This Election Probably Isn’t About You

November 6th would’ve gone down in history no matter who won the election. If Kamala Harris was elected, the USA would have witnessed the first female and South Asian candidate to be elected. If Donald Trump won, this would’ve been the first president to have been impeached twice and first convicted felon to be elected.

Unfortunately, we’re witnessing the latter. 

I’ve spent the day grappling with the news and navigating conversations with family members. As I tried to unravel the complex things I was feeling, one main thread of thought kept coming back to me.

This election reminded me that a man with power will always be stronger than a woman with power. 

Donald Trump has more than bad ethics going against him, and yet, he was still able to come out notorious. To some, this only means that Trump is a strong candidate, but to me, it shows how our country has been built fundamentally on the idea that a man can do no wrong. 

Kamala Harris is not the perfect candidate that people have been illustrating her as. Her career is filled with inconceivable actions, yet, why do we hold her accountable and not Donald Trump?

I see this election as a reminder that qualifications and intelligence don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. We can teach our kids that good always defeats evil, but that has never been the case.

If you are celebrating this election, please take a minute to stop thinking about yourself. 

I’ve never been more aware of my privilege as a white woman. In New Jersey, I don’t fear for abortion rights or lgbtq+ rights. I’m not afraid of what the future holds, but just because I’m not worried about my rights doesn’t mean I shouldn’t worry about someone else’s. 

Our society thrives on individualism and that’s how we got to where we are today. We’re no longer in it together, if that’s ever been the case. It’s about the rich getting richer and the poor staying poor. 

I remind you today that this election isn’t about the people who are going to be fine no matter what happens. This election is about the people who are scared for the future. 

Power is a tricky thing invented by men. It was never meant for anyone besides the white man. It’s taken centuries for us to get to where we are, and now we’re about to let insecure men send us right back to the start.

Power should not threaten people’s lives, yet that’s all it does in this country.

Open your eyes and realize the world doesn’t revolve around you. 

We let Kamala run her campaign solely on abortion laws, but there’s more at stake than just women’s rights. Our healthcare and education system, our economy (whether you think so or not), and the climate are all at risk. 

I couldn’t ignore the foreshadowing Mother Nature layed out for us today. On the day that the candidate who can irreversibly change the Earth’s climate direction, it was 70 degrees in November. If today isn’t a reminder that our Earth is hanging on by a thread, let me be it for you.