaders. Protecting the right to bear arms has proven to be a priority over the lives of innocent children. After a shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School took 17 lives, students like Emma Gonzalez exhibit how young people can, will, and are changing the world. A group of students formed the March for Our Lives movement, and their stories, voices, and messages were heard around the world. Generation Z was able to bring millions of Americans together to fight against gun violence and protest the lack of care and action from the government leaders. Watching Donald Trump remain unfazed, I despised my country and it's self-serving leaders. My outlook changed once I stopped defining American society by its leaders, but rather the people.
Watching teenagers in this country respond to instances of hate made me realize that Donald Trump's actions don't define or represent American ideals like I initially thought. Instead, America is defined by how people have responded to hate and prejudice, especially the youth. The upside to Trump's presidency is that it's illustrated that America's future will not tolerate injustice and won't hesitate to fight. Trump's administration has only encouraged more young people to vote, become interested in politics, and sparked an awareness that American culture gives power to privileged, straight, rich white men who can do whatever they want.
Donald Trump has shown how American people respond to oppression, and his time in office has given me immense amounts of hope for this country. With guidance from media outlets, Generation Z is more aware of social issues. Technology is a tool to educate young people on topics that our biased education system fails to do. Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, the media has allowed informative and crucial messages about racism to dominate the internet. My generation is eager and excited to understand white privilege, modern means of oppression, and systematic racism. Recent events have given me a newfound sense of hope for America and its future leaders.
I've realized that Donald Trump doesn't represent or define the United States. Despite the racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and ignorance this man possesses, the last four years have captured the American people's resilience, power, and strength. Donald Trump's actions are a mere obstacle that only fuels the growing power, passion, and drive of our future leaders. As someone who plans to go to law school, this presidency has inspired me to work hard and educate myself, so I can make a change in a country that clearly and desperately needs it.