Unless you’re living under a rock, you know this past week, the week of the November 3rd presidential election in the infamous year of 2020, is making history. What could be the closest race in history, is still undecided as several states continue counting their votes and others begin the process of recounting due to the extreme closeness of the race. As Americans, most of us are currently sitting at the edge of our seats, anxiously refreshing our live polling websites to see how the numbers are turning out, precinct by precinct, county by county, state by state.
It is an unusual time in our country as an election amidst a pandemic creates numerous complications for voting. An overwhelming number of Americans chose to vote early and/or by mail instead of heading to their local polling location on election day to avoid exposure to the coronavirus. In addition, the history of voter suppression has risen to the forefront of many conversations as Americans fear their votes will not be counted due to their ballots arriving past the count date, being lost in the mail, or worse, being thrown away or manipulated in the case of voter fraud.
The phrase “red America grew redder and blue America grew bluer” could not ring more true this election. It seems citizens of the United States have chosen their candidates and are opposing those of alternative parties with vengeance and in vast numbers. Threats of riots caused many businesses to board up their storefronts in anticipation of violence and unrest depending on which way the votes swing.
We cannot forget, as well, the torn voters: the people who were still teetering between candidates and unsure which name to mark even as they stood in the polling lines. This election is taking its toll on them, too, as they watch the news of passionate citizens loyal to their party making their views clear. These torn voters wonder in their uncertainty, hoping they will not later regret how they timidly cast their ballot.
America sits, waiting, anticipating, and hoping in impatience as the days continue to drag. Any way the election turns out will undoubtedly have an impact on each citizen, but what does that look like? No one knows.
What have we learned from the past days of historic moments? One thing is for sure: our nation is more divided than most of us have seen in our lifetimes. Those whom we thought we knew the best surprise us with their views which seem to contradict our own. But does this mean we cut off our friendship with them, slowing cornering ourselves into a small circle of those who only think in coherence with us? I hope not. If we look all the way back to 1776, being an American citizen was a privilege. Living in a country where democracy was the goal was an honor. Especially for women, voting was not always an option. In fact, this year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.
So, whatever way you chose to cast your ballot, remember those who came before you. Without them, most of us would not have been filling out any sort of ballot this election. Wearing the “I Voted” sticker should not be a sign of party pride but, instead, of national pride. Thank you for voting and exercising your right! Foreign eyes are all on us since we have the ability to choose; we have the opportunity to have this controversy. America was founded on differences; it took the founding fathers five months to draft a Constitution that would receive majority signage from the attendees of the convention. This was due to major differing views of how the nation should be governed. Our differences are not what should be tearing us apart; they should unify us as they did in the very beginning. As the famous quote proclaims, “United we stand, divided we fall.” As a nation, we will only be able to succeed if we rise together. Our diversity makes us the melting pot we pride ourselves in being. The tensions may be high, but I encourage all Americans, whether you classify as a Republican or Democrat, or maybe you’re somewhere in between, recall the roots with which we all came from, and represent the red, the white, and the blue.