▲Lee Doyi (Studio Art, Sophomore, Grinelle College)

 I do not think I have ever seen America become as ideologically polarized as it is now.
The left and right have always been there fighting and dividing—and considering I’ve only lived 21 years and two months to witness the entire scope—I guess that statement is up for debate.

But when your potential president, the head of state and commander of chief of the nation, is either going to be a radical Socialist Democrat or a subconsciously fascist lunatic, you know your country is not getting along.

You may have already noticed; I am no Trump fan. In fact, I attended the Iowa Caucus in Grinnell, the town where I go to school, to stand in support Bernie Sanders. Recently, I got myself registered as an official member of the Democratic Party. He visited my college twice this school year, which got me even more excited.

Ironically, at least in the previous election, politics were really not my thing.But now, I can say with more confidence that I am no longer a blank slate. Through academic and empirical experience, I have learned to see the social issues and injustices plaguing Americans—systemic racism, gender inequality, homelessness, the prison system to name a few—and all the positive ways we can change society. Among all the democratic candidates, who are all fairly worthy of candidacy, Bernie seemed to be the most revolutionary, most committed to making social change in the US like no other. He envisions—and is willing to make the society: a happy, tuition free, birth-control accessible, non-discriminate, healthcare guaranteed country of equality, and opportunity. Most of all, his campaigns are not funded by multinational companies to serve corporate interests. Rather, he is supported by individual contributions. Truly, he is born from and for the public.

However, what gave me that final push to convert into progressive political activism is the very face of I am against: Donald Trump. Not saying that he is my ultimate motivation, but all the things I would do to stop him from becoming president. As much of a racist piece of ignorance and intolerance he is, the probability of Trump’s election is hard to ignore, especially when he’s the most popular Republican candidate. They buy into his rhetoric of fear and division: that undocumented Mexicans are rapists, that Muslim-Americans should be ID’d for their “terrorist” belief, that police—not victims of color—are most mistreated...the list goes on. The only way I can help stop this phenomenon is through voting, my words and actions that may hopefully educate and influence others, so that they may not make the same uninformed, or even misinformed, decision I did.

I was thinking more of talking about how this year’s presidential election could change the game, what opportunities to take to make for the most, for the best of America’s future. But isn’t that exactly what Bernie is?

Lee Doyi  leedoyi@grinelle.edu

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