Empathy Wins
It’s 9:14 am on Saturday Morning - 5 grueling days after election night - and we finally know who will be our 46th President of the United States. Joe Biden can begin the healing process this country desperately needs. Unity is the path forward; not division. I’m excited to see him and Kamala Harris - our first woman and woman of color as VP - speak to the American people tonight. Today, I’m proud to be an American. Like him or hate him, Joe Biden cares about all people in this country. Sure, he wasn’t my first choice…or second… or even third if I’m being honest. Regardless, I believe he gives this country the best chance at healing.
"The work ahead of us will be hard, but I promise you this: I will be a President for all Americans — whether you voted for me or not. I will keep the faith that you have placed in me." - Joe Biden, today
I remember how I was feeling after the 2016 election. Almost four years ago exactly I wrote this on my Facebook Page:
November 9th, 2016
Dear America,
2016 isn’t the first time our country has been deeply divided. We are 240 years old. If history has shown us one thing, it’s that we will find a way to fight for what we believe in. This is an unprecedented time in a world that’s changing at an exponential rate. A Trump presidency may be the alarm clock that many Americans need. To force real change, more Americans need to have an unbiased, open-minded political education. Research with an open mind, have a productive debate, think for yourself rather than what your family or friends think, read, be a world citizen, look at our own history, and actually care about the future. This isn’t a joke. This is a wake-up call for the masses of this country to force real change. Together.
I’ve had some time to gather my thoughts about what has taken place in the last 24 hours, and I have a few things that I need to share. To begin, anyone who knows me will tell you that I tend to take an optimistic approach to the negativity and adversity that takes place in my life. My attitude is focused on looking beyond the immediate bad, and seeing how we fight to get to a long term good. I’m proud of that, and I will continue to have this attitude for the rest of my life. Yet, after the result of the presidential election, I could do nothing but focus on the disappointment, the pessimism, and the hopelessness I felt about the future of our country. It’s been a tough 24 hours for millions of Americans, and many are scared, angry, and disappointed with the direction we're now going. I’m one of them. But putting my head down won’t do anything to change the result of the election.
Just this morning several small acts of courage from other students at UO stood out to me. When walking to class, I passed a whiteboard filled with inspiring and uplifting quotes. In the center of the board, one quote stood out among all the others:
“You belong in this country.
You matter no matter what
Regardless of the color of your skin,
Who you love,
How you express your gender,
What sex you are,
Where you come from,
What religion you practice,
What languages you speak,
You, and your voice, matter. And you are loved.”
A Trump presidency doesn’t define who we are as a country. In some of our toughest times, we didn’t quit. We didn’t just put our heads down and decide that hate will overpower love. Fuck no. Instead, America will respond. Martin Luther King Jr once said that “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” In a time of confusion and turmoil, the American people will step up to fight for what we believe in.
I’m proud to be an American, and I’m ready to fight for what I believe in. I will fight for my vision of what will make America great again, and I hope Americans everywhere will fight for a better future.
Are you on the right side of history?
I stand by every word I wrote in 2016. I believed in my country to rise up and take a stand against hate. This time around we did it. Love wins.
There’s a lot of work to do. We’re a deeply polarized country. But today, we took a huge step forward.
Hayden Schuster
