Do you recall your post-election state of mind four years ago? In retrospect, did subsequent events meet your expectations or confirm your fears?
Post-election 2016 I was still in Germany, looking for schools in the US that I can play soccer at. Our news are not really biased and nobody liked Trump or really thought that he was going to win. I certainly hoped he would not, because his campaign and his statements just did not seem like he would be a good choice, especially internationally. I remember I came downstairs for breakfast the next day and it was midnight in the US, but Trump was basically elected president. In the following weeks, a lot of my friends and family asked me if I still wanted to go to America. So yes, the subsequent events met my expectations, as we all knew Trump did not care about the environment (he made clear he was going to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement). He was expected to be a hard person to talk to, which we can see in the relationships between him and several European leaders over the years. He talked about building a wall, which fortunately he did not actually do. I am lucky to have my Student Visa, and to be able to study here. Trump and his administration were thinking about changing ICE regulations for International Students as well, making it more difficult for certain people to get these visas and to stay in the country for more than four years. This is also one of the many reasons, why I believe the election was so important and why I think that the result was not only a milestone for the US, but for foreigners living in the US and every other country. I did not have a vote, but I believe especially in this election, it does not mean that I cannot have an opinion about it, because the US president decides about so much more than just the American people. I do not expect everything to get better in the next year; I do not expect Biden/Harris to turn the whole country/world around, but I do believe that you are on a better path internationally, environmentally, and socially now.
Lastly, I am excited to see what the future holds and if Trump is going to be there when Biden is sworn into office in January. This should not come as a surprise if he does not, because like so many other things he has announced his actions in the past and people still ignored it.
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Total Points: 60 I think
I find it interesting talking to my parents about where they were and what they were doing while huge events were occurring. They can easily recall what specifically was happening when they got the news about Lennon's assination, 911, and remember what their family night looked like while they watched the moon landing on tv. I dont have that type of life experience and I was only 4 when 911 happened but..I specifically remember where I was when Trump was elected. I was walking back to my car that was parked at the Frist Center in Nashville after a predators game I had attended with an ex girlfriend. More vividly I remember her face when she got the CNN notification that he had reached 270 electoral votes and told me that he was our new president. I consider his election win over Hillary one of these moments, due to the absolute shock, horror, and moral loss America suffered that day especially since Trump had a comeback win to defeat Hillary. Perhaps in other countries this was experienced too? Maybe if it was experienced for you in Germany these substantial events that occur can be a way of binding people together when shock and horror strikes and can help people cope when life seems grey.
ReplyDeleteThe street celebrations that erupted here when the result was announced Saturday have been compared by observers in the developing world as comparable to how their countries have responded to the overthrow of dictators. Remarkable.
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