As the presidential race comes to an apex, people all over the country are digging their heels in to back up a candidate. News feeds are drenched in endorsements, advertisements and inflammatory rhetoric. As a result of this deluge, many citizens are disengaging, turning off and shutting down. If you are one of these exhausted and potentially undecided voters, please consider casting your ballot with your peers in mind.
We must treat society, both as a whole and each individual member, with care. This compassion should apply to all people, even those beyond our nation’s borders. Treating each other with respect and kindness, regardless of race, color, gender or creed should be an inclusive value, and in this moment our country must stand up for and defend the most compassionate model for how our world approaches immigration.
If we look at what the candidates are advocating for through a long historical lens, the undercurrent of authoritarian rhetoric that we are hearing today from Donald Trump is reminiscent of speeches and slogans that characterize an extensive lineage of violent regimes. When John F. Kelly, the former Marine general who was Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, was asked whether Trump is a fascist, he responded that the description accurately describes the presidential nominee. “Well, looking at the definition of fascism: It’s a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy,” Kelly told the New York Times.
We should all remain alert to these tyrannical red flags because although we live in a wonderful country, we are not immune to the possible turmoil that could result from one person’s quest for control. The aftermath for countless individuals who might suffer the consequences of that person’s dangerous, fragmental mindset could be unimaginable.
Although each candidate has laid out debatably flawed policies, Trump’s racist and xenophobic rhetoric does not represent the future I hope many of us wish to see for ourselves, our children and our neighbors. Throughout his campaign, Trump has referred to immigrants as “blood thirsty criminals,” the “most violent people on earth,” and “animals.” Recently, he stated that immigrants are inherently predisposed to committing violent crimes just because of their race, stating “it’s in their genes.” Trump’s policy for mass deportation would likely involve holding possibly millions of people in detention camps, with them eventually being removed from the country without due process hearings.
As a child in elementary school, I learned that America prides itself on being a melting pot. I was taught to consider myself a part of that melting pot, and for good reason: most citizens living here today have their family history rooted in immigration. According to Pew Research Center data, 14,314,000 immigrants came to the U.S. from 1840-89 during the Northern European Wave. In 1850, immigrants represented about 10% of the U.S. population. Today, immigrants represent 14.3% of the total U.S. population. California is home to 10.4 million immigrants, or 23% of the total U.S. immigrant population. Nearly half of the children in California have at least one immigrant parent.
As a child, I learned all the anecdotes about treating each other fairly and with equality, and I have applied those basic fundamentals to countless interactions throughout my life. When I look at my undocumented neighbors, I see hard-working and caring people. I see mixed-status families that contribute to my community. I am friends with them and our children have closely grown up together. My heart breaks when I think about these families being ripped apart under Trump’s callous policies. I agree with Mahatma Gandhi’s statement, “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary. The evil it does is permanent.” I cringe when I think about the rippling psychological, social, cultural and political effects that such a violent approach to immigration might have on our communities, our countries and our world.
Another thing that I learned as a child in elementary school that has stuck with me throughout my life is the Golden Rule. This rule states, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” This is a moral principle that spans across religious, cultural, racial and gender boundaries. Perhaps Gandhi was right when he said, “If you want real peace in the world, start with the children.” When I read about the 3,200 children pulled away from their families at the borders — an estimated 1,400 of whom are still separated — I do not view Trump’s policies as respectful toward children, the family members that they were separated from when Trump was president or anyone else who believes in empathy, compassion and peace.
For those who think these disastrous policies would only affect illegal immigrants, think again. If we view the current political landscape through the long lens of history, it’s easy to see that Trump’s hateful rhetoric toward illegal immigrants is only the tip of the oppressive iceberg — a canary in the coal mine. Recently he has cast a wide net of anger toward anyone who might oppose him, referring to the real danger as “the enemy from within.” This echoes the approach that fascist regimes have used to plant their seeds throughout history. Fascism roots itself into a society by first speaking toward a specific social issue, such as immigration, but then broadening its divisive terms as it gains momentum. Who knows who will be the next so-called “enemy”?
“Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up,” Gandhi said. Trump seems engulfed in pride and anger. This is not the model that seems fit for the melting pot of America. This is not the candidate that I want for our fellow students and their families, and it is certainly not the model of leadership that I want for our kids.
As Cuesta College gets ready to participate in the nationwide First Generation Celebration event, we should all honor this resilient, hard-working, goal-oriented demographic of students by actively participating in this upcoming election. According to the Higher Education Immigration Portal, there are 1,905,000 first-generation immigrant students in the U.S. Of these, 407,899 are undocumented. I stand united with these students and their families as they pursue their dreams, and I hope the majority of others support them as well. We can do this by making sure Donald Trump does not regain the power to place them, their brothers and sisters, their parents or any of their loved ones in detainment camps. As Gandhi said, “Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow men.”
For undecided voters, I hope you can see that although it is unlikely that any presidential candidate will epitomize the multitudes of goals that many of us have for our world, ultimately choosing to cast your vote for the most empathetic candidate is the right thing to do.
