This past month, the Democratic and Republican national conventions have been absolute “must-watch” television, and much like the best of reality television, they have been chock-full of juicy rumors and controversy. Undoubtedly, 2016 is and will be a unique year in the annals of history, and already this year’s election commands the most interesting presidential race in American history. As a high school senior, I missed the 2012 elections by a couple of months, but I remember the grand spectacle of it all and reveling in President Obama’s victory. I remember staying up late to watch his victory speech. During the hullabalo, I remember eagerly waiting to get my own “I voted” sticker in four years’ time.
Fast forward four years, and my sentiment has largely disintegrated. Somehow in the process of searching for a viable president worth voting and cheering for this past year, I found myself caught in a blistering political maelstrom between two candidates, neither of whom I am particularly fond.
Perhaps it was due to the nature of this year’s election and the questionable ubiquity of ad hominem dismantlement that has disenchanted me from the electoral process, but doesn’t it feel like in this year’s election, it’s more of a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils? That’s not to say the candidates aren’t experienced or qualified, it’s more that I have serious qualms about the both of them, and unfortunately, there aren’t many other viable options. From JFK assassination conspiracies to allegations of Russian interference, this election cycle has almost had everything. Everything, that is, except for two decent presidential candidates.
For example, how am I supposed to overlook the issues surrounding Hillary Clinton’s trustworthiness? I have always believed in sacrificing some degree of individual privacy for the greater good and for the purposes of national security, but how can I enable and trust a leader who completely bungled classified information? And who, in the process of connecting with the public, looks so wonderfully artificial?
On the other hand, how can I, the son of a Chinese immigrant, support Donald Trump and his history of sexism, racism and callous carelessness? And how can I stand idly by as Mr. Trump harangues our Muslim and Mexican brothers and sisters? Sure, my demographic may not be within Trump’s cross-hairs and his plans to “make America great again” yet, but who is to say they won’t be at Trump’s current rate?
Our country’s future may be uncertain, but with that uncertainty comes an undeniable truth. Indeed, recent events both domestic and international have shown that we live in a time in which our country first and foremost needs unity and solidarity in the face of terror and injustice, and there is only one clear candidate that will bring an end to the discourse in our nation. I am with her, and I look forward to seeing her inauguration come January. #Obama2020.
Max An is a senior physiology and neurobiology major. He can be reached at maxandbk@gmail.com.
