This November, we will be both gifted and burdened with the decision of who will lead our country for the years to come.
Though President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race, many still feel as though they are stuck choosing between the better of two evils. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are our options this election, and it’s a vital one.
This means that now, more than ever, it’s essential that we take a closer look at policies, and what each politician truly stands for.
Many people are choosing to support Trump under the justification that he is “best for the economy”, but at what point do we stop overlooking Trump’s lack of concern for people of color (POC) and immigrants in this country.
The United States is supposed to be a country where we celebrate and accept our diverse population. This country was built by immigrants who were searching for new opportunities, and better lives.
Now, Trump has built his platform on the exploitation of immigrants and POC. By portraying them as the enemy, he has successfully capitalized on the xenophobia and opposition to diversity that has grown in this country.
It seems so ironic to villainize people for pursuing the very principle this country was built upon; better opportunities, and better lives.
This can be seen simply in the language the Trump administration uses when referring to minority groups.
On Trump’s website which displays his “Core Promises” of Agenda 47, the very first promise he makes is to “Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion.” Any time Trump discusses immigrants, he does it in a manner to portray them as some sort of plague.
As Trump’s list of promises goes on, he makes a proud proclamation that he will “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.”
The fact that Trump is so proudly promising to deport immigrants and uproot their lives is alarming to say the least.
The concern about immigrants is not terrorism or the economy, as Trump supporters claim, it is ignorance and a fear of cultures that do not perfectly align with American standards.
Furthermore, the claim that immigrants are “ruining our economy” is simply false. Immigrants make up such a large part of the American population, the American economy would fall apart without them.
Take farm work for example, the U.S. (United States) is among the top three agricultural producers in the world. According to Fwd.us, Immigrants make up 73 percent of our agricultural workforce in the U.S. and 49 percent of the workforce are illegal immigrants.
If we were to deport these workers, our agricultural sector in the U.S. would fall apart. Agriculture in America is a huge contributor to our economy.
So in reality, Trump’s promise to “deport illegal aliens” is contradictory to his claim that he will “fix” the economy.
It’s also important to acknowledge Trump’s lack of support when it comes to public schools.
In his long list of promises, Trump promises to “cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.”
Who will be deciding what constitutes “inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content”? And how will this be decided?
In the past, Conservatives have suggested that simply teaching historical events is “critical race theory.”
There have been arguments that teaching about U.S. history, such as slavery and segregation, simply should not be taught on the grounds of “critical race theory.” Are we simply erasing history now? Choosing not to teach it?
This is exactly what the Trump administration aims to achieve. Regardless of your political views, public schools are necessary, and their funding should not be up for debate.
If we allow Trump into office again, public schools, immigrants, and other minority groups who are already at risk, will be in danger.