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Writer's pictureTU-AMA

To Provide my Context


I have never been deeply invested in politics or policies, and I’ll admit I’m not as educated on policies as I’d like to be. But this year marked the first election in which I had the privilege of participating. Coming from the perspective of a 19-year-old white male, college student from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, I felt a strong urge to get involved and informed for this election. 


Unfortunately, though, my own ignorance kept me within a bubble. Even as a student at a highly diverse university in Philadelphia, I wasn’t aware of just how close this election really was. I surround myself with individuals who carry mostly the same political and moral beliefs as I do, so it was easy to be a little blindsided by the outcome of this election. Especially because of social media and news outlets, we are fed content based on our previous scrolling habits. Algorithms also play a huge role here, continuously feeding us more and more of what we already believe, which only reinforces our existing views. This experience has shown the importance of seeking out unbiased sources and doing research that challenges my perspective. 


To provide some context, my family is relatively diverse regarding political and social perspectives. As of this year, we have a libertarian mom who is handicapped, a republican dad, one moderate son, three democratic sons (two of whom are gay), and a democratic daughter who has a son on the spectrum. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I am fortunate to recognize that I still have access to a strong support system and many opportunities that help me get by. However, I recognize that not everyone is as fortunate—many face significant hurdles to equal opportunities and must fight to get their voice heard.  


Growing up in a household with two republican parents, I was raised to think for myself and that it is ok to disagree with one another as long as it doesn’t harm the underlying relationship. This year, however, there wasn’t much disagreement. 


We found a bit of common ground based on the fear of our newly elected government. For starters, we fear for my mom’s sake and my nephew’s sake. The GOP has historically tried to repeal The Affordable Care Act; without the act, it will be increasingly more difficult for people with preexisting conditions to gain affordable insurance, including current clients being dropped for the perception of them being “too costly.” When it is too expensive to afford insurance without The ACA people often have less funds to pay for other necessities, e.g., food, rent, and other expenses. My two brothers and I also fear the idea of their plans to abolish the Department of Education. With the Department of Education eliminated there will be no more federal grants supporting our college education, no school regulations, and no national structure of our current education system.


Without federal funding, public schools with low-income families will struggle innately to continue functioning. Even though some of these plans of action don’t affect us all, we are all concerned for the ones we love. 


While we know we love each other, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we agree on all the same fronts. Something I had specifically in mind while casting my vote was the national fight for reproductive rights. Although some members of my family didn’t agree with my stance, we were able to open a space for discussion without getting too emotionally distraught. My dad enjoys bringing up debate topics knowing he is arguing with someone on the other side of the political spectrum. He instigates and revels in the disagreements, I think because it proves to him that our family relationship will always be held above politics.  

That is what we hold especially important in this family, being heard and loving one another despite any difference of opinion. This election year has been incredibly stressful, I have seen many friendships and relationships end over politics, but never be afraid to disagree with someone, it should be a conversation, not a fight. But if you are willing to fight for your beliefs, never stop fighting. 

 

This is a link that I have found extremely helpful in searching for unbiased news sources. There are so many options, you can find news sources from any point on the political spectrum.  

 

If you are struggling during these uncertain times in today’s America, please do not hesitate to reach out for help, it is so important to communicate what you may be feeling instead of suppressing it inside.  


Here is a good article that has post-election tips for those feeling overwhelmed. Also, near the end of the article there are helplines for anyone to reach out to if they need help.  

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